Originally Posted by
garlic_rice
Would I get laughed off the track if I showed up with SPDs and MTB shoes? I'd like to do an intro class at Kissena this spring and I don't currently own any other pedals/shoes. I'll gladly buy some if I need to, especially if i end up sticking with it and racing, but would I be better off showing up with clips/straps as a first-timer?
You will definitely not get laughed off the track. Kissena is a great, friendly, grassroots scene. Run what you brung is completely acceptable. I started racing there in '07 and there were plent of people in short and t-shirts, even some people in clips and straps. Sure, somebody might come along and say "Hey, you might find road pedals to be a good upgrade" but that's a good sign, not a bad one.