After a couple years with Shimano and never getting the right side up, I started using Eggbeaters for commuting. Now the I work in a home office, I still use Eggbeaters on my bikes. I always found them the easy to engage right away. It might take some time to acclimate to them or the new cleats might be a little tight to start; but once you have the feel for them, you can engage on the first time nearly every time. When I get to a red light with other riders, I'm typically the fastest one clipped-in when the light changes.