So I have this vintage Motobecane. Came with Stronglight crank set, Atom pedals w/cages & straps.

I've been riding it this summer (after a not too tedious renovation on the moving parts) and just today received a new pair of Shimano bike shoes. There's these little steel inserts inna bottoms, threaded to take bolts for cleats? The Nikes I been using for twelve years still fit but are getting old (why I bought the Shimanos).

Are clips easier to ride with than the cages / straps of olde? Safer, less safe? Walking in shoes w/clips is a PITA? (I had a pair of bike shoes back decades ago, really thin soles & leather things riveted on that engage the back portion of a pedal's frame, to augment the frame/strap securement. Those were a PITA to walk in, let me tell you sometime.)

How hard izit to thread on new pedals I can use with clips (clue me into what's out there for road bikes please, with links and comments) on this bike?

Can one mount clips on 'olde style' pedals once cages & straps are removed?

The atoms are coded for left/right owing to the threading appropriate for each side. I'd like to keep 'em (for no other reasons than aesthetics and that they came with the bike) if possible unless finding clip-capable pedals that screw right in will be fairly easy.