Thanks Michael
i actually did put clipless pedals on my old bike about 3 weeks before i got the new one. i didnt have any problem on the old bike never even came close to falling over, i actually wondered what all the fuss was about.
the problem seems to be the bikes are different and set up completely different. on the old bike i had the seat set low and was able to easily put my feet on the ground while in the saddle. so get used to a new position seems to be more the problem than just the peddles. think i have the hang of it now tho .
thanks for the advice on the fender and racks, i'll watch for that when i install them.