Must be like the RC airplane hobby where everyone tells all beginners "you will crash!" And indeed just about every one of them comes back to the forum with their story of their crash. I guess if you say it enough, it will happen.

I started out flying and never crashed learning. It wasn't until I started to try stuff that my beginner airplane wasn't meant to do like rolls and inverted flying (low power v-tail high wing airplane, very difficult to roll and hold inverted) that I crashed. I didn't crash learning because I read about flying and controlling an airplane rather than read 100 comments saying "you will crash!"

Of course when I started flying in 2006, I didn't see the constant "you will crash" comments. I saw helpful comments on how to control your airplane. Today, the RCGroups beginner section seem to be full of know-it-alls and superiority complexes rather than helpful people.

Thanks for all the feedback. Too many to respond to individually. To clear a couple things up. I had a trek hybrid bike and that is what I used in my first triathlon. So this IS my first road bike. When I watched youtube videos with people showing Clipless pedal use I didn't see that it was a big deal but it just seems like a lot of people do make a big deal out of it. I should add I'm also adding aero bars to my bike so I think I'll focus on the road bike and aero bars then after my triathlon I'll go Clipless.

Good luck with your triathlon,

my best purchase/upgrade on my bike is definitely clipless pedal, can't believe I've waited for more than a year, go for it, the sooner the better, it's that good

People tend to make a big deal out of it because you're definitely going to fall over. On the first night while you are paying attention, you won't fall. But it's that one moment coming to a stop that you're going to forget to unclip and slowly tilt over lol.

But since you're going for a triathalon, and the point is to get improved times, not sure trying to do both at the same time is going to help you. If you fall over during your triathlon because you're thinking about getting changed out of your shoes for the next event, and you end up being bruised anywhere, that may hurt your times even more.

Got my bike today. Currently there are pedals with toe clips. Definitely will get rid of those