Clipless pedals are the way to go for off road riding, they give you much better control while descending, sprinting and bunny hopping. On rough descents they keep you from getting pitched when you misjudge a rock or root. I really like the way you can lift out of the saddle and steer with your hips and use your feet to "log walk" the back wheel up and over obstacles.
One caution most clipless pedals come from the factory torqued down to a pretty high release setting. If you're just getting used to them loosen up the tension setting to the minimum setting until you've gained confidence then over time tension them back up a bit.
I use various versions of SPD pedals for cross country and cyclocross racing and in no time at all you get to the point where you just release at will without even thinking about it. I can remember a number of times when I started washing out on a fast sandy or muddy corner and my inside leg dabbed to keep me upright before I even had time to think about it. Don't be scared of clipless I'm convinced they're much safer than open platforms and as long as they're not set too tight they're easy to get out of.
Good luck,
Dave
One caution most clipless pedals come from the factory torqued down to a pretty high release setting. If you're just getting used to them loosen up the tension setting to the minimum setting until you've gained confidence then over time tension them back up a bit.
I use various versions of SPD pedals for cross country and cyclocross racing and in no time at all you get to the point where you just release at will without even thinking about it. I can remember a number of times when I started washing out on a fast sandy or muddy corner and my inside leg dabbed to keep me upright before I even had time to think about it. Don't be scared of clipless I'm convinced they're much safer than open platforms and as long as they're not set too tight they're easy to get out of.
Good luck,
Dave
