no need to be hardcore to enjoy the benefits of a system that works with both your road and mtb bikes, and it doesn't need to be fancy either.

I started out with SPDs and after too many "I can't clip out!" incidents, I switched to crank bros egg beaters. some people have had their issues with these pedals but they have worked flawlessly for me, and I use them on all of my bikes. no more switching out pedals and/or shoes to match the bike I want to ride for that day.

I would say that clipless systems are personal preference, but there are pros/cons to each. for me, I like the simplicity of the egg beaters - 4 entry points, shed mud easily, simple to clip out - and reliable - I don't come unclipped when going through a nasty rock garden or when I'm getting bounced around on a techy descent. The down side is they don't have much of a platform to stand on so a good shoe with a stiff sole becomes pretty important. Which is why crank bros has the candy and other pedals with the egg beater "system" but with a platform.

Also, people have had issues with the spindles busting and nagging creaking among other problems...

that said, I have 4 sets of these pedals and haven't had a single problem.

Your mileage may vary ;-)