First ride of the year, and clipped in

[ElyDave]

First time out this year and took the step of cleated shoes on the recumbent for the first time as well.  Felt like a much smoother pedalling action as I was also trying harder to use the gears more effectively.

No failure to unclip moments, but did manage to lock up the rear twice when coming to a halt as I sat up to put a foot down, and had a particularly annoying inability to reclip in at one stage.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1001651044

[Cudzoziemiec]

Clipless has its pros and cons but overall is a good move IMO. Of course you're not a real clipless user till you've had your first 'moment'. 

[ElyDave]

I've had a few "moments" on uprights, but not a recumbent (yet)

[Cudzoziemiec]

Ah, I thought this was your first ride with clipless whatsoever, rather than being darkside specific. In that case I have nothing useful to say!*

*I know, I know.

[Kim]

Foot retention is a safety feature on recumbents (particularly tadpole trikes, but anything with a wheel in ankle-bashing range can hurt), as well as saving the effort of holding your feet against the pedals (which is mostly achieved by gravity on uprights), so an unambiguously Good Thing.   

[Quint]

Clipless has its pros and cons but overall is a good move IMO. Of course you're not a real clipless user till you've had your first 'moment'. 

                         My first clipless "moment" happened on a tandem, in our passage where I was practising (as the man in shop had advised me to) Barbara hearing the squeal came from the kitchen only to burst out laughing as she spied me wrapped round our the stair post with said tandem on top of me.

                                                                                               

[Nethypete]

Shimano make multi release spd (panic) cleats that release from either side .....a real advantage when riding clipped in on a recumbent.

[ElyDave]

The small MTB ones?  That's what I use on the recumbent, I don't think I'm ready for the road shoes yet.

That and double sided pedals with a reverse flat side both for normal shoes and just in case

[Kim]

There are two flavours of two-bolt SPD MTB cleats:  The usual SH51 cleats which will release if you rotate your foot (in either direction, but the crank usually gets in the way if you try to do it inwards).  Shimano also make SH56 multi-release cleats which will additionally release if you pull firmly upwards.  The difference is fairly subtle if you aren't comparing them side by side.

That's a potential advantage if you're new to clipless, and probably handy for mountain biking.  Sounds like a bad idea for recumbent riders used to pedalling in circles (I can imagine failing to get your second foot up in time while starting off, trying to complete the first revolution of the pedals one-footed only to have the pedal release and cause you to bash your Achilles on the front wheel, followed by falling over sideways due to lack of momentum), though I've never actually tried them.