I adapted pretty much instantly. My unpopular theory is that many riders switch to them before their basic riding and machine handling skills are properly developed, and this is where a lot of problems arise.
I have a feeling this post is really a cry for someone to say how clever you were to develop your bike-handling skills to such a high level.
So let me say how clever you are.
Nonetheless, I think I disagree with your theory whether the above is the case or not. Many cyclists came through flat pedals, onto rat cages and then moved on to clipless systems. Many of us spent decades not realising that we were waiting for the clipless systems to be invented and marketed.
Cyclist who had been riding with verve for decades before clipless pedals hit the mass market still often had clipless moments. I'm not sure (even today) that my machine-handling skills are what you'd call 'properly developed', but almost everyone I know has had a clipless moment.
The list includes casual shopping-run bimblers, keen and experienced off-roaders and formerly fast ex-racers. All the evidence suggests that 'machine-handling skills have little to do with it.
The only people I know who have had no clipless moments are two of my children. One did, but it was as much misfortune as anything.
By and large, the children got into riding with SPDs when around 11 or 12 years old, on dinky little size-4 Spud Shoes. It seemed to help that they made the transition young and without a significant number of clipless-less years behind them. Like learning languages, the change might suit the young brain.
but I just wasted a bit of money...
