I wouldn't make any changes until after you race. Don't try to learn something new on race day.

Invest in clipless pedals. There's a small learning curve but you will not regret it. Well... not after you fall down a couple of times but that's the initiation.

Obviously not on race day, but I also recommend you go with clipless and Tri-shoes, if you can afford them.

You'll be amazed at how much smoother, and more enjoyable your time on the bike will feel. If you get good at things, you won't really lose that much time in transition either.

Yes, you will fall, several times when you first get them. Practice getting in and out (mostly out) on grass, and do your best to fall to the left. Post your slow-motion stories here so we can all make fun of you, and tell you about our memories of falling in slow-motion as well. It will be fun.

Oh, I'll regale you all with my stories of humiliating knee-skinning in super-slo-mo.

I just moved and to my great luck there is a LBS with that is obviously just a front for Triathlete drugs and carbon-disk/aero-frame porn. (they have a few Huffy's in front with flowers and baskets but step into the backroom and it's all Felt, Orca and sweet, sweet aero bars) I'll browse their selection of gear.

Are 'tri' shoes really worth an extra investment or are they just rejiggered biking shoes marketed to people who they know will spend an extra $100 if it says 'tri' on it? Any brands you guys specifically recommend?

I use regular bike shoes and have no problem with them...I'll invest in tri shoes when they make ones I can clip out and immediately take off on the run without any change. Until then bike shoes work fine for me.

And as far as being physically attached to the bike being a concern, I think it's safer than clips or the "cages" as you call them. I liken it to skis, when you wreck on a bike (or skis) the twisting of your ankle or leg releases you from the locked in position so you can separate whether you want to or not. With foot-clips, when you twist, they hold on to your toe/midfoot. That to me seems much harder on the ankle no to mention the fact that your bike will remain to go where you go as the momentum from a crash carries you. I personally have never wrecked, but would rather do it "cliplessly"

The only price you pay is the learning curve of trying to clip out before you fall like a newly tipped cow

The other difference in road and tri shoes is that tri shoes don't fit quite as snug around your foot. So road shoes offer a bit better power transfer in general. That is a direct result of having fewer straps, since with 1 or 2 it can't get as form fitting as with the 3 on many bike shoes. I will use tri shoes for sprints, since it does make transitions easier. But I am undecided on what I'll do for a half IM or full since then comfort of the bike shoe and the transfer has a bigger time to affect me.

Yes, go with the shoes that you clip in with. I ride Look pedals and like them a lot. And I also find I'm much more comfortable with that than the cages. Actually, the only person who almost crashed getting on the bike right where I was watching Escape from Alcatraz this weekend was a girl with cages who almost hit the curb while having to look down and fumble with them.

I've ridden "cages" before and found for me that moving to clip-ins was actually easier to get out of for a fall. Somehow, just twisting a little was easier to me than pulling my foot backwards. I guess I'm lucky, but never took the slow mo' fall after switching. I expected to, and practiced getting out a bunch to try to prevent the problem.

Thanks guy. I too have a budget for all my gear this year and this looks like the very last thing I can cram in. I'm going to have my sprint this weekend, then most likely spend a day or two just doing some easy running so I suppose I'll be looking to pick these up about a week from now. Photos of bloodied knees to immediately follow. ;)