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Old 01-17-19, 10:34 AM
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Originally Posted by Brett A
You can get soft SPD shoes with recessed cleats so you can feel like you're wearing normal(-ish) shoes; ones that don't sound like tap shoes. ....
The cleats on all SPD shoes are recessed. After I wore some of my shoe sole down, I used Shoe Goo to build up the sole a bit. Big mistake. That was when I learned that your SPD shoe sole actually sits on part of the pedal and I had built up the sole too much on the sides of the recessed cleat area which made it harder to clip in and added resistance to side to side movement and release. I had to cut off some of the Shoe Goo that I had added.

If you cleat one of your shoes into the pedal by hand (not wearing the shoe), you can look at how the shoe is attached to the pedal and can see where the shoe sole sits directly on the pedal.

This of course means that all SPD shoes have the cleats recessed about the same as other shoes, if the cleat is recessed too far it becomes harder to clip in and out. If not recessed enough, the shoe sole is not contacting the pedal.

Since then I have on ocasion built up the sole on some of my bike shoes with Shoe Goo but only after I put the shoe into each of the various pedals I use to make sure that I am not putting any Shoe Goo where I shouldn't.

Originally Posted by bobwysiwyg
Why are they called "clipless" when, in fact, you are clipped to them?
Decades ago racers and some other cyclists used "toe clips". They were a cage around the front of the foot and there was a strap over the top. I am sure you have seen them or seen photos. If not, do a google search for - bicycle toe clips and straps

Years later, when shoe cleats were created that allowed you to attach your foot to the pedal without using "toe clips", you were using a clipless pedal system.
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