I liked to pedal pretty hard. I discovered this year that I could prevent knee pain if I don't push down so much. Instead, I push forward with one foot and pull back with my other foot, at the middle of the pedal stroke. I can only do this with cleats.

It does pay to become adept at putting your feet in. I have done so.

I think my next pair of shoes will have SPD cleats on them. I saw some sneakers that look like hiking sneakers at the bike shop, but they have a recess and cleat bolts. And they're only $80. The big question is whether they fit me. Most shoes don't fit me, in any size, because I have very odd-shaped feet. I really hope I can slowly convert most of my shoes to SPD, and I'll wear them even when I'm not cycling. I've just about worn out my Nashbar SPD sandals from daily use. My next sandals will be Shimano, because they're well reviewed.

I have lots of bikes, so I have lots of options. I do sometimes go without any foot retention. Sometimes I use toe clips. And sometimes I use SPD. I even occasionally change my pedals. I'm pretty fast at that.