I bought a pair of Shimano SH-MT33L Mountain Bike Shoes for a spinning class at my local gym. After attaching a pair of SPD cleats I find that it takes great effort to clip in and out...way too much resistance. I tried them on different X-bikes at the gym and same thing. I can clip in and out but its way too tight, to the point that the cleats actually get misaligned. I noticed that the cleats sit below the shoe rubber and are not touching the ground when I walk. I am wondering if the problem may be due to the rubber pressing down against the pedal, creating too much resistance, because the cleats are not exposed enough?!? Any ideas?

As for the cleats my local bike shop sold me a Forte brand and said that they are compatible just like the Shimanos.

Link to the cleats I purchased at a local store.
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...6#ReviewHeader

UPDATE 12/22:
Alright all, my clipping in\out problem is resolved. I went back to performance and replaced the Forte cleats with a pair of SM-SH56. Now I am able to clip in and out with ease (and love the mulch-release by the way). What can I say, my experience at Performance has been disappointing. The interesting thing is that to the eye, the Forte and Shimano cleats look very identical but in reality only one functions as intended. Hope this post helps someone who find themselves in the same situation.