I grew up racing road and track bikes so I have a hard time with anything but stiff high performance cycling shoes. I suspect you have the same problem. Because road shoes are hard to walk in, I like a stiff SPD mountain bike shoe meant for Mt bike racing. SPD is surprisingly available in most higher end bike shops throughout the world but, in all my years on the road, (10 year this spring) I have never had the SPD mechanism fail. I usually replace my pedals every 2 or 3 years. I also carry sandals and trail running shoes for off bike times. I know this is a lot of shoes to carry but this is not a temporary vacation for me - the 3 pairs of shoes, and everything else in my panniers, are all I own.

I like your strategy of asking what we use and then deciding the direction that is best for you.

Good travels to you.