Originally Posted by
icyclist
Mt. Bike shoes FTW, based on your parameters..
"I've read that sometimes SPD cleats give riders uncomfortable hot spots"
I call BS/confirmation bias and all humans aren't exactly the same when it comes to tactile perception. If this were generally true, few would purchase SPD gear. The reason it's not true for most people is because of stiff soles.
What is the magic size of a cleat that would banish hot spots? Think about it: cleat sizes vary, so larger cleats would simply mean some people should experience larger hot spots.
If there wasn't a stiff sole in between the foot and the pedal, cleat size would indeed matter, but since we have a stiff sole, it wouldn't matter. This is all based on the assumption that the soles are stiff enough so that they don't flex. I think people who get hotspots have poor shoe fit, inserts, or are overtightening their shoes (I had the latter problem when I first started using clipless pedals, couldn't go more then a mile and the bottoms of my feet were screaming in pain, now I can go 40+ miles at a time without issue).