So I used to race in toe clips. Nylon or metal cleat nailed into the bottom of my Sidi and Detto Pietro bike shoes. They looked like ballet slippers with a hard sole. Slide the foot into the clip, down goes your heel into the cleat pull that strap and you are connected and not coming off the bike.
It is much easier to dial in proper fit today.
Also, those old cleats did not offer float. Thus, a guy like me finds float annoying and uncomfortable.
However, I was carefully measured for my shoe/cleat setup including a shim under the cleat to level things out.

If you are a do-it-yourselfer, you'll hurt yourself before you get the setup right.

If you, like me actually go to people for help , well I have seven pairs of shoes from three manufacturers any of which can be ridden because my setup is the same.


I just cannot stand to have my foot wallowing around in the pedal, but your mileage may vary.

BTW, I come from an era where we played lots of sports, and I played hockey and soccer so my knees are not the best, but my setup does not bother me in the least.

I tell folks who are getting into clipless to get it setup properly. The fastest way, other than crashing to hurt yourself is with bad shoe/cleat setups.

And my feet do not go numb when I ride.