Originally Posted by
jockstick
Wow thanks for the responses everyone. I already have a pair of A530 so I think using that along with mountain bike shoes and bringing an extra pair of sneakers would be the most flexible option.
I was also a bit concerned about knee injury using clipless for extended distance if my cleats are not positioned properly or happens to shift, but glad that didn’t really come up in the comments.
I actually solved a knee problem by moving to clipless from platforms: I'm not sure exactly why, but I had all kinds of knee issues when I was riding platforms. Securing my foot on the pedal resolved that and I haven't had an issue since I made the move.
To the topic at hand, I use mountain spds exclusively when I tour. I may may carry another lightweight pair of shoes depending on the nature of the trip, but I often just go with my cycling shoes. Which are very comfortable on and off the bike.