Originally Posted by
urbanknight
The idea of walking down even one flight of stairs on any road cleat gives me the chills, not just for cleat wear but for safety! I highly recommend you consider a recessed system as has been recommended previously in this thread. The only real downside is a bit of weight, and the upside is you can walk like a normal person and your cleats might last longer than you.
Personally, I agree. When I commute to work I walk about 50 meters on a little asphalt (5-10 meters) and then waxed linoleum floors, no stairs. I carry a pair of light shoes (water shoes, essentially) in my saddle bag and switch into them as soon as I get off the bike. I have cleat covers, and I use them, but there is NO WAY that I'd regularly walk any distance in cycling shoes. IMO that is simply foolishness. (LOOK KEOs, no experience with SPD.)