Originally Posted by
ericm979
They wear a little from the small motions back and forth in the pedal, but mostly they wear when you walk on them.
SPD-SL cleats have little rubber bumpers on the corners that hit the ground first when you are on a flat level surface, so the cleat itself doesn't touch the ground and wear, but if you walk on dirt or gravel they sink in and the engagement part of the cleat touches the ground.
The cleats wear when you clip in and out as well.
As a side note:
I had to go and take a leak in the woods yesterday during my rides. There was snow everywhere. When I tried to get back on the bike, the snow had compressed to ice under my cleats and they wouldn't engage. It was pretty annoying. I had to take a stick and get the ice off. Heh.