This may be the stupidest question ever. But, what the heck. I've been riding on the same Axo spd shoes for over a decade. After my last adventure race I just couldn't get the smell of Florida swamp out of the ol' dogs so I figured it was time for some new. The shoes arrived from Performance Bike, they fit nice, feel good. Pat myself on the back for saving a few greenbacks. Only thing is, I just can't, for the life of me, figure out what the aluminum spikes are supposed to be for. I understand 'em on golf shoes and football cleats. Why in h-e-double-toothpicks would I need spikes on my bike shoes?

Try and suppress your giggling until I can understand, please.

Carl D

I suppose it's more for traction when mountain biking and offroad trails. The spikes dig into the dirt better than rubber lugs... My Adidas Durangos have removable spikes...

Maybe you can use the spikes to defend against the gators?

No worries there. I make sure to race at the back of the pack so the gators hungry enough to eat a human will get the sinewy flesh of highly trained race geeks.

My spikes are removable, too. And they came with a handy dandy insertion and removal tool. I figured, as you suppose, Psydotek, that they are for use off the bike. But, it just seems very specific, y'know? Coupled with the fact that lots of shoe makers have these spikes as options, there must be some very important reason for their existence.

WTF?

For me--not you--they are good for snow/ice when commuting.

The spikes are so you can drag you and your bike up a hill too steep to ride up. To climb up real steep slopes, you need to be able to dig in with your toes. Hence, the spikes at the forefoot of the shoe.

I used to have a pair of bike shoes w/spikes that were very useful in keeping my feet on the pedals as I rode (I don't use toe clips because I don't want to fall with my bicycle if something should happen). Like other people in this thread have said, I found it useful for when I would be riding offroad or came to a slippery surface. However, I made sure that I didin't walk on wooden floors because of the damage the spikes would do to the wood.

However, wearing them did come to a funny situation. During a cold, rainy day on a bike trek, I slowly succumbed to the effects of hypothermia. Eventually, I reached a rest stop that had everything for trekkers - food, drinks, shelter, and paramedics. Even though I had something to eat and rested a bit, it was plain that I couldn't go on that day. I was led to the paramedics who ushered me into an ambulance nearby. I didn't care about my wearing my cycling shoes, spikes or no spikes! As one paramedic began wrapping me in warm blankets, she said "Will you please remove your "clogs" sir?

WTF!

If you aver go racing, make sure they are sharp and kick holes in your competitor's tires when you are passing them to make sure they can't pass you back.