Honestly I don't think any of the trail running options would provide enough stiffness in a cycling shoe, or range. I'm thinking. Stringers are a good idea though. I actually thing I could do this pretty easily with a pair of soft SPD shoes (Shimano GR series) and a quick mcmaster Carr order. Project for the summer.
Regarding hot spots on clip in shoes, my experience is that's typically a symptom of the sole being bagged out and matching the wrong shoe/pedal combo. If you want something stiff as nails and durable with no hotspots unfortunately it gets spendy to get something with a UD Carbon sole (Shimano Rx800 or similar).
Gravity oriented shoes pair well with the commensurate pedals (i.e. Shimano Saint). They have great ride feel and control, but unfortunately they are consumable items (they get flexier and flexier over time, until the point hotspots develop. I typically find this is the first thing that wears out, especially on Shimano Torbal shoes). I get 12-24 months out of a pair of "Gravity" spds. This is part of why I switched back to flats for rides under 4h (shoes last way longer).
Feb. 7, 2025, 11:05 p.m. - Sanesh Iyer
Honestly I don't think any of the trail running options would provide enough stiffness in a cycling shoe, or range. I'm thinking. Stringers are a good idea though. I actually thing I could do this pretty easily with a pair of soft SPD shoes (Shimano GR series) and a quick mcmaster Carr order. Project for the summer. Regarding hot spots on clip in shoes, my experience is that's typically a symptom of the sole being bagged out and matching the wrong shoe/pedal combo. If you want something stiff as nails and durable with no hotspots unfortunately it gets spendy to get something with a UD Carbon sole (Shimano Rx800 or similar). Gravity oriented shoes pair well with the commensurate pedals (i.e. Shimano Saint). They have great ride feel and control, but unfortunately they are consumable items (they get flexier and flexier over time, until the point hotspots develop. I typically find this is the first thing that wears out, especially on Shimano Torbal shoes). I get 12-24 months out of a pair of "Gravity" spds. This is part of why I switched back to flats for rides under 4h (shoes last way longer).