Mountain bike footwear retains many of the stiff, high-performance qualities of road shoes, but it uses a recessed SPD cleat fixing system; making walking and off the bike activities much comfortable. True clip-less compatible mountain bike footwear often features aggressive sole patterns for effective off-bike climbing through muddy conditions and some shoes even offer removable stud options. Whilst there are indisputable advantages to a clipped-in, SPD style system, many mountain bike riders prefer the freedom, comfort and off-bike style that flat pedals offer, and dedicated shoes feature omnidirectional tread patterns that engage into pedal studs to keep your feet right where they need to be.