Quote Originally Posted by emily_in_nc View Post
Not really. So long as you squirt them with a little White Lightning (or similar dry lube) every now and then, mine have been fine (X-series). The only time I've gotten into trouble is when I had to walk in them on dirt or sand. They do clog up, and you'll have to find a stick or squirt water in them to get the gunk out or you WON'T be able to clip in. A good solution is coffee-shop caps (cleat covers), which Performance sells. Make sure to get the ones specific to the type of cleats you have. Keep 'em in a jersey pocket and slip them on if you have to take a nature break or walk on dirt at a rest stop, and nothing can hurt your cleats.

Hope this helps!

Emily
That's the main reason I prefer the Zero's. They don't have that problem with dirt and sand. Or, I should say, as bad a problem, although I still recommend the cleat covers.

The screws are a bit picky. Too tight and the cleats are harder to clip into, and too loose and they fall out.