And stiff they certainly are. In fact, I would not want them any stiffer. On steep run-ups, I had to tighten down the straps to a borderline uncomfortable degree to minimize heel lift. A full length race with shoes this tight would leave my feet tingling. I preferred to leave them a little looser and suffer the heel lift. Fortunately, the entire heel pocket is lined with synthetic leather which will wear better than the nylon mesh found in cheaper shoes. The stiff soles were appreciated on high power, out-of-the-saddle efforts up steep hills and never gave me hot spots on longer training rides.