I suppose, like all things, it is a matter of personal preference, comfort, feeling of safety, riding style, etc. I could never quite get the cleats on my old shoes properly angled in order to relieve pressure on my knees - especially a problem when nailed on and worn down a bit. When cleated in and straps tightened there wasn't much play and after a soccer injury to my left knee I found that I needed a bit more float!. My knees - although not all that aged - therefore seem to respond better to clipless pedals (with the red LOOK cleats).
For me it all comes down to riding my vintage bikes in discomfort or making a modern exception and enjoying my rides!! Putting clipless pedals on my vintage bikes - while perhaps heretical and maybe not as aesthetically pleasing - has meant that they are being ridden. I am back riding as much to improve my level of fitness as for the enjoyment of riding old steel. If I toured I might be tempted to put clips back on and use uncleated shoes.
When it comes to my vintage bikes there are few exceptions I am willing to make (clipless is one and a wireless cyclo-computer is another). I take great pleasure in striving for period correctness in all other aspects of their componentry! I will never go as far as kitting them out with any other modern component. That having been said, I must admit to wearing modern padded shorts!!!
On the point of the modern shoes, there are some out there which are not all that flashy - and yes, predominantly black ( I am thinking especially of the Adidas Super Pro Classic Road Shoes) - I too do not particularly like the NASCAR type of models. But, I do question whether walking on a pair of modern cleats is that much more ducklike than walking on older style cleats.
Paul Williams,
Ottawa, ON, Canada