Mountain Bike Shoes Specialized

I am new to mountain bike cleats. What are they EXACTLY?

I am just about to buy a pair of mountain bike shoes (Specialized womens) and want to know exactly what cleats are. Are they the pedal, or are they the part on the shoe? When I buy my shoes, do they already have the metal holes in them, or do I fit them, etc etc.
Sorry – sounds like a silly question, but I ride on normal pedals now and its about time I graduated!!

Cleats are the metal part that attaches to the bottom of your cycling shoe and snaps in and out of the clipless pedal. Each type of pedal has a different type of cleat. Most mountain bike shoes use either Shimano SPD or Crank Bros. cleats depending on what type of pedal you are using. The cleats only cost a few bucks and usually come with the pedals. Once you go to clipless pedals, you will never go back.

Specialized BG Taho Mountain Bike Shoes

Shimano PD-M520L MTB Sport Pedals with Cleats $32.50 The Shimano® PD-M520L pedals are designed for off-road sport performance with dual SPD bindings and a cartridge bearing unit….

Shimano 105 PD-5700 Road Bike Pedals (Black) $52.95 Low maintenance sealed cartridge axle unit, Large binding target for quick engagement, Adjustable cleat tension w/ indicators. New Ultegra cosmetic, SM-SH11 (floating) cleats included.Shimano PedalsItem SpecificationsColorBlackIntended UseRoadPedal Spindle9/16″Pedal TypeClipless…

Avenir Ultralight Pedals with Toe Clips and Straps, Black/Silver, 9/16 Inch Axle $21.39 Blk/Silver…

Specialized Mens 2012 Sport MTB Mountain Biking Shoe Black $90.00 Specialized Shoes Our shoes offer unparalleled performance and more rider benefits than any other cycling shoe. That’s a big claim, but we stand behind it because we design our shoes based on medical testing. According to Nicholas Dinsdale, in his study for Manchester Metropolitan University, “The smallest amount of misalignment in the lower limb can lead to knee and pelvic problems, and more impo…