Patent ID: 7444763

Claim:
A method of assembling an article of footwear for a wearer, the method comprising steps of: providing at least one first footwear component and at least two second footwear components, each of the second footwear components having different physical properties, and each of the second footwear components being joinable with the first footwear component, wherein the first footwear component is an upper and the second footwear components are sole structures, and wherein each of the second footwear components is configured to include a foot-supporting portion and protrusions extending from the foot-supporting portion; determining preferences of the wearer for physical properties of the second footwear component; selecting one of the two second footwear components based upon the different physical properties and the preferences of the wearer; and removably-securing the first footwear component and the selected second footwear component, wherein, during the securing, the foot-supporting portion of the selected second footwear component is located within the first footwear component such that the protrusions extend through apertures in the first footwear component, and wherein the securing further includes engaging a locking system by extending edges of the apertures into indentations in the protrusions.