The Speedgoat is Hoka's answer to rough ground. A tall stack under the heel, a 5 mm drop, and a Vibram Megagrip outsole with deep lugs — it is built to keep working when the trail turns to loose rock, wet root and mud.
That stack is the trade. You get protection on long descents and on ground that would beat up your feet in a lower shoe, and you give up some of the feel that lets you place a foot precisely. On smooth hardpack it is more shoe than you need.
It is not a road shoe. Those lugs are loud and wear fast on tarmac, so keep the road sections short and save it for the days you are actually going off-road.