Power to the Pedals

One of the most significant bicycle innovations in the past 20 years has been the clipless pedal. Borrowed from skiing technology, these pedals make cyclists more efficient, by providing a better foot-to-pedal connection, and more safe, by offering almost instant foot entry and release. (We recommend clipless pedals for road and mountain biking, and they’re great for spinning classes too).

What are Clipless Pedals?
Like a downhill ski binding, the clipless pedal is actually a system: a small pedal with a miniature “binding” and a cleat that attaches to the bottom of cycling shoes. The two match together, effectively locking your foot onto the pedal. You simply step on the pedal to click your foot in place. To get out, you swing your heel to the outside as if you are stepping off the pedal, and the mechanism releases. Because you can get in and out so quickly, you’re more apt to escape in crash situations. Also, because your feet are locked into the pedals when riding, you can pedal with more oomph and you have more control over the bike for maneuvers such as hopping logs and curbs. No wonder almost all serious pedalers use clipless pedals and so many new bikes come equipped with them.

What’s So Important About A Pedal Anyway?
Of course there’s a basic side to pedaling, and if you’re just cycling recreationally, a simple rubber pedal works fine. But as you start riding more seriously, say to achieve fitness, the speed that you pedal increases and there’s a greater risk that your feet will slip off the pedals. This could be nothing more than an annoyance; but it could also cause a crash and lead to injury. Even if you never slip off the pedals, rubber pedals allow your feet to slide around and change positions while you’re pedaling, which is a very inefficient way to go.

One solution is to use metal pedals combined with toe clips and straps. The pedals have grippy surfaces and the toe clips and straps hold the feet in the correct place on the pedals and keep your feet from slipping. This is a perfectly viable solution, and is less expensive than clipless pedals and the special shoes that go with them.

The downside to this system? Clips and straps may cut off the circulation to your feet when they’re fastened tightly enough to allow efficient pedaling and control (and if the straps aren’t tight enough, you might not have the control you need). Also, it’s a fairly tricky two-step process to get out of the clips and straps when they’re tightened: you have to reach down to loosen the strap before you can pull your foot out. Furthermore, when mountain bikers ride on the pedal bottoms, the toe clips hang down and can snag on roots or sticks, and lead to worse.

So Why Get Clipless Pedals?

They keep your feet in place on the pedals, making it easier to pedal at a good cadence.

They provide the optimum connection between foot and pedal, so more of your energy makes its way into every pedal stroke.

They help when you’re trying to lift the bike while riding (to get over obstacles such as curbs, logs and rocks).

They won’t snag on roots, sticks and debris the way toe clips and straps can when you’re riding on the bottoms of the pedals.

They’re easier to get into than toe clips and straps.

With a little practice, they’re safer to get out of than toe clips and straps because the release motion is simpler and more natural.

They’re comfortable to pedal on when you get shoes that fit your feet and the pedals.

There’s no cage to chafe your foot, and no strap to cut off the blood circulation.

They’re lighter than regular pedals or pedals with clips and straps.

They look cool.

Buying Tips

Save your bucks. You don’t have to buy the most expensive model to get good clipless pedals. That extra cash buys you lighter weight, a little more durability, and sometimes, added adjustability. If you don’t need these extras, save your loot and go with a budget model. You’ll still get excellent pedal performance.
Be a copycat. If you haven’t a clue what pedal system to buy and don’t want to shop around, take the easy way out. Simply ask ride partners what they ride, and then follow suit. If they ride the local roads and trails the way you do, the chances are good they’re using nice pedals that’ll work for you too.
Know your needs. Before shopping for pedals, figure out what you need in a pedal and shoe system. Will you walk in the shoes a lot? Do you ride trails, road, or both? Are weight and high performance important? The better you can define what you want, the easier it’ll be for a salesperson to help you into the right system.
Buy a system. If you’re just getting set up, purchase shoes and pedals made for each other. Make sure the shoes you purchase are compatible with the pedals you select, especially if you choose shoes and pedals by different manufacturers in an effort to find the best fit. If you buy pedals and shoes from the same manufacturer, the system is guaranteed to work nicely. To discover what works best, ask at a bike shop. Most quality shoes work fine with the major pedal systems, but there are some mismatches, and you want to avoid them.
Find a fine fit. Cycling shoes shouldn’t fit like street shoes. For road shoes, purchase a glove-like fit. The shoes should be snug, with just enough room up front to wiggle your toes. The foot should be held tightly and should not slide forward and back. And your heel should fit snugly and not have a tendency to lift. For mountain biking shoes, the fit is similar except that you may walk in these shoes a lot, so leave a little more room in the front of the shoe.
Consider extra cleats. Cleats are included with the pedals, not with the shoes. However, if you want to set up several pairs of shoes for use with one set of pedals, it’s possible to purchase cleats separately. You might also buy a spare set to have at the ready for when your cleats wear out. That way you don’t have to waste time finding replacements.
Purchase a plethora of pedals. If you have several bicycles, you might want to purchase clipless pedals for the ones you ride most so that you can use your clipless shoes (and enjoy all the benefits of going clipless) whenever your ride.

Glossary of Clipless Pedal Terms
cleat	The piece of metal attached to the bottom of the shoe that allows the shoe to engage the pedal for the foot-to-pedal connection.
clipless pedal	A pedal and shoe designed to be used together for optimum performance.
double-sided pedal	It’s possible to engage both sides of the pedals; an important feature for riding off road because it makes getting back on easier.
fixed	When your foot is held in one position on the pedal. Some pedal makers offer two cleats; one is fixed, the other offers float.
float	A pedal feature that allows the feet to swivel slightly laterally when you’re pedaling so that your feet are not locked in one position.
Look- or Time- or SPD-compatible	This term is used referring to shoes and it means that the bottom of the shoe will accept the cleats from the company mentioned. So a Look-compatible shoe will accept Look cleats.
recessed cleats	This has more to do with the design of the shoe than the cleat. But when the term is used it’s referring to a clipless system on which the cleats are mounted in a recess in the sole so that you can walk in the shoes without walking on the cleat.
single-sided pedal	Only one side of the pedal receives the cleat. This saves weight. Common feature of road racing pedals where once you’re engaged in the pedals, you usually stay in.
SPD or spud or Shimano SPD	Stands for Shimano Pedaling Dynamics and refers to any of Shimano’s clipless pedals though the terms SPD and spud are usually used to refer to Shimano’s mountain bike clipless pedals.
tension adjustment	A screw or bolt on the pedal that allows you to adjust how hard it is to get in and out of the pedal.
walkable shoes	Any of the clipless shoes on which the cleats are mounted recessed into the sole and on which there is tread on the shoe sole suitable for walking.