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Pedals can be a bit confusing to new cyclists, but are actually quite simple. At BicycleTires, we carry two styles of pedals, clipless and platform. Platform pedals are the good old fashioned flat pedals that can be ridden with normal street shoes. Platform pedals can be equipped with toe-clips to increase pedalling efficiency. Wellgo 888 Quill Pedals is our most popular platform pedal. Wellgo LU 961 Road Pedals With Clips is a platform pedal with toe-clips included.

Clipless pedals, once specific to competitive cyclists, are now utilized by even the most casual road riders. But clipless is a bit of a misnomer, clipless pedals replaced platform pedals with toe-clips, the rider actually clips in to clipless pedals. Clipless pedals rely on a cleat attached to the bottom of a cycling specific shoe, which clips into the actual pedal. Pedals are made road or MTB specific.

Road Pedals

Experienced riders are often fiercely loyal to their chosen brand of pedals. As pedals and cleats are not compatible with other brands, most riders find a brand they like and stick with it. Time and Look are the two giants of the pedal world, Look actually invented the first "quick release clipless pedal" which served as the basis for all clipless designs. Time RXS Carbon Road Pedals and Look 2008 Keo Carbon Pedals are both race ready pedals with affordable price tags.

Shimano also has a well regarded pedal line, Shimano Dura-Ace PD-7810 Pedals was co-designed by a certain Texan who had some modest success at a race in France. The Campagnolo Record Ti Pro-Fit Plus Pedals are especially popular with mechanically inclined cyclists, like Campagnolo's drivetrains, they are completely rebuildable.

The most commonly discussed pedal feature is "float". Float allows the rider's heel side-to-side wiggle room without disengaging the pedal. While the effect of float is very similar across brands, how they achieve float varies. Time pedals feature adjustable float, in the pedal itself. The other brands we carry offer different cleats that facilitate float.

MTB Pedals

MTB pedals feature a dramatically smaller cleat which is installed in the recessed portion of a MTB shoe's sole. The conventional wisdom with float in MTB pedals is that more is better. MTB pedals offer a large amount of unadjustable float.

Shimano pioneered MTB pedal design with their SPD system. The Shimano PD-M540 SPD Clipless Pedals remains popular with mountain bikers and recreational riders alike due to it's small cleat and ease of entry. The Time ATAC XE Pedals is another easy to use pedal suitable for riders of any level.

Cleats

New pedals always come with cleats, but cleats wear out. Cleat replacement is an important safety issue. Worn cleats can unexpectedly disengage from pedals, causing a nasty wreck. Carefully read the instructions included with your pedals and watch out for signs of wear.

MTB cleats are usually compatible with road shoes, road cleats are not compatible with MTB shoes.

Tips and Terms

Stack height - The distance the pedal extends from the bottom of the shoe when clipped in. Especially relevant to road racers who often power through tight turns. Not as relevant to MTB.

Q Factor - Distance between your feet while riding. More precisely, while pedalling, your feet make two parallel circles. Q factor measures the distance between these circles at a corresponding point. Usually a crank issue, but pedals have some effect.

Platform - The area of the pedal that makes contact with the sole of your shoe, and therefore receives the force of pedaling. Road riders typically want a wide platform, which more efficiently transfers energy. MTB pedals provide a rather small platform, creating a quicker, more agile feel.

For any questions regarding pedal selection or compatability feel free to contact us at sales@bicycletires.com or 1-888-222-9887.

Bicycle Pedals

Road Pedals

MTB Pedals

Cleats

Tips and Terms

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