Clipless Pedals for Bikes – More Riding Fun & Power

One click to victory in the Tour of France. When Frenchman Bernhard Hinault won the Tour in 1985, it was the start of a revolution in cycling. Hinault was the first to use clipless pedals in the race instead of the hook pedals that were common at the time. Almost 40 years later, they are an indispensable component of cycling equipment – both on the road and off-road.

Clipless pedals offer many advantages over classic flat pedals. A fixed connection between the shoe and pedal prevents slipping off the pedal and at the same time improves the "round pedal" or power transmission, as you can generate propulsion over almost the entire pedaling movement. They also improve your riding feel and control on the bike. However, there are a few things to consider before buying and riding for the first time.

In principle, there are three main groups of clipless pedals: clipless pedals for road bikes and clipless pedals for mountain bikes. There are also clipless pedals for touring bikes. Each sub-category has its own type of pedals. Below we present the most important types of clipless pedals.

Clipless road bike pedals are fitted with plastic cleats that are attached to the road shoe with a three-hole mount. This ensures the largest possible contact surface to ensure optimum power transmission between the foot and pedals. In addition, clipless pedals are optimized for road use in terms of weight and aerodynamics.

The most common systems for road bike clipless pedals are Shimano SPD-SL and Look Kéo pedals, followed by models from the manufacturers Speedplay and Time. Other manufacturers use existing standards so that pedals from Garmin or Favero, for example, are compatible with the regular cleats from Shimano or Look. The functionality of the pedal systems is very similar – only Speedplay pedals with their characteristic lollipop-shaped pedal body differ significantly: here, the click mechanism is located directly in the cleat instead of in the pedal.

Top facts about road bike clipless pedals:

• Plastic cleats with a wide contact surface
• Cleats require a three- or four-hole mount on the shoe
• Low weight and optimized aerodynamics
• Only suitable for walking in cycling shoes to a very limited extent

Pedals and shoes for off-road use are more robust but also somewhat heavier than road bike clipless pedals. They are designed to allow you to descend and run on rough terrain without any problems and also work under the most demanding conditions, such as in mud. The cleats of MTB clipless pedals are usually smaller, flatter and made of metal for reasons of wear. They are attached to the MTB shoe via a two-hole mount. Unlike road bike pedals, MTB clipless pedals usually allow access to the pedals from several sides. This makes it quicker to click in, even if the mechanism on one side has become clogged with dirt, for example.

The most popular pedal system for off-road use on mountain bikes, gravel bikes and cyclocross bikes is SPD – originally developed by Shimano. SPD clipless pedals are considered to be particularly reliable. Other popular click systems for MTB pedals come from the manufacturers Crankbrothers and Time.

The most important points about mountain bike clipless pedals are as follows:

• Small cleats made of metal
• More robust and heavier
• Access from several sides
• Running with cycling shoes possible without any problems

In addition to pure MTB clipless pedals, there are also combination pedals that combine a clipless system with an additional flat contact surface. They are mostly used by touring cyclists. But these pedals are also a popular choice for daily commuting. 
The reason: thanks to the flat side, you can also ride these pedals very comfortably with normal road shoes or sneakers. If you want to take a sportier approach and go on a longer bike ride, for example, click into the clipless side. More all-round pedals are not possible!

• These models have a click system on one side, while the other side is a classic flat pedals.
• With these pedals, the focus is not on weight, but on comfort.
• Running is possible with cycling shoes without any problems.

There is a fourth group, power meter pedals, which are actually a sub-category of road bike and mountain bike pedals. If you want to upgrade your bike with a power meter to better control your training loads, pedal-based power meters offer you an easy and affordable introduction to watt-controlled training. 
Compared to other power meter systems in the hub, crankarms or crank axles, power meter pedals are much easier to install and can be swapped between bikes with little effort. This means that the pedals can also be easily mounted on a rental bike at a training camp and provide you with precise readings all year round.

The most important points about pedal-based power meters are as follows:

• Inexpensive and good power meters for getting started with watt-controlled training
• Easy installation and quick change between bikes
• Available with typical MTB and road bike click systems

If you want to convert your bike to clipless pedals, you will need a set of pedals as well as suitable cleats and compatible cycling shoes. Each pedal manufacturer uses specific cleats, and not all of these cleats are automatically compatible with all shoe models. You can tell which pedal systems your cycling shoes are compatible with by the cleat mount:

• MTB shoes are equipped with the "SPD (2 hole)" mount: The two holes are located centrally on the forefoot and directly next to each other.
• Road shoes usually have a "Look/SPD-SL/Xpedo (3 hole)" mount; in the professional sector also 4-hole for Speedplay.
• Some shoe manufacturers also use double holes so that you can choose whether you want to ride the shoes with road bike or MTB clipless pedals.

There are also differences in the freedom of movement that the respective pedals allow. Before you buy, always check what freedom of movement a pedal or its cleats allow. At BIKE24, we therefore specify the respective freedom of movement for each model and its cleats in the product description.

Have you found the right clipless pedals for you? Then get on your bike! Here are three tips to help you get started smoothly:

• Take your time to carefully fit and adjust your cleats. This will prevent pain caused by an unnatural adjustment. Templates for the cleat position can be helpful.
• Set the small screw for the release hardness of your clipless pedals to as little resistance as possible at the beginning. This way, just a little pressure is enough to release your foot from the connection.
• Practice clipping in and out extensively so that you can get in and out of the pedals quickly and safely in any situation.

• Clipless pedals allow the foot to be firmly connected to the bike in a similar way to ski bindings.
• They are mainly used on road bikes and mountain bikes. Touring cyclists also sometimes like to ride with "clipless pedals".
• Ambitious athletes rely on power meter pedals that can measure performance.
• If you want to convert your bike to clipless pedals, you will need a set of pedals as well as suitable cleats and compatible cycling shoes.
• Please note: Every manufacturer uses different cleats and pre-drilled holes. This means that not all cleats are automatically compatible with all shoe models.