Bicycle Pedals

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Pedals are almost as specialized as entire bikes,  giving riders more options to improving their performance and better suiting their needs. Have a read of this guide to help you navigate the increasingly complex world of bike pedals. Once you have a basic understanding of how each type of pedal works, it'll be easier for you to find a pedal that suits your needs. This guide includes technical explanations of the main types of pedals, as well as common terms and a breakdown of the basic pedal parts.

Basic Pedals

If you're just starting out at cycling, there are some basic terms and mechanical concepts you'll want to know before you start shopping. Pedals are perhaps one of the most undervalued components of the bicycle, but experienced riders will tell you picking the right type of pedal for each type of riding is critical to your performance.

Pedals are made up of three components: spindle, body and cage.

  • The spindle is a thin metal rod that threads onto the crank arm and holds the bearings. The inside end of the spindle (the part that threads onto the crank arms) typically has larger, more durable bearings than the outside end.
  • The body is usually a cast-aluminium housing for the spindle and the bearings.
  • The cage, usually made of steel or aluminium, is a thin metal band that toe clips and reflectors bolt onto. The cage is attached to the body via pedal braces.

Additional standard features on pedals are toe flips, small metal protrusions bent outward that helps rotate the pedal backward when using toe clips.

Basic Types of Pedals

Toe-Clip Pedals 

  • The most common types of pedals used in road bikes.
  • Have a small platform and cage to attach toe-clips and straps.
  • Will increase overall pedal efficiency when using toe-clips.
  • Allows for easy entry and exit if you get in emergencies, while keeping your feet securely in the pedals.

Clipless Pedals 

  • These have a special mechanism that attaches your foot to the pedal using a specialised cleat mounted on the bottom of your shoe.
  • Improves connection between you and your bike, and more efficiently distributes power throughout the whole pedal stroke.
  • Clipless mountain pedals are usually double-sided, while clipless road pedals are single-sided.
  • Can cause knee injuries if cleats are incorrectly situated in the pedals.
    • Look for pedals with a small amount of float, which allows your foot to move from side to side, instead of being fixed in place.
  • Sometimes known as SPDs, after Shimano's  brand of clipless pedals.
  • Require purchase of a special bike shoe.  See the bike shoes guide.

Platform Pedals 

  • The classic pedal.
  • Usually have a wider surface area and are very versatile.
  • Best suited for leisure and non-competitive riding.

Specialized Pedals

Pedals are further specialized as they are designed for specific types of riding. For example, BMX  riders will use a variation of the classic platform pedal, but with much wider surface area and spiky grips protruding from the pedal itself. Clipless pedals also vary by discipline: mountain bikes  (MTBs) will often use a pedal that houses the clip and very little surface area, while road bikes use a pedal that's slightly larger and lighter. At the same time, downhill MTBs will sometimes use a pedal that resembles those used on BMX bikes.  So there's a lot of variation out there, and there are even more choices once you narrow down your style of riding. Check the chart below for more detailed information on the different types of pedals.

Clipless Road Pedals

Most road bicycles will use clipless pedals,  which are slightly different than the clipless mountain bike pedals you'll see below. The cleat area is larger, often covering 1/3 of the shoe. The greater surface area helps distribute downward force as you pedal, allowing for more evenly balanced strokes. This is especially valuable because road bikes often use a bigger gear range, and bigger gears, than mountain bikes.

  • Clipless road bike pedals are often one-sided, meaning the clip area is only on one side of the pedal.
  • Classic road pedals are made by Look  and Shimano,  DMR,  and WAM  also makes clipless pedals.
    • The new Shimano Dura-Ace pedals  are very nice, and work well.
    • Look's new Keo  pedals seem to be a big improvement over the old ones. However, they aren't backwards compatible. They are a little smaller and a lot lighter.

Mountain Bike Pedals

Mountain Bike Pedals  have a little more range in shapes and sizes than the clipless road bike ones, since there's more terrain variety within the group. Most MTB riders will use a small clip with little surface area -- which makes the pedal look more like just the clip mechanism and nothing else.

  • MTB Downhill  riders will use a pedal with slightly more surface area, like Crank Brothers Mallet  pedals. These are essentially clip-in pedals with a metal or plastic cage around them and they're good if you're constantly clipping in and out of your pedals and gives you more leeway to find the clipping mechanism.
  • Some downhill riders will use a BMX-style pedal like the Shimano M545,  or just a straight BMX pedal, for easy exits when they ride into trouble.
  • Shimano,  Crank Brothers,  Xpedo,  Time,  and Wellgo  all make high-quality MTB and downhill pedals.

BMX Pedals

BMX Pedals  use a wider, platform-style pedal, but with little pins protruding from them which gives extra grip without actually attaching your foot to the pedal.

  • BMX spindles are often a different size than MTB and road pedal spindles. However most BMX pedals have interchangeable axles so they can be used on either MTBs or BMX bikes.
  • Some BMX riders will use clipless pedals for more power.
  • Shimano MX30  pedals are a good choice, as are pedals from Wellgo. 

Track Pedals

Because of the geometry of track bikes (also known as fixed-gears, used for fast racing in velodromes), track pedals  need to have good ground clearance and, since they're constantly moving, the pedals need to be easy to get in and out of.

  • Be sure to use toe clips with these pedals.
  • MKS  and Wellgo  both make affordable and quality track bike pedals, as well as some higher-end pedals.

Platform Pedals

Platform Pedals  are the classic pedal style and can be used in pretty much any application, though you might find that the more specialized pedals are better suited depending on your setup. These pedals offer no attachment to your foot, but are fast and easy to dismount, inexpensive and pretty much maintenance-free.

  • Look for MKS  for a classic and quality platform pedal.

Related Articles

Bike Shoes

Mountain Bikes

Road Bikes

Tyres

Bike cases 

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