Ask the Experts

Q: "I want to get clipless pedals for my bike,but I can't decide which is best.  Can you help me?"

 A:  Clipless pedals are "clipless" since they do not have the old-style toe clip and strap system common on older bikes.  The toe clip and strap secured a rider's foot to the pedal to make the rider more efficient.

Instead of simply pushing the pedals down from the 12 o'clock position to the 6 o'clock position at the bottom of the pedal stroke, riders with toe clips and straps were able to "pull up" with one leg as the other leg began the pedal stroke.

The French company Look invented clipless pedals in the early 80's.  Today, clipless pedals are fairly commonplace with dozens of manufacturers making them.  The clipless pedal achieves the

New Standard - A typical clipless road pedal.

goal of having the rider more securely attached to the pedals, but eliminates the issues of old toe clip and strap systems.

With clipless pedals, the rider can easily remove his or her foot from the pedal without having to reach down and unbuckle a strap.  Should the rider fall from the bike, there is no longer the danger of sprained ankles since there isn't a strap holding the rider's foot to the pedal.  Furthermore, by using a cycling shoe, the rider's weight is spread out over a larger area than just the pedal and this lessens the chance for "hot spots" and pain on a rider's foot.

"Walkable" style shoes feature an outer sole that is easier to walk in but are not as efficient as road style shoes.

When shopping for a clipless pedal system, you will not only be purchasing clipless pedals, but also a pair of shoes.  On the bottom of the shoes you will attach a "cleat".  The cleat is specific to the pedals you choose and the cleat is how your shoes will attach to the pedals.

Given the hundreds of models of shoes available, which do you choose?  First, determine if you want a shoe that you can easily walk on or if you want more

efficiency with a shoe that has the cleat sitting outboard

of the sole but is a little more difficult to walk on when

you get off of your bike.

Generally speaking, "walkable" style shoes are mountain

A typical Shimano "SPD" pedal.

bike, touring or spin-class shoes.  Shoes that have a stiffer, smooth sole are classified as road bike shoes.  The biggest component that affects the price of cycling shoes is the composition of the soles.

Soles for cycling shoes are usually divided into three categories. Inexpensive shoes mostly use an injection-molded plastic sole, which is economical but heavier and prone to flexing. Mid-range shoes may use a combination of plastic and carbon fiber or plastic and fiberglass.  Nearly all manufacturers' high-end competition-level shoes use carbon fiber soles.

Once you have your shoes, you will need to determine the style of pedal that is appropriate. 

Road style shoes are harder to walk on, but are stiff, efficient and work with most brands of pedals.

 Walkable style shoes are mostly limited to using the Shimano "SPD" style system.  Road shoes allow for many more options as they can usually be used for SPD style pedals as well as many others.

When choosing a pedal, nearly all will have "float", or lateral movement when you are clipped into the pedal.  This float allows your foot to move sideways a few degrees left or right of the pedal and is useful as it helps to lessen the chance that you will get knee pain from pedaling.

If you have knee issues, look for a pedal system that offers more float.  Pedals from the manufacturer Speedplay currently have the most amount float with 7 degrees on each side of the pedal.

Finally, whenever you are changing over to a new pedal system or purchasing new shoes, you need to get properly re-fitted to your bike.  A new pedal and shoe system can change where your seat height should be and an improperly fitted bike can lead to pain and inefficient riding.  Stop by to see our selection of shoes and clipless pedals, and we'll be happy to help!

Our "Ask the Experts" column is a monthly feature that answers questions that we receive in our general e-mail inbox.  Have a question for us?  Send it to us at info@thebicyclewheel.net.  Each month we pick a question that we think is timely and relevant to our readers.