Pedals

Your primary choice in pedals is platform vs. clipless. Road riders, racers and cross-country mountain bike riders will probably prefer a clipless system. In a clipless system, a cleat mounted to the bottom of the shoe snaps into the pedal, providing a firm and secure attachment similar to a ski binding. The rider can release from the system by twisting their foot to the side.

Downhill, freeride, and other aggressive mountain bikers may prefer a platform pedal system, which provides a flat grippy surface for the shoe, but no binding mechanism. This style of pedal is also ideal for casual "around-town" riders who don't want to bother with special shoes.

There are also a few hybrid pedals, which offer both a large platform and a clipless binding mechanism so that either can be used on different terrain.

If you've decided on a clipless system, you'll need to determine compatibility between your pedals and your shoes (Fig. 1):

Fig. 1 - Common clipless pedal mounting standards

Cleats for road pedals

There are three main types of cleats used on road shoes. The first, the LOOK pattern, can be identified by it's 3 hole drilling in a triangle shape. The second, the SPD pattern, can be identified by the presence of two slots in the middle of the shoe. Finally, the TIME pattern uses four holes for cleat mounting. Although most road shoes are compatible with both LOOK and SPD mounting, you should always confirm compatibility prior to ordering.

Cleats for mountain pedals

The most common cleat mounting system used on mountain pedals and shoes is the SPD pattern. Almost all mountain bike clipless pedal systems are compatible with shoes using the SPD pattern.

Note: the fact that two pedal systems use the same cleat mounting does not necessarily imply that they are compatible. For example, the Shimano M959, Crank Bros. Eggbeater, and Wellgo WPD-813 pedals each use the SPD cleat mounting pattern. However, the cleats themselves are not interchangeable.

Pedal threads

All modern mountain and road bikes take 9/16" pedals. Many high end "3-piece" cranks used on BMX bikes also take 9/16" pedals. Other BMX bikes need 1/2" pedals, which are not compatible. If you are shopping for pedals for a BMX bike, take note of which size is needed by your bike prior to ordering.

Some info sourced from our affiliate partner: Jensonusa