Changing your cycling footwear from toe clips or flats to clipless pedals opens up a new level of convenience and performance, but it also brings some hard choices. The vastness of the cleats, pedals and shoes available can be overwhelming, and finding the right system is tough. Keep in mind that pedals and cleats are sold as single units, and most cleats cannot be used with multiple pedal designs.
Road and Track Cleats
Although clipless pedals had been invented in the 19th century, they did not start taking over the road-racing scene until the 1980s. One company produced a style of pedal that is still the foundation of clipless pedals today. They have a wide, one-sided power platform that secures a triangular cleat at the front and rear, with a spring to release the cleat when it's twisted to the side. These road pedals can be made very lightweight and still retain their large cleat platforms and overall strength, making them exceptional tools for the road rider.
Mountain Cleats
Mountain bike cleats still resemble some of the first clipless systems created, although they have been refined quite a bit. Mountain cleats are generally much smaller than road cleats, allowing them to be recessed into the tread of a shoe for easier walking. Their simplicity also makes them less likely to cake up with mud or gravel, which can make it impossible to clip into your pedals. The pedals themselves still hold the cleat at the front and rear, but they have a much smaller pedaling platform, and are often double-sided to enable the quick on-and-off riding techniques that are often necessary on the trail.
Hybrids
Some pedal manufacturers have combined different parts of mountain and road and track cleats to make hybrids. A wafer-shaped pedal, for example, is marketed as a road system, but has double-sided entry like a mountain pedal. This allows for slightly easier entry and exit, but also makes the pedal platform smaller than conventional pedals.
Considerations
Most cleat and pedal systems are designed for a specific purpose, so keep in mind the type of riding that you normally do when you go browsing for new pedals. The recessed cleat on some brands and other mountain systems may be essential for the commuter that needs to walk into the office without clopping large cleats all the way; however, the larger cleat platforms serve a road rider or triathlete much better with more power transfer, less foot fatigue and a lighter shoe weight. Don't be afraid to ask to test ride some pedal systems before you buy.
References
- "The New Cyclist Handbook"; Ben Hewitt; 2005
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