Of the three points of contact between you and your bike – the saddle, bar and pedals – your pedals have the most work to do. As well as keeping your feet in place as they spin at up to and sometime over 100rpm, they also have to provide a solid platform to push against so you can generate the power needed to propel you and your machine forwards. All of which is a long-winded way of saying that choosing the best road bike pedal for your riding style is crucial.
Clipless pedal systems evolved out of the old pedal and toe-clip setup. Whereas toeclips relied on your foot being strapped into a clip attached to the pedal, clipless pedals use a cleat that's fastened to the sole of your shoe to engage mechanically with the pedal, similar to a ski binding. Generally speaking, to clip into your pedals, you step onto the pedal's face and push your foot forwards to engage the cleat, and to release your foot, you simply rotate it outwards.
Although most clipless systems use similar technology, there are still lots of variations and huge price differences. Here we have a brief guide outlining what to look for when choosing a clipless pedal, as well as our pick of the top road pedals currently available. (You may also like to see our guide on how to use clipless pedals)
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What to look for when buying a clipless pedal:
Cleats
Cleats vary in design depending on the pedal, but the majority fasten to the soles of your shoes with three bolts. Look first came up with this three-point fastening system and it's become pretty much the standard for road pedals – Shimano, Time, Mavic and many others all use the same three-bolt pattern. Speedplay is the notable exception, with its four-bolt pattern (but then the American company effectively reverses the entire system but mounting the clip mechanism onto your shoes rather than building it into the pedals). To use these, you'll need four-bolt shoes or an adapter.
Float
Most pedals have float so your feet can rotate slightly as you pedal. Float is measured in degrees and refers to the amount your foot can move before it's released from the pedal. It's there to allow your feet to fall into the most natural, comfortable position while pedalling and to reduce the stress on your knees if your cleats aren't perfectly positioned.
Some cleats are zero-float, or fixed, which means they release your foot with only the slightest of movements. They need to be very carefully set up for the sake of your knees. Most cleats, however, tend to offer something in the range of 3-9 degrees of float. The thing to bear in mind is the more float you have, the further you have to twist your foot in order to release it.
Release tension
Stack height
Best road bike pedals for racers
Speedplay Zero Aero
Best road bike pedals for weight weenies
Time Expresso 15
Best road bike pedals for people on a budget
Boardman Road Team
Best road bike pedals for all-round greatness
Shimano Ultegra SPD-SL 6800
Best road bike pedals for riders with dodgy knees
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
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