The Advantages of Clipless Cycling Pedals

While the name is confusing, clipless pedals were named as an alternative to toe-clip pedals and offered a new way to dispense with traditional platform pedals and sneakers held in with clips at the toe. Clipless pedals improve the serious cyclist's bicycling experience with special cleats that attach cycling shoes to bicycle pedals. While some bicycles come with clipless pedals, you can also purchase the pedals separately along with corresponding shoes.

  1. Efficiency

    • While you use only the pushing motion of your feet to power a bicycle when riding with regular flat or platform pedals, a clipless pedal harnesses your feet to the pedal and thereby utilizes both the pushing down and pulling up motions to power your bicycle more efficiently. Your feet will be powering the pedals through a full circle rather than just allowing the momentum of the pedals to pull them around the circle after pushing down with regular pedals, resulting in a smoother, more even ride.

    Control

    • Using clipless pedals to attach your cycling shoes to the pedals helps keep your bicycle under greater control when going over bumps, whether during mountain biking or while performing tricks like curb-hopping. Where your feet might slip off the pedals and take time to return to pedaling position in conventional pedals, clipless pedals keep you always ready to continue pedaling.

    Safety

    • While bumps in the road can slow you down in a race or competition, they also present a serious safety hazard when they cause your feet to slip off of traditional platform pedals. Clipless pedals, however, keep your shoes firmly attached to your bicycle pedals, so bounces or bumps are far easier to manage. Clipless pedals also reduce injuries caused by a foot dragging on the ground. Keep in mind, though, that it takes time to learn to easily remove your shoes from your pedals, so some injuries can be caused by falling off the bike while your feet are still attached to the pedals. Clipless pedals are also useful in wet or snowy conditions as you no longer have to worry about you feet slipping from the pedals.

    Customization

    • Clipless pedals and the corresponding clipless cycling shoes can be customized according to their use for greater efficiency than using typical sneakers while riding conventional pedals. The shoes used with clipless pedals provide more stability with their less flexible soles. Different types of clipless pedals and shoes accommodate mountain biking versus road cycling, though some types are multipurpose and can be used for different types of cycling.