Uploaded June 2018 | Updated September 2026, 21 minutes ago
Along with the not so terrifying drop bars, clip in pedals may be the thing that scares new riders
most. To clip or not to clip? That is, in fact, the question.
--
The truth is, clip in pedals don’t have to be that scary, they ensure your foot placement on the pedal is in the most beneficial spot and they really do improve your performance. Once you learn to use them right, they allow you both to push down on your pedals and pull up on the upstroke too.
There are two basic types, the serious roady ‘look’ style pedals that usually have stiffer crazier looking shoes, and the spd style pedals born out of mountain biking that have a range of more casual and more flexible shoes to choose from. Unless you need the very best road bike specific performance, I’d recommend SPD style pedals for two main reasons;
1. The shoes often have recessed cleats meaning you don’t have to slip and teeter round the local coffee shop
2. Some spd pedals have platforms that help while you're gaining confidence with them or mean if you’re going on a causal ride to coffee you can wear any footwear you want.
When adjusting the cleats on the base of the shoe you want to make sure they allow your foot once clipped into the pedal to be in a natural and relaxed position, this will vary from person to person, but it's really important to get this right so you’re comfortable on the bike without twisting your knees in weird directions.
With the adjustment bolts you can keep just a little bit of play in the pedal clips to allow the foot to move slightly and make it a little easier to twist out of your pedals and avoid the stationary collapse at the stop light - we’ve all done it, you might too!
Remember as you get stronger and more confident and find yourself pulling harder on those pedals, you’ll want to tighten up the pedal adjusters slightly so you don’t accidentally twist out of them.
For more bike tips and tricks from Pure Cycles TV, click the link to subscribe!
youtube.com/user/purefixcycles
Along with the not so terrifying drop bars, clip in pedals may be the thing that scares new riders
most. To clip or not to clip? That is, in fact, the question.
--
The truth is, clip in pedals don’t have to be that scary, they ensure your foot placement on the pedal is in the most beneficial spot and they really do improve your performance. Once you learn to use them right, they allow you both to push down on your pedals and pull up on the upstroke too.
There are two basic types, the serious roady ‘look’ style pedals that usually have stiffer crazier looking shoes, and the spd style pedals born out of mountain biking that have a range of more casual and more flexible shoes to choose from. Unless you need the very best road bike specific performance, I’d recommend SPD style pedals for two main reasons;
1. The shoes often have recessed cleats meaning you don’t have to slip and teeter round the local coffee shop
2. Some spd pedals have platforms that help while you're gaining confidence with them or mean if you’re going on a causal ride to coffee you can wear any footwear you want.
When adjusting the cleats on the base of the shoe you want to make sure they allow your foot once clipped into the pedal to be in a natural and relaxed position, this will vary from person to person, but it's really important to get this right so you’re comfortable on the bike without twisting your knees in weird directions.
With the adjustment bolts you can keep just a little bit of play in the pedal clips to allow the foot to move slightly and make it a little easier to twist out of your pedals and avoid the stationary collapse at the stop light - we’ve all done it, you might too!
Remember as you get stronger and more confident and find yourself pulling harder on those pedals, you’ll want to tighten up the pedal adjusters slightly so you don’t accidentally twist out of them.
For more bike tips and tricks from Pure Cycles TV, click the link to subscribe!
youtube.com/user/purefixcycles
