Types of clipless MTB Pedals
There are plenty of points to consider when buying a pair of clipless MTB pedals for your mountain bike. Today there are a range of clipless pedals designed for many types of riders and riding. The benefits of riding with clipless pedals make them one of the finest investments you can make in your riding.
The two majors sorts of clipless off road pedals are what I call the standard clipless and the platform type clipless. They normal type of clipless features a smallish pedal body and are actually designed to be ridden only while clipped in. This is the commonest type and you've probably seen these many times. Crank Brothers Egg Beaters are probably the best example as they have virtually no platform and the rider should be clipped in at all times. Shimano, Time, Look, Ritchey, Speedplay, BeBop, etc all make traditional type clipless MTB pedals. The reward of traditional clipless are lighter weight, easy clean design, direct engagement of rider and pedal and better performance in mud. On the down side you'll need a cycling specific shoe at all points for safety since the non existent platform provides no grip and can produce a most likely dangerous interface between rider and bike. To explain, your feet will slip off and you could get hurt!
Lately manufacturers have offered pedals supplying the solid engagement of being clipped in with a platform for those examples when you may not want to be clipped in. The Crank Brothers Candy is an excellent example of a platform clipless design Initially designed with the downhill racer in mind these varieties of pedals became very hot with commuters and casual cyclist riders who like to unclip while navigating challenging sections of trail. The big platform does permit riders to back out of cycling particular shoes when they are just taking a fast spin to the store for instance. There is a weight penalty with platform type pedals but for the added confidence they give many riders this is of small concern.
So the issue is which type is best? Not to sound like an senator nonetheless it actually does depend on the rider. I run traditional pedals on all my bikes. For the kind of riding I do (XC MTB, cyclocross racing) being clipped in at all times is best. I have been clipped in since '91 and back then platforms were not a choice.
I had little choice. If i were just making the move to clipless though I'm able to see some real benefits in learning on a platform and then moving on to a traditional as my confidence grew or I became a racer. For most riders I believe platforms offer the best of both worlds.
The two majors sorts of clipless off road pedals are what I call the standard clipless and the platform type clipless. They normal type of clipless features a smallish pedal body and are actually designed to be ridden only while clipped in. This is the commonest type and you've probably seen these many times. Crank Brothers Egg Beaters are probably the best example as they have virtually no platform and the rider should be clipped in at all times. Shimano, Time, Look, Ritchey, Speedplay, BeBop, etc all make traditional type clipless MTB pedals. The reward of traditional clipless are lighter weight, easy clean design, direct engagement of rider and pedal and better performance in mud. On the down side you'll need a cycling specific shoe at all points for safety since the non existent platform provides no grip and can produce a most likely dangerous interface between rider and bike. To explain, your feet will slip off and you could get hurt!
Lately manufacturers have offered pedals supplying the solid engagement of being clipped in with a platform for those examples when you may not want to be clipped in. The Crank Brothers Candy is an excellent example of a platform clipless design Initially designed with the downhill racer in mind these varieties of pedals became very hot with commuters and casual cyclist riders who like to unclip while navigating challenging sections of trail. The big platform does permit riders to back out of cycling particular shoes when they are just taking a fast spin to the store for instance. There is a weight penalty with platform type pedals but for the added confidence they give many riders this is of small concern.
So the issue is which type is best? Not to sound like an senator nonetheless it actually does depend on the rider. I run traditional pedals on all my bikes. For the kind of riding I do (XC MTB, cyclocross racing) being clipped in at all times is best. I have been clipped in since '91 and back then platforms were not a choice.
I had little choice. If i were just making the move to clipless though I'm able to see some real benefits in learning on a platform and then moving on to a traditional as my confidence grew or I became a racer. For most riders I believe platforms offer the best of both worlds.
About the Author:
Art O'Connor has ridden clipless pedals since 1992. On his site he reviews many makes of pedals for every type of riding.