Mark Threlfall: Now then we have just a few contact points with our bike. There's one that
you certainly do not want to overlook, the pedals. Well, we have quite a few options here. We've got
SPD-SL, SPD, Speedplay, Flat pedals. That is all before we start delving into different
cleat options that attach into those pedals too. Let's get stuck into this let me run through the
different pedals and cleat options so you can choose which is right for you.
[music] Let's see what we're dealing with. Starting
with the pedal that most of you will recognize and be familiar with, the good old flat pedal. It is
a flat pedal which you put your foot down on top of and apply pressure and force down through the
pedal. A slight step up from this would be the toe clip, which is, again, a flat pedal
but with a toe clip on the front, allowing you to secure your foot into it to a degree,
stopping your foot from moving around so much. The pedal that most of you are probably interested
in is the clipless pedal, just like this one. Which is a slightly odd name for it because
you actually do clip into it but what it's referring to is it doesn't have
a toe clip on it. The only difference with these kinds of pedals is that you will need a specific
cycling shoe like this one with a cleat on the bottom that will attach
and lock into that pedal. As you can see, I've got a fair few other options here with me today
so allow me to pull them apart and uncomplicate them for you.
[music] Let's start with the SPD. This has been around for
well over 20 years now and has changed very little in design in that time. They're very popular with
mountain bikers, cyclocross riders, gravel riders, and even commuters. Now, I'll have to apologize in
advance, I've brought in my mountain bike shoe, but it's very muddy. Yes, sorry. Now, uses a very
small metal two-bolt cleat which you can see is recessed into the bottom of the shoe, which means
that you can more or less walk around on this shoe as you ordinarily would without hobbling
around on a cleat or damaging a cleat which is also why they're very popular with commuters.
They work by clipping into the pedal. You hook the front of the clip under the front part
of the pedal and push down and clip into the pedal. Then to unclip, you twist to the side.
Personally, I love using these for mountain biking for a few reasons. One, they are very
often dual-sided pedals, which means that you can clip into both sides, which is pretty handy
for mountain biking, given that you naturally end up clipping in and out more regularly.
Two, they work very well in muddy conditions. The design of them is they don't get clogged up
quite so much. Three, they're very often made of metal, meaning they're more durable.
You're not wearing them out and damaging like you would with some other cleats.
Whilst you can obviously spend some pretty good money on these pedals, you can also pick up
some pretty basic ones for around £30. There's also some other designs and brands out there
very similar. Crankbrothers have this egg beater system, which I used to use, but you can also get
hybrids of these SPD pedals. You can get almost flat pedals with an SPD system built into them,
which can be quite good option for those that are nervous of clipping into pedals,
or perhaps for commuters that are continually jumping on and off their bike and want the
option just being able to quickly pedal without clipping in, or perhaps you want to use your bike
sometimes with cycling shoes, but also have the option of using them with them non-cycling shoes.
[music] Then moving on onto these
pedals which are probably more familiar with most of you out there. In one hand, I have the Look
Keo clippers pedals and in the other hand, I have the Shimano SPD-SL clipless pedals,
which both look remarkably similar. To be fair, there's very little that really separates them.
Now, look, which I have in this hand, were actually the pioneers of these clipless pedal
systems back in the '80s when they brought their ski binding experience and know-how to cycling.
They use a cleat which I can show you here, which is a large rigid piece of plastic which uses three
bolts to attach to the bottom of a cycling shoe. This larger surface area of the cleat provides a
better contact patch to the pedal, which in theory provides a better and more efficient transfer of
power. The main issue with the systems is that the cleat, which is made of plastic,
is exposed on the bottom of the shoe. When you start walking around in the shoes, it's a little
bit cumbersome, and inevitably, you are going to start wearing that cleat out pretty fast.
Now, then, moving on to the differences. The main difference between these Look pedals and
the system and the Shimano SPD-SL pedals and system is that the Shimano cleats tend to be
a little bit broader, they've got a wider platform, and therefore, in theory,
offering a better transfer of power, although that's debatable. The main difference though and
choice for all of us just comes down to personal preference and feel. On which note both options
and systems do have different cleat options to go with that with different levels of float which
means the amount of movement that those cleats offer and that ranges from more or less zero float
to moderate float to quite a lot of float. Most people opt for the moderate float cleat
option which I've actually got on these cycling shoes here, which offers a little bit side-to-side
movement when you're not paying too much strain on those lower limb joints and muscles. I have also
been using the zero float cleats for quite some time now on some of my cycling shoes, particularly
when I'm racing, just because I don't really like that side-to-side movement any potential loss
of power. I know I'm a bit odd like that. What it does mean though is if you are going for
the zero float, you literally have to have your cleat set up perfectly so you aren't putting any
undue strain on those lower limbs. If you have had any niggles or injuries before, you probably want
to avoid the zero float. Now, there are obviously a big range of options when it comes to these
pedals. You can pick up the very basic options in both Shimano and other brands for our £40 to
£60 but then the more popular options like the Look Keo 2 Max that I have here and the Shimano
Ultegra, you'll pick up for around £65 to £100. [music]
Now for something totally different, the Speedplay pedal. These almost work here in the
total opposite reverse of the previous options. As you'll notice, the pedal is very small, almost
like a lollipop shape. Rather than the cleats clipping into the pedal as with the other options,
the pedal clips into the cleat. Now, the big benefit of these pedals is that they
are hugely adjustable. The cleat position can be adjusted in three planes and all independent
of one another. They really aren't a bike fitters dream, particularly someone that may have existing
or previous knee pain. Unlike the Look pedals and the Shimano SPD-SL pedals,
these are actually dual-sided so you can clip into either side of the pedals.
They're also incredibly light, which is why they are so popular in the pro peloton.
It is also worth mentioning though that Speedplay do recommend that you maintain these pedals
and systems on a regular basis, even says on the cleat itself, "Use dry lube routinely on
the spring." I've heard that from a number of people that you do need to either apply
a little bit of chain lube or some sort of lube to the cleat and the pedal itself particularly
if you've been riding in wet conditions. Now, I've got to say these do come on with
a slightly higher price tag. It tends to start around £120 pounds. For that reason, it does tend
to put a lot of people off although I have heard many people say that they'd always been put off by
the price, but since getting them and using them, they'll never go back. I've got to say, I've just
been handed these Wahoo Zero Speedplay pedals. It's the first that I've had and I'm very excited
to start using them. I'll report back at a later day once I've had a little bit more use of them.
I hope today's video has been helpful. I've run through a whole range of pedals that if you've
got any questions, please do drop them in the comments section down below. If you've enjoyed
today's video, found it helpful, please do give a thumbs up, give it a like, and don't forget
to give us a subscribe down below. [00:08:42] [END OF AUDIO]