Pedal systems

As if life weren’t complicated enough—now we have to choose what type of pedals we want for the type of bicycling we have in mind that day. It’s kind of like computers; just when you reach the point when you have a handle on all the keys to do what you want, someone comes out with a “new improved” software package that sets you back to square one. {The writer has sworn to never set at a PC keyboard that runs Vista}.

Time was you got on your bike and rode off. The pedals were plain square hunks of rubber that you put your Keds or (Chuck Taylor’s) on and away you went. Now there are at least five different kinds of systems that make it easier to capture muscle energy but also manage to complicate the choice pedals you use.

This has become a ubiquitous topic in bike shops, as many Southern Californians have taken to “Spinning” as a viable alternative to road riding. Indoor cycling has a number of advantages including no worries about traffic, darkness, motorists opening doors and rain. The tradeoffs are tight (almost claustrophobic) quarters, no change in scenery and, funny looking pedals on funny looking bikes. The bikes are one forward speed without brakes, so it makes some sense to be able to lock your shoes onto the pedals so you don’t lose contact why spinning at high rates. The same is true for Mountain and road biking. Staying in contact with the pedals means you can ‘pull up’ on the ‘back” portion of your pedal cycle assists energy transfer (Speed) for any given rotation of the wheels.

The bad news for these types of pedals is you have to unhook when you want to dismount the bike. The first thing we tell people when they go to a clip pedal is to remember to clip out when they stop. When they forget the first time, they “tilt”, fall down, everyone has a good laugh and away we go.

The first clip pedal was based on a ski binding from a French company (LOOK) and used a plastic cleat on the bottom of the shoe. Later, the SHIMANO Company came out with a smaller (metal) cleat that could tuck into the tread of a mountain bike shoe, such that you could walk on the shoe without to much difficulty. The latter pedals (SPD) are configuration of choice for the Spinners as they are less expensive and the cleats last longer.

Those are the most two common types of what are incorrectly called “clipless” pedals systems. For we retro types, riding one forward speed cruisers, the old school flat pedals are fine to run to the store with, but, if you intend to go spinning or ride fast- at least now you know what pedal to ask for.