Bike pedals

pedals Fixes, Reviews & Guides

Embedded thumbnail for Look Cycle KEO Flex Pedal Review

Look Cycle KEO Flex Pedal Review

Keo Flex

Since not every rider needs the lightest, tightest, fanciest pedal on the market, Look developed the Look Keo Flex Pedal. For instance, commuters and...

Part pedals Road
Company: look
Type: Review
Embedded thumbnail for Setting Up Clipless Pedals on a Mountain Bike

Setting Up Clipless Pedals on a Mountain Bike

Mountain bike cleats are typically fixed to your shoe using a 2-bolt system. Experimenting with the position of the cleat on your shoe will help you find the best fit for your style of pedalling...

Type: Repair Tutorial
Embedded thumbnail for Fix Noisy Road Cycling Shoes with Cleats

Fix Noisy Road Cycling Shoes with Cleats

Cleat squeaks can come from a number of different sources such as the cleat to shoe interface, the cleat to pedal interface, or from the binding mechanism housed in either the pedal or cleat. We'...

Part pedals
Tools grease
Type: Repair Tutorial
Embedded thumbnail for Forte Corsa2 Carbon Road Pedal Review

Forte Corsa2 Carbon Road Pedal Review

Forte Corsa2

The Forte Corsa2 Carbon road pedal is one of the best values out there in high performance road pedals. Featuring a lightweight carbon composite...

Part pedals Carbon
Company: Forte
Type: Review
Embedded thumbnail for Shimano Ultegra SPD SL 6700 Overview

Shimano Ultegra SPD SL 6700 Overview

Shimano Ultegra SPD-SL Carbon Road Pedals 6700

Carbon Road Pedals

  • Super lightweight carbon SPD-SL road pedal for high performance road racing
  • ...
    Part pedals Carbon
    Company: Shimano Ultegra
    Type: Review
Embedded thumbnail for Shimano Ultegra PD-6800 Carbon Pedals

Shimano Ultegra PD-6800 Carbon Pedals

Shimano Ultegra Pedals

With a brand new color scheme and high-end features that meet the demands of serious cyclists, the Shimano Ultegra PD-6800 Carbon Road...

Part pedals Carbon
Company: Shimano Ultegra
Type: Review
Embedded thumbnail for Overview of Forte Transfer Platform Pedals

Overview of Forte Transfer Platform Pedals

Forte Transform Platform Pedals

Built to withstand abuse, the Forté Transfer Platform Pedals give freeriders, downhillers, urban cyclists and BMX'rs the grip...

Part pedals
Company: Forte
Type: Review
Wellgo Toe Clips

Toe Clips: Are they a pain or a pleasure to have?

Wellgo Toe Clips

[caption caption="Origin8 Toe Clips"]

Personally, I put toe clips on every bike I own. I love having the feeling of a snug foot while I'm...

Part pedals
Blog Tags: Review
Company: Origin8 Wellgo
Type: Blog entry
Embedded thumbnail for Overview of Garmin Vector Pedal System

Overview of Garmin Vector Pedal System

Garmin has changed the game with their Vector Pedal system, the first pedal-based power meter that independently measures your left and right balance along with other power metrics, improving...

Part pedals
Company: Garmin
Type: Review
Embedded thumbnail for Installing Pedals the Right Way

Installing Pedals the Right Way

Installing Pedals:

First, be aware that there are two types of pedals -left and right- they are not the same. The left pedal is a left hand thread, and the right a right hand thread.

...
Part pedals
Type: Repair Tutorial
Embedded thumbnail for Chrome's SPD-compatible Truk Shoe

Chrome's SPD-compatible Truk Shoe

Not only handsome, but comfortable too. The Truk Pro is Chrome's newest SPD-compatible shoe, serving up some of their latest and greatest technology in a classic urban design.

...

Part pedals
Company: Chrome
Type: Review
Embedded thumbnail for Rebuild RaceFace Atlas Bike Pedals

Rebuild RaceFace Atlas Bike Pedals

Not only are RaceFace Atlas pedals incredibly easy to rebuild, but also really tough and light.

The first step is to use a 3mm allen to remove the spare pin form the end of the axle. Then,...

Company: Race Face Race Face
Type: Repair Tutorial
Embedded thumbnail for Install YNOT Pedal Straps

Install YNOT Pedal Straps

This video will show you how to install a pair of YNOT pro straps.

The straps are made of two pieces: a top and a bottom. The bottom half is made out of 3 layers of heavy duty nylon, which...

Part pedals
Type: Repair Tutorial
Embedded thumbnail for Sweetest Mountain Bike Pedals

Sweetest Mountain Bike Pedals

Ever wondered what the best mountain bike pedals are for your riding? This is a quick look at two of the brands that make the best mountain bike pedals on the market. Shimano and Crankbrother.
Part pedals
Company: Crank Brothers
Type: Review
Embedded thumbnail for How to Pack Your Bicycle in a Bike Box for Travel

How to Pack Your Bicycle in a Bike Box for Travel

The Bike Tube Hint: Don’t rush off and buy a professional bike box or bike bag. First head over to your local bike shop and ask if they have any leftover boxes from when bikes were shipped to...

Type: Repair Tutorial
Embedded thumbnail for Maintenance for Shimano Saint Pedals

Maintenance for Shimano Saint Pedals

Today, I’m going to show you how to look after your Shimano Saint pedals. You don’t need many tools and you just need a bit of grease, so there’s no reason not to get your hands dirty. Shimano...

Part pedals
Company: Park Shimano
Type: Repair Tutorial
Embedded thumbnail for How to Replace an SRAM Crank and Bottom Bracket

How to Replace an SRAM Crank and Bottom Bracket

I'm Mike from tree fort bikes. Today we're gonna show you how to remove and install a SRAM crank and external bottom bracket.

To do this work we're going to need a few tools, a 16 notch...

Company: Park Schwalbe SRAM
Type: Repair Tutorial

Shimano Component Groups for Mountain Bikes: A Comprehensive Overview

Just in case you mtb-ers thought I forgot about you, think again.

Here’s a look at all the component groups for mountain bikes that Shimano has out, starting from the bottom up.

...

Blog Tags: Shimano MTB Groupos
Company: Shimano XT XTR
Type: Blog entry
Embedded thumbnail for How to Install Pedals on a Bicycle

How to Install Pedals on a Bicycle

Tutorial on how to install bike pedals.  Pedals will usually have left or right hand markings on them, either on the body of the pedal or on the end of the spindles. 

Starting with right...

Type: Repair Tutorial

Whether it's a high line mountain trail or rolling down main street, the challenge of constantly churning the pedals has always helped people move forward in one way or another.

Pedal sunset

Bicycle pedals are best described as a platform on which the cranks of a bike are turned.

Attached by a spindle, pedals are allowed to rotate freely and be in constant contact with the rider's shoe, an interface with the bike that provides great control of speed and balance. The pedal is where power is initiated to the drive train of the bike. Ergonomics play a major part in the compatibility of a rider and their cycle, so having the proper pedals on a bike can make all the difference in a comfortable ride.

 

Every bike comes with pedals, even the cheapest of the cheap. So you can imagine the price range of what one might spend on a set of pedals. High-end pedals are made with carbon composites and titanium alloys that are specialized to fit the riding style and desired comfort of the rider. While some bike pedals can exceed $1,800 (for a set), a shopper could get an above-average set for under $100. 

NOTE: Clipless pedals will need a pair of cycling shoes, which average at around $120 for a pair on amazon.com. 

Right (drive) side pedals screw in clockwise, left (non-drive) side pedals screw in counterclockwise.

Pedal wrench

Removing and installing bike pedals is simple. If the cranks are secured with a nylon strap, the pedals can be unscrewed easily using a pedal wrench or on some cranks, a hex wrench. This will help unscrew the pedal correctly on either side without the cranks wanting to turn. 

If you want to place the bike on a repair stand, the cranks can be turned in reverse on each side for removal, and forward for installation of new pedals.

Manufactured to fit the needs of every bicycle, pedals come in a few flavors. Track cycles need to be smooth, light and aerodynamic. Mountain bikes need to be versatile and rugged. One thing is for sure: a rider needs to have a comfortable grip on whatever they're riding on.

There are a few types of bike pedals: 


Platform pedal   Platform pedal strap  Platform pedal sweet

Platform - Some riding styles such as BMX, mountain biking, or any winter commute in boots require more freedom of movement. With a wide open, flat design, metal studs are sufficient to grip the otherwise slippery platform pedals through the elements. In an effort to reduce weight, these pedals may come in a range of light and durable materials. 


 Quill real    Quill pedal in the bushes  Quill closeup

Quill - Similar to platform pedals, the more specialized quill design cuts back in bulk surface area. Mostly intended for track and road cycling, quill pedals save on weight and wind drag with a slender profile. Their skeleton forms spikes on the outside to keep the foot from sliding off during use. It's common to use a cage structure of plastic bindings or fabric straps to secure the shoe down.


Quill pedal  quill clipless  Road shoe pedal

Clipless - Attaching the pedal to the rider's shoe give better control over the bike, so unique shoes are made to fit exactly into brackets on clipless pedals. There is a variable degree of play in the cleats (called the "float") that allows movement making things easier on the rider's knees, before releasing the pedal. Avoiding the bulky straps and big frames, modern clipless designs have easy mount/dismount mechanisms and make a great lightweight option for competitive cycling athletes. 

    


Pedals thread on differently on each side. On the right crank, the threading is right-handed (clockwise), while the left pedal on the non-drive side is threaded counter clockwise. This is to prevent the pedals from becoming loose during operation.

There are 2 main threading sizes: most pedals use 9/16 inch, but 1/2 inch is common for one-piece cranks.

NOTE: Old French cranksets use 14mm (.55 inch) threads, but they are extremely rare. These will start to thread on 9/16 cranks, but will bind before long. Be careful.

Pedal thread size