How-to & advice
Bike pedal guides
Setup, buying and workshop answers — the questions people ask the pedal doctor most.
Setup
Fit, install and ride: cleats, threads, float and clipping in.
- Cleat Float Explained: What It Is and How Much You NeedCleat float is how far your heel can swing side to side while you are still clipped in, measured in degrees. Most riders do best with some float: 4° on Shimano SPD, 6° on yellow SPD-SL cleats, 4.5° on grey Look Keo cleats, or anywhere from 0° to 15° on Wahoo Speedplay. Float is not the same as release angle, which is how far you twist before the cleat lets go. On most systems you change float by swapping the cleat; on Speedplay you set it with two screws.
- How to Clip In and Out of Clipless Pedals: A Beginner's GuideTo clip in , hook the front of the cleat into the front of the pedal and press down through your heel until it clicks. To unclip, twist your heel straight outward, away from the bike, until the cleat lets go; pulling straight up does not release a standard cleat. Learn with the release tension at its lowest setting, practice on a trainer or against a wall, and unclip a few seconds before every stop.
- How to Install Clipless Pedals and Cleats: Step-by-Step SetupTo install clipless pedals , grease the threads, screw the R pedal clockwise into the drive-side crank and the L pedal counterclockwise into the left crank, then tighten firmly (Shimano specifies 35–55 N·m). To install cleats, put the cleat's center under the ball of your foot, match its angle to your natural foot angle, start it centered side to side, and tighten to the maker's torque: 5–6 N·m for Shimano SPD and SPD-SL cleats. Test on a trainer before you ride in traffic.
- Pedal Thread Sizes: 9/16" vs 1/2" and How to Tell Which You NeedThe standard pedal thread size on almost every adult bike is 9/16" x 20 TPI . The smaller 1/2" x 20 TPI thread is used only on one-piece (Ashtabula) cranks, found on many budget kids' bikes, cruisers and older BMX bikes. The two sizes are not interchangeable, and on both the left pedal is reverse threaded.
- Peloton and Spin Bike Pedals: Look Delta vs SPD, Shoes and SwapsPeloton pedals on the Bike and Bike+ take 3-bolt Look Delta cleats, not SPD and not Look Keo. Many other spin bikes use 2-bolt SPD cleats, often on a pedal with SPD on one side and a toe cage on the other. Peloton's pedals use the standard 9/16" thread, so you can swap them for SPD pedals with a pedal wrench; just remember the left pedal is reverse threaded.
Choosing
Which pedal system, type or model suits your riding.
- Best Clipless Pedals for Beginners: Easy-Release SPD, Hybrid and Road PicksThe best clipless pedals for beginners are double-sided Shimano SPD pedals such as the PD-M520 , fitted with SM-SH56 multi-release cleats and the spring tension turned right down. SPD's small 2-bolt cleat sits in a recessed shoe you can walk in, and multi-release cleats let you get out by twisting either way or lifting. If you still want to ride in normal shoes some days, start with a hybrid such as the Shimano PD-M324; road riders should start with a Look Keo Classic 3 or Shimano 105 PD-R7000 and a high-float cleat.
- Best Pedals for Hybrid and Commuter BikesThe best pedals for a hybrid bike depend on your shoes. If you sometimes ride in cycling shoes, a dual-function pedal with SPD on one side and a flat on the other, such as the Shimano PD-M324 , covers both. If you always ride in everyday shoes, a wide pinned platform like the MKS Allways is the better commuter pedal. Almost every hybrid takes a standard 9/16" pedal, so fit is rarely the problem.
- Flat vs Clipless Pedals: Which Is Right for Your Riding?Flat vs clipless pedals comes down to the riding you do, not a big difference in speed. Clipless pedals lock a cleat to the pedal, which keeps your foot in the same place and suits road, gravel and XC riding. Flat pedals let you move your foot and step off instantly, which suits technical trails, commuting in everyday shoes, kids and skills practice. Lab research has found no significant efficiency difference at steady effort, so choose for control and convenience.
- Magnetic vs Clipless Pedals: How Magped Compares to SPDMagnetic vs clipless pedals: a clipless pedal locks a cleat in a spring-loaded binding and only lets go when you twist your heel out, while a magnetic pedal such as Magped pulls a steel shoe plate onto the platform and lets go in any direction once you twist or pull harder than the magnet holds. Clipless gives the firmer, more predictable hold for racing and hard riding. Magnetic suits riders moving up from flats, riders nervous about being clipped in and anyone who wants an easier exit. Both use 2-bolt SPD-style shoes.
- Parts of a Bike Pedal: Pedal Anatomy ExplainedThe main parts of a bike pedal are the spindle (axle) , which threads into the crank; the bearings or bushings that let the pedal turn around it; and the body you push on, closed at the outer end by a lock nut and dust cap . Flat pedals add pins, cage pedals add cage plates and toe clip holes, and clipless pedals add a spring-loaded mechanism that holds a cleat on your shoe.
- SPD vs SPD-SL vs Look Keo: Clipless Pedal Systems ComparedSPD vs SPD-SL is walking versus platform: SPD is Shimano's 2-bolt system with a small cleat recessed into a shoe you can walk in, while SPD-SL is its 3-bolt road system with a large cleat and a wider pedal. Look Keo is the main road alternative to SPD-SL: same 3-bolt shoe, different cleat, more float choices. Pick SPD for commuting, touring, gravel, mountain biking and spin classes; pick SPD-SL or Look Keo for road riding.
- Toe Clips vs Clipless vs Pedal Straps: Which Foot Retention to ChooseToe clips vs clipless: clipless pedals hold your foot most firmly and precisely, release with a heel twist and need cycling shoes with cleats. Toe clips and straps work with most everyday shoes and still suit classic, touring and fixed-gear bikes, but you exit by sliding your foot back. Strap systems such as Power Grips or Velcro foot straps are the easiest to get in and out of in normal shoes. Commuters in everyday shoes usually do best with straps; riders happy to wear cycling shoes do best with clipless.
Maintenance
Removal, bearings, pins and cleat wear.
- How to Remove Bike Pedals, Including Stuck PedalsTo remove bike pedals, fit a 15 mm pedal wrench on the spindle flats, or a 6 mm or 8 mm hex key into the spindle end from behind the crank, and turn the top of the tool toward the back of the bike on both sides. The left pedal is reverse-threaded, which is why that one rule covers both. If a pedal is stuck, try better leverage, penetrating oil and time before anything harsher, and stop if the tool starts to round the fitting.
- How to Replace Pedal Pins and Remove Stuck PinsTo replace pedal pins, clean out the pin heads, unscrew each pin with a fresh tool of the exact size (from the top on top-loading pins, from underneath on back-loading pins), then thread in the maker's replacement pins with a little grease or medium-strength thread locker and set them to an even height. A stuck pedal pin usually comes out with penetrating oil and a new bit tapped into the head. If the head is gone, grip the stub, cut a slot or use an extractor.
- How to Service Pedal Bearings: Clean, Regrease and RebuildTo service pedal bearings, take the pedal off the bike, remove the spindle (through the end cap and axle nut on most flat and Crankbrothers-style pedals, or by unthreading the axle unit from the crank side of the body on Shimano pedals), clean out the old grease, replace worn bushings, seals or bearings, then regrease and reassemble so the pedal turns smoothly with no play. Do it when a pedal feels rough, gritty or loose, not on a fixed schedule. If the spindle is bent or no parts exist for your model, replace the pedals instead.
- When to Replace Cleats: Wear Signs for Every Cleat SystemReplace cleats when they show wear or start behaving differently: releasing on their own, needing more or less twist to unclip, rocking on the pedal, squeaking, or showing the maker's wear indicator. Shimano SPD-SL and Look Keo Grip cleats have built-in wear indicators, and Wahoo gives a 3,000–5,000 mile interval for Speedplay cleats; most other guidance is based on wear signs, not mileage. Walking wears road cleats fastest, so covers make them last longer.
- Which Bike Pedal Is Reverse Threaded? How to Remove and Fit PedalsThe left (non-drive-side) pedal is reverse-threaded : loosen it clockwise and tighten it counterclockwise (anticlockwise). The right pedal has a normal thread. The easy rule for both sides: turn the top of the wrench toward the back of the bike to loosen and toward the front to tighten.