5 Great Reasons to Start Using Clipless Pedals | Road Bike Clipless Pedals

Time says: "The Xpro 10 is the perfect pedal for road cyclists, from enthusiasts to competitive athletes. The body of this pedal has been reinforced thanks to a new design and a more durable carbon material. Power transfer and stability are improved with a pedal surface of 725mm2 – 25mm2 larger than the Xpresso (700mm2). The lower fairing was created to improve aerodynamics and protect the carbon blade. The Iclic system has been redesigned to allow for a more positive cleat engagement and to be more comfortable. The adjustable carbon blade has 3 positions of clip-fin tension. Like the Xpresso, the stack height is low, keeping the cyclist’s sole as close to the centre of the pedal axle as possible. This, along with the large pedal surface area results in incomparable pedalling efficiency and comfort."

The stack height is just 13.5mm, which makes you feel engaged with the pedals and able to eke out every ounce of power. There’s also plenty of float when you need it, but out of the saddle I didn’t sense any unwanted lateral movement. The float is courtesy of Time’s Bioposition technology, which allows for 15 degrees of frictionless lateral movement and some angular float that is designed to move with the natural movement of the ankle, knee and hip joints.

Ride Concepts Livewire Check out our full review of the Livewire here. Weight is 535g in size 12. $100 USD.

For clipless beginners, SPD pedals are the way to go. Most pedals are double-sided, which makes learning to clip in much easier.

Bournemouth University student becomes fourth fastest woman – and the youngest – to cycle round the world

No. I was confident with them on the first time I took them onto the road. When I said I hated them for a few weeks I simply meant that the first few times I stuck them on the trainer to play around with them the spring was stiff. Nothing more, nothing less. I was exaggerating anyway, I didn’t actually hate them. Confidence however will vary with any pedal system depending on the person, so it’s irrational to try and argue that ‘it takes a long time before you can use them with confidence’. My confidence on the road has increased since I bought them – my final bugbear on the bike was being able to clip in and out without thought, as hard or as fast as I wanted. And I’ve solved that, for 80 quid. 

Still, there’s a small learning curve — especially for those used to orienting road pedals before snapping in. But once you’ve mastered pushing forward into the pedal, it’s easy. And because the pedals are round, riders can virtually always engage the pedals without looking down.

Nobody in their right mind assumes that batteries last forever, so they would assume that the battery(ies) would drain during use and at some point they risk getting a flat battery on a ride. Wouldn’t this be one of the first things you looked into if contemplating getting electronic shifting? How long do batteries last, how do I tell what charge they have remaining, how far can I get if charge is running low and how long do they take to charge up? Oh, and what happens if I have a flat battery (is there a backup/ reserve?)

Took to them right out of the box mate: had a decent LBS on standby back then, but never needed them – set cleats’ tension and position on the sole to ‘middling’ and was happy straight off.

They’re not the thinnest of pedals, measuring 18mm thick at the centre of the body. Compare that to 17mm for the DMR Vaults, 15mm for the Hope F20s, 10mm for the Gamut Podiums, and 8.3mm for the OneUp flat pedals. The XT pedals do have a nice concave platform though, with the bodies measuring 20mm at the fore and aft of the platform, providing a slight bowl shape for your feet to sink into.

On the other hand (or foot), dispensing with the ritual of clipping in and out and opting for flat pedals at least some of the time will keep you in touch with why you love riding bikes in the first place. You’ll be able to go just as fast and just as far. You won’t wear out your cleats on the sidewalk or slip in the coffee shop. You can walk deep into the woods and find a place to relieve yourself with traction and confidence. Oh, sure, your non-bike-specific shoes may look funny with your stretchy clothes, but guess what? You don’t need to wear those all the time either. Equipping at least one bike in your fleet will help keep at least one foot planted securely outside the realm of total weeniedom.

reflectve panels on shoes, or anklebands are the answer if you are really worried. Technically only needed for riding at night, many people only ride in daylight. I would like to see a court case to prove that a reflective anywhere around the foot is sufficient and it does not need to be specifically on the pedal.