MTB Pedals

Mountain Bike Pedals for Every Bike

You could have the most powerful legs in the world – but if you can’t transfer that power efficiently to your bike’s pedals, those legs won’t be able to help you climb up trails. That’s why having the right pedals for your mountain bike is so important. And here at bikester.co.uk, we have a wide selection of mountain bike pedals so you can find the pedals that work best for your bike and riding style.

Clipless vs. Flat vs. Combi Pedals

The debate over clipless versus flat pedals is alive and well in the mountain biking community. Clipless pedals, also called clip pedals, allow you to attach your foot directly to the pedal, while with flat pedals your foot simply rests on the top of the pedal. Both styles have their advantages and disadvantages for mountain biking:

Pros and Cons of Clipless Pedals

There are two primary advantages to using clipless pedals on your mountain bike: power transfer and stability. Mountain biking shoes designed for clipless pedals are typically stiffer than those for flat pedals, which allows you to get more power out of your leg with each stroke. In addition, having your feet attached to the pedal encourages good form by forcing you to extend your leg through the top of the pedal stroke. The other advantage to clipless pedals is that since your feet are attached to the pedals, they can’t slide off. This not only prevents you from accidentally losing control, but also makes it easier to hop with your bike. The downside to clipless pedals is that you’re attached to the bike – which means it’s easy to fall over if you stop suddenly or try to get started moving on a hill. Worse, being clipped in during a spill can lead to more serious injuries since it’s harder to hop off the bike.

Pros and Cons of Flat Pedals

The primary advantage to flat pedals is that you won’t experience the same type of falls as you might with clipless pedals. You can easily bail from the bike in the event of a crash, and there are no concerns about putting your feet on the ground when stopping or starting. Some riders also feel that flat pedals are better than clipless pedals for teaching good technique since you have to place your feet on the pedals more carefully. However, with flat pedals, you do run the risk of your feet flying off the pedals when you hit bumps. You may even find yourself banging up your ankles and shins against the pedals when you bump off.

Combi Pedals

Combi pedals are designed with clipless attachments on one side and a flat pedal surface on the other. Most riders will be wearing shoes for either flat or clipless pedals during their ride, so combi pedals are generally best for cyclists who use their bikes for different purposes at different times.

Clipless Pedal Compatibility

If you do opt for clipless pedals, be sure that the set of pedals you get are compatible with your shoes. SPD attachments are extremely common among mountain bike pedals and shoes, but other styles such as Crankbrothers and Time pedal attachments are growing in popularity.

Mountain Bike Pedals at bikester.co.uk

Here at bikester.co.uk, we have a huge range of mountain bike pedals to suit every bike, riding style, and mountain biking shoe. Better yet, we make it easy to filter by pedal style and clip compatibility so you can quickly find the right pedals for your bike.