Pedal choice shapes more than just power transfer. The cleat system you use determines which cycling shoes are compatible, how much float your knees get, and how quickly you clip in and out. Road clipless pedals (SPD-SL, Look Keo, Speedplay) are optimized for stiffness on smooth surfaces. MTB clipless pedals use a smaller cleat recessed into the shoe for walkability off the bike. Flat pedals skip the cleat entirely — the right call for trail riding, casual use, or any time you want to put a foot down without unclipping. Power meter pedals add a strain gauge to measure watts with no change to ride feel or cleat compatibility.
Look, Garmin, Favero, Shimano, Crank Brothers, and Speedplay anchor the road and MTB clipless side. Garmin Rally and Favero Assioma cover power meter pedals across SPD-SL, Keo, and SPD cleat standards — with single-sided and dual-sided options at multiple price points. BikeFit’s cleat shims and wedges are an underrated part of the catalog: small adjustments to cleat angle and position can resolve knee tracking issues that the pedal itself can’t fix.
Pedals pair directly with cycling shoes — confirm the cleat standard matches before buying. For power measurement beyond pedals, browse bike power meters. The full bike components catalog has drivetrain and contact points across all categories.
