Road Bike Pedal Options
Choices, choices... It is good to have them in bike part land! The hard part is choosing between all the component options so this will focus only on road bike pedals.
I should mention first that you can ask 20 riders about pedals and get SO MANY different answers. The risk here is you might not know the experience base of folks you get advice from. Think of it like this...you want to go out for a nice date with your partner but you have never eaten out. Your buddy Joe has though and he thinks Chipotle would just rock for a really nice date night. It is his absolute favorite, matter of fact. What is the problem? Well, Joe is nice, but has never eaten anywhere other than Chipotle so of course it is his favorite. Careful on what advice you take, y’all.
*One note before I jump in though about float. Float does NOT waste energy. I have spent years watching how riders feet and knees move while pedaling. Almost everyone has some natural side to side rotational heel movement during the pedal stroke due to the mechanics of the knee joint. This assertion is quite simply not a legit concern and I wish it wasn’t
Probably the best way to sort through options is to list them in order of how often I recommend them to my bike fit clients:
Shimano - They work, period. Great durability. Excellent foot stability on the pedal and almost always my suggestion for riders over 180-200 pounds. The 105 model is the workhorse but with the Ultegra and Dura Ace models offer a 4 millimeter wider pedal axle which LOTS of riders would just love. The yellow tip SH11 cleat is best for most riders. Riders under maybe 110 pounds be careful with Shimano as the effort to clip out of them can be pretty stiff when new.
Speedplay - Skip the X series and go for the Zero...if you have trouble clipping out get the Zero Ultra Light Action. Best adjustability of any pedal out there. Numerous pedal widths are available as is an aluminum adapter plate to move the cleat back 14 millimeters further than normal on the shoe. Get the Aero cleat covers so you can walk in them without jacking up the cleat screws. Some larger riders will feel some instability with Speedplay and will be better off with Shimano. Be really careful with cleat installation, it is easy to mess it up. I have seen some real disasters here.
SPD - No they don’t look cool and are not road pedals BUT they are really easy to walk in and super durable. Great option if you get into dirt roads also or simply want the same pedals on multiple bikes. XT is the winner here. Easy entry and exit.
Look - Wear faster than the others, crappy hardware, less adjustable. The free float is nice and the 9 degree cleat option is cool too. Not my favorite really. Easy to clip out of.
Time - Fair. The float is spring centered which is an issue for some riders with knee problems. Durability is only okay. Again, not a favorite. Easy to clip out of.
Crank Brothers - Multiple options which I always cringe at when I fit a bike with them. I do my best to get folks away from these unless they just absolutely love them. I will mention that make one of the widest flat pedals on the market which I have set up multiple riders with who won’t use clip in pedals.