What types of pedals are out there? Pedals fall into two basic categories: Flat pedals and Clipless pedals. Flat pedals are what most people (even non-bikers) know. They are everyone's first pedal and there are several advantages in using them. First, they are the easiest to use and the most confidence-inspiring. Just put your foot on it and pedal. If you lose your balance, you can easily put your foot down on the ground. Second, flat pedals are offered at a wide spectrum of price points from the most affordable to the most expensive. With flat pedals, the cyclist can use any shoe he already has - sneakers, skateboard shoes and others. Clipless pedals, on the other hand, need cycling shoes.
Example of a flat pedal. This particular example has metal studs to improve the shoes grip on the pedal.
What about clipless pedals? Most professional and experienced cyclists use clipless pedals. This type of pedal allows the rider to lock his feet unto the pedals and keep them attached even at high speeds. The biggest advantage of clipless pedals is improving the power transfer from the rider to the bike. The other minor one is looking like a pro. The main disadvantages of clipless pedals is you need specific cycling shoes to use them, and learning to unclip when putting your foot down. Falling because of forgetting/failing to unclip is common for new cyclists. For the road rider, this is minor compared to the length of time pedaling and moving forward. For the mountain biker, this may be a larger factor because he might need to put his foot down in trail rides.
Clipless pedals are divided into two sub-categories - Road clipless pedals and Mountain Bike (MTB) clipless pedals. Inferring from the name tells you where to use them, but this is not a rule set in stone. One can choose to use MTB clipless pedals on road bikes and vice versa. It depends on the rider's preference and intended use. Road clipless pedals are almost exclusively one-sided pedals. You have to be on the correct side to engage and the other side is slippery. On the other hand, MTB clipless pedals are commonly two-sided although there are some exceptions to this. Since they are two-sided, one can more easily engage when riding their bikes.
An example of a Road Clipless pedal, This one is from Shimano.
Example of a MTB Clipless pedal. This is from Exustar. Mountain bike pedals are commonly two-sided but this particular example is one-sided with a flat platform on the other side. This allows the rider to use the pedal like a simple flat pedal.
How do I lock onto clipless pedals? As mentioned before, cycling shoes are needed to use clipless pedals and as there are two types of clipless pedals, there are also two types of cycling shoes. The main difference is their cleats - what lock unto to the pedal. Road cleats are larger and offer better power transfer than MTB cleats. However, they are less durable than MTB cleats. On the other hand, MTB cleats are smaller and are more durable because they are made of metal. In addition, MTB shoes are "walkable" (or you can walk normally) because the MTB cleats are recessed into the shoes. Road shoes have their cleats exposed and it can be pretty slippery when walking.
Side view of a Road cycling shoe. Because the cleat is protruding from the shoe, the toes are looking up and it can be difficult to walk (you might look funny to non-bikers, too).
An example of a Road Cleat. This is from Shimano. Road cleats are typically made of plastic and the usable life only spans months.
Side view of a MTB cycling shoe. Since the cleats are recessed into the shoe's sole, one can walk easily and casually on them.
Example of a MTB Cleat. The cleat is small compared to the road cleat but because it is made of metal, its useful life spans years.
Which pedals should I use? It is up to the rider to decide for himself. If majority of riding is done in urban areas, then flat pedals might be the best option because the rider would not be at speeds that one's foot can come off the pedals and flat pedals allow the rider to easily put their foot down during traffic. If one wants to do harder, faster riding, I would recommend using clipless pedals. This allows for better power transfer and keeps you engaged on the bike in whatever riding situation. Just unclip when you have to and learning to simply takes time to get used to the pedals. Road or MTB? Personally, almost all of my bikes have MTB clipless pedals - except for my race bikes (road and time trial). The cleats are more durable for everyday use and the shoes are "walkable." For my race bikes, I use road clipless pedals because the larger surface area offers better power transfer, important for racing. When choosing a pedal, take into consideration where you intend to ride and what purpose does your bike have to serve. Also, if you want to look pro, use the "correct" pedals - MTB pedals for MTB bikes and Road pedals for Road bikes.
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