The Beginning of Your Pedal Stroke

Throughout my blog this year, I have talked about every part of the bike an gear, expect for the part that is the thing that allows you to move forward! How could I forget to talk about such a thing??? Well I guess its now or never. So as you might expect I am talking of pedals and biking shoes. To get started there are two different large categories for pedals including flats and clips, and particular shoes that compliment each area. For the most part these pedal differences are based on preference and riding style.

Flats have been the most commonly seen pedal to the general public and are very easy to use. To most the flat pedal is just a regular bike pedal. A flat bike pedal has many upsides and applications. A flat pedal can be used by anyone, and is easy to ride on. A flat pedal gives a stable support for the foot and are used by most recreational riders. Along with these recreational riders, many mtn bikers and bmx riders use the this type of pedal, for increased surface area and maneuverability. These bmx and mtn bike pedals, usually are a little larger than the standard pedal and have gripers that look like metal spikes that rise around .5cm off the pedal to ensure stability and control for the rider. Shoes that are used for flat pedals are usually just tennis shoes or mtn biking and bmx shoes which have a flat sole and increased amount of traction a stability that comes from its higher rise.

Clip pedals also can be used by anyone, but are usually used for those that are more serious about cycling. Clip pedals increase performance, because they allow one to put pressure on the pedals longer as they can not only push down on the pedal, but also pull up. This action increases speed and efficiency while riding. Clip pedals are used throughout most areas of cycling including most areas of professional cycling excluding most bmx riding. One down side to clip pedals is that, one must usually wear particular cycling shoes because they need to have cleats to clip into the pedal. One option that has been transformed is the pedal that appears to be a flat pedal, but actually has a clip also which allows for a person to ride this pedal with either a biking shoe or a tennis shoe.

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