How I Test and Score Clipless Pedals: My Testing Process v1.0

On this page, I explain how I score clipless bike pedals so you get a better idea of the details. Each category’s results contribute to my overall verdict on the bike pedal’s quality, which looks as follows:

Scores 1–2.5 are RED, 2.6–3.9 are ORANGE, and 4–5 are GREEN.

I score the following criteria on a scale mainly based on my experience with clipless pedals. The scores are weighted, meaning each feature has a different importance. For example, the ease of clip-in is more important than the adjustability.

Chart showing road bike pedals scoring factors and weighs. They include ease of clip-in and clip-out, overall weight, adjustability, and more. — Bike Pedals Scoring Factors and Weights

Chart showing mountain and gravel bike pedals scoring factors and weighs. They include ease of clip-in and clip-out, overall weight, adjustability, and more. — Mountain and Gravel Bike Pedals Scoring Factors and Weights

I approach each bike pedal as objectively as possible. However, like everyone, I am subject to biases and expectations.

Scoring Criteria for Clipless Bike Pedal Features

Below is the list of the features of bicycle pedals with an explanation of the scoring.

Ease of Clip-in

The ease of clip-in comes first from the ability to clip in from both sides. Most road pedals only offer a one-sided clip-in, whereas MTB or gravel pedals can be used on both sides.

Therefore, the balance of road pedals is important because it makes clipping in easier, and you don’t have to rotate the pedal with your foot.

1 – Very difficult
2 – Difficult
3 – Moderate
4 – Easy
5 – Very easy

Ease of Clip-out

The ease of clip-out is just as important as the ease of clip-in. Here, it’s an important balance between whether you can clip out easily when you need to, but also whether the pedal will hold your foot when you’re sprinting, for example. Most pedals allow you to adjust the release tension. This is useful if you suffer from knee pain, for example. But more about this later.

1 – Very difficult
2 – Difficult
3 – Moderate
4 – Easy
5 – Very easy

Adjustability

In terms of adjustability, I don’t rate the ability to set the release tension, but the exit point and the range of cleats and their float. For example, Wahoo Speedplay pedals have one cleat but adjustable float with the pedal. Shimano SPD-SL, on the other hand, addresses the different float (0°, 2°, and 6°) with different cleats. For comparison, Time pedals do not have an adjustable exit point but have a ±5°/2.5 mm float.

In terms of adjustability, I also evaluate the ability to adjust the cleats on the shoes. So lateral, fore-and-aft, and rotational adjustability.

1 – Very limited adjustability
2 – Limited adjustability
3 – Moderate adjustability
4 – Good adjustability
5 – Excellent adjustability

Cleats (Road Bike Pedals Only)

There are big differences in cleats. I differentiate between them by how many grams they add to the overall system (including any 3-hole adaptors you may encounter with Wahoo Speedplay pedals).

They also differ in durability and price. For example, I’ve had better experiences with Shimano SPD-SL cleats, which last longer than the LOOK KEO.

1 – E.g., the cleats are heavy, expensive, and/or not durable.
2
3
4
5 – E.g., the cleats are relatively lightweight, cheap, and/or durable.

Mud-shedding (Mountain and Gravel Bike Pedals Only)

When riding or walking off-road, it can be easy for your cleats to become clogged with mud. This makes it more difficult to clip in. Therefore, it is important that the pedals allow you to easily remove mud by kicking or wiping your shoe on the pedal. Pedals with a large platform tend to be less effective than small pedals. But everything depends on the overall pedal design.

1 – E.g., pedals that are ineffective in mud shedding.
2
3
4
5 – E.g., pedals that are effective in mud shedding.

Weight

In terms of weight, I take a slightly different approach to road and mountain/gravel pedals.

For road pedals, I calculate the total weight. This includes the weight of pedals, cleats, and any additional adaptors. Although one pedal may be lighter than the other, once the cleats and adaptors are added, the situation can change. This is especially true for Wahoo Speedplay pedals. These require special adapters to install on the shoe’s 3-hole bolt system, further increasing the overall weight.

For mountain and gravel pedals, I only count the weight of the pedals. These pedals are generally heavier than road pedals, especially if they are platform pedals. They also tend to be much more robust.

The range of weights is as follows:

1 – Above 375g
2 – [350-375g)
3 – [325-350g)
4 – [300-325g)
5 – Below 300g

Price

I also included the recommended retail price (RRP) in the evaluation, although its perception is highly subjective.

But the truth is that some pedals provide better value for the money than others. The evaluation is as follows:

1 – Above $250
2 – Between $200 and $249
3 – Between $150 and $199
4 – Between $100 and $149
5 – Below $100

Conclusion

I hope you now have a better idea of how I review clipless pedals. I aim to communicate my experience to potential buyers and help you make educated buying decisions.

Please remember that I am still tweaking and improving this process to provide you with the most valuable information possible.

BROWSE ROAD BIKE PEDALS

BROWSE MTB CLIPLESS PEDALS

I am open to feedback on how to improve this system. Feel free to contact me with suggestions.

Recent Updates

Jan 10, 2024: V1.0 testing procedure introduced.