Cleats and their accompanying "Clipless" pedal and shoe platforms allow you to improve your biking performance and speed. By connecting your shoe to the pedal, you create more input throughout your pedaling stroke. Rather than applying power only on your down stroke, as you would with a platform style pedal, you also can apply power on your upstroke. It significantly increases efficiency while riding and can be the difference between your ability to climb a steep hill or not.
 

Your pedal choice will depend on your riding type and personal preference. Mountain bikers tend to use either platform or clipless pedals. A platform pedal is a flat piece that allows maximum contact with the shoe. This is good for riders who are beginners and who do downhill or freeride, "extreme", mountain bike riding. Other riders will wear clipless pedals of different types. Some have a platform around the cleat interface and some are simply the cleat interface. Mountain bike pedals are SPD or 2-bolt style and can clip in on either side of the pedal. Road bikers past the beginning stage of learning to ride all prefer to use a clipless pedal. Road bike pedals are generally a 3-bolt design and each pedal brand uses a certain type of cleat. Shimano has their SPD-SL and Look has their Delta and KEO platforms. Most road bike pedals are one sided, slender, and light. It is important to know your compatibility when choosing a pedal.
 

The decision on which cleat you purchase depends on your shoe and more importantly your pedal. The two main types of cleat types are SPD or two bolt and three bolt designs. The pictures show the different "2" and "3" bolt designs. 2-bolts cleats tend to be used for mountain biking and spin classes; they are slightly easier to release as well as allow the shoe to have a raised sole around all or part of the cleat area. This design is conducive for walking indoors or pushing a bike on a trail. 3-bolts cleats are almost exclusively seen on road bikes; the design of the cleat has more contact with the pedal, thus allowing a more efficient contact between user and bike. They also allow a road shoe to maintain a low, aerodynamic profile while keeping weight down. When you are thinking about purchasing a "clipless" set-up make sure that your three parts (shoe, pedal, and cleat) all match together. Please go to our Giantnerd storefront to see our range of pedals and cleats for sale.