Unlike some of our recent Collective Favourites categories – sunglasses, supermarket snacks – road pedals are more of a "Coke or Pepsi?" question. There are basically four mainstream choices, and two of those – Time and Wahoo's Speedplay – fall into the Tab Cola tier for popularity (in other words, they have fiercely loyal fans but they're not nearly as popular). The other two, Shimano and Look, are more alike than different, and between them they dominate the market.
Most of us are riding one or the other – maybe because we started with them, maybe because they're what the local bike shop stocks, or maybe because we've just never found a compelling reason to change.
Before we dive into this edition of Escape Collective Favourites staff and member picks, a quick primer: when we say "road pedals," we’re talking about clipless pedals that use a three-bolt cleat system (or four, if you're Wahoo) and pair with dedicated road cycling shoes. These systems create a larger and more stable pedaling platform compared to their two-bolt off-road cousins, but with the tradeoff of harder-to-walk-in shoes and a more fiddly setup.
You don’t have to use them; plenty of folks prefer mountain bike pedals for the walkability, but this is still the go-to setup for most drop-bar riders.
What makes a good road pedal?
First things first: with clipless road pedals, you’re not just buying a pedal, you’re buying a system – the pedal, cleat, and shoe all need to play nicely together. The interface between these parts determines how stable, efficient, and comfortable the setup will be, and also how annoying it is to walk to the café counter without slipping like a giraffe on ice.
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