Do clipless pedals make a difference and does cycling with them improve performance, efficiency, and increased pedal power?

Clipless pedal systems provide approximately 10% more maximum power output during short periods (<30 seconds) of all-out sprints and steep climbing, compared to flat pedals.

The first section of this article reviews clipless pedal differences during road cycling, and the second part reviews clipless pedal & MTB. But let’s first review what is a clipless pedal system and end with the pros and cons of each.

What is a clipless pedal system?

Modern clipless pedals were developed from the ski industry, as the clipless pedal systems functions similarly to a ski-boot and binding system.

The clipless pedal systems allow the shoe to remain in constant contact with the pedal, which in theory assists the propulsion during the upstroke by allowing the cyclist to pull during the recovery phase (180 ° to 360/0 °).

What is a clipless pedal?

The basic premise of all clipless systems is the pedal is fixed with a clamping mechanism that grips to attached hardware in a cycling-shoe.

Clipless pedal and cleat for a mountain bike

Pedals & Fixed Gear Bicycles

Before clipless pedals, cyclists were using toe clips, straps, and cleats. The reason cyclists wanted their feet firmly attached to the pedal is that most non-modern bicycles had fixed gears, which means they had no freewheel and thus could not coast.

When feet slip off a fixed gear bike, the pedals just keep spinning. Even today, track cycling still uses fixed-gear bicycles, with no brakes, so the slowing down of the bicycle is accomplished by reverse pedaling.

For these fixed gear bikes, clipless pedals are essential. For bicycles with a freewheel……it’s a personal preference.

Clipless pedals, cycling & the research?

For such a common question it’s surprising that such limited research has been conducted on performance differences between various pedal types.

A 2008 study from the International Journal of Sports Medicine, concluded that the clipless pedal system:

“did not have any influence on either the mechanical efficiency, the pedalling mechanics or the muscular activity during submaximal cycling.”

It should be noted that this 2008 study looked only at submaximal cycling. This basically means that if the road is flat and an average constant pedal stroke is maintained, neither pedal type has an advantage (many earlier studies are consistent with this finding).

However, in the real world, it’s impossible to avoid hills or times when you’re in a hurry and looking for increased speed.

A 2012 master thesis paper looked at differences in pedal types and maximum power-output during 30-second all-out sprints. This research paper found significantly increased maximum power in the group cycling with clipless pedals.

Average Power Output Comparison of Pedal Type over 30 second all out sprint

PedalChile.Com (Clipless pedal about 10% higher average output over 30 seconds)

Some early studies (before 2005) noted that clipless pedal systems conferred increased sprinting power. However, it was short-lived (20-30 seconds). After the initial 20-30 seconds, the increased power resulted in increased muscular fatigue. The aforementioned master thesis paper also noted the same finding, and the author stated that clipless pedal systems showed a:

“faster onset of muscular fatigue.”

The trained and fit cyclists will have no issues recovering from the increased muscular fatigue and lactic acid from pedaling with more power, but this is something to keep in mind for recreational type cyclists.

Clipless pedals, MTB & research

My buddy Sean’s Crank Brothers clipless pedal

The only studies that look at clipless pedals and mountain biking focused on injuries. A 2004 study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine looked at 3 specific cases of injuries related to mountain biking and concluded that clipless “pedals need to be correctly adjusted to facilitate the rapid release and adequate clearance of the lower limbs from the cycle.”

Those that ride singletrack while pedaling with clipless systems enjoy the extra power that they provide during steep climbing sections and the added control during fast descents. Feet slipping off the pedals during drops and bumpy sections is eliminated while riding with clipless systems

Riding with grippy flat shoes (like Five-Ten) is the current trend in mountain biking with fewer mountain bikers riding with clipless pedals. Even some experienced riders are switching from clipless to flat shoes and riding bigger terrain without the fear of being attached to the pedals for a quick escape or bailout.

pedal chile info for clipless pedals.jpeg

Clipless pros mtb

Rear wheel control - Sliding and lifting the rear wheel while clipped-in is less technical and becomes natural after only a couple months of singletrack riding
Bumpy and rugged terrain - Pedaling over roots, rocks, gravel, logs, and bumps is much easier and requires less technical riding to maintain traction
Makes technical sections easier - Once you get used to the clipless pedals, the increased control, foot stability, real wheel lift & slide, tight corning and hoping are all easier, making technical riding more fun and easier

Clipless pros both road cycling & MTB

Ricardo (Pedal Chile Guide) only rides clipless

Faster speeds over longer durations - Climbing and sprinting is easier and you can use flat sections for active recovery periods, which will increase average speed, especially for longer rides
Power climbing - Steep hills with varying gradients allow for an increased upstroke and about 10% more power for short bursts
Foot stability - During uneven and variable surface terrain you can focus on sightseeing and the trail/road instead of what your feet are doing
Lighter - Lighter and smaller, which is important for serious MTBers and cyclists
Narrower - Slightly thinner profile, which has numerous advantages

Clipless cons mtb

Both pedal & shoes are thicker - Slightly higher center of gravity and slightly less clearance. Depending on singletrack or terrain might not be a con
Clogged up - In extreme weather conditions they can become clogged - think accidentally hitting a rain or snow storm……… for miles

Clipless cons both road cycling & mtb

Ricardo out for a leisurely ride in Chile’s Lake District

Walking up hills - Walking up hills is never fun, especially in clipless cycling shoes. Some shoes are better for walking in than others, but generally speaking, this is a con
Learning curve - Takes a few months to get comfortable and is usually one step back when first switching to clipless
Most clipless riders/cyclists at some point will have a crash that would have been avoided with flat pedals
Releasing or un-clipping quickly - This can be trickier if you need to quickly, especially before you built the ‘un-clip muscle memory’
Costs more money - Shoes, cleats, and pedals are all expensive, and seems like it gets more expensive by the year (and should have a professional bike-fit if riding clipless as your permanently attached to the pedals)

Flat-pedal pros mtb

Pedals are thinner - Slightly lower center of gravity and slightly more pedal clearance
Adjustable foot position - Can put in a better position for steep descents or climbs. Also, is helpful while riding with a backpack as the extra weight might change riding postures
Bailing out - Easier to get away from the bike in moments notice if needed. Many rider’s will try new things knowing they can bail at any moment
More dynamic - Can move around on the bike more….Think more and different foot positions which allow for greater ranges of motion and body positions…..makes downhilling easier for the average recreational rider

Flat-pedal pros both road cycling & mtb

Stopping & dismounting with ease - No need to unclip or think about stopping or putting a foot down because it just happens when you want to
No set-up - Pedal for just a little bit and your body will naturally align. Also, no pedal system set-up or forgetting to pack your shoes or pedals for trips. No upgrades, etc.
Starting on a hill - If stopped on a steep hill it’s much easier to start again with flat pedals

Flat-pedal cons mtb

Pedal slip - If you ride enough singletrack and rough terrain you will experience scrapes and bruises from slipping off the pedals
Wider & heavier - Flat-bottom athletic shoes are wider and heavier

Flat-pedal Cons both Road cycling & MTB

Less efficient - With good technique and focus this isn’t much of a con. However, less effort and technique is required, which is especially important for view gazing, route finding, trail planning, etc.
Lower average speed - While the average speed won’t be drastically lower, for long rides or ‘filler sections’ it’s nice to have just a bit more average speed.

Personal preference

For some riders, the freedom of wearing regular shoes is something that they will never part with. For others, the fixed connection to the bike makes the bike ride even more enjoyable. Both pedal systems have advantages/disadvantages and it really depends on what you want and what makes riding most enjoyable for you.

Many cyclists and MTB riders are passionate about their clipless pedals. Ultimately, it’s a personal preference. If you have peaked out on your level of improvement and are looking to take the next step, it might be exactly what you’re seeking.

However, if your currently road cycling and looking to get into mountain biking, just because your road bike has clipless pedals doesn’t mean your MTB needs them too.

Yes. I want to learn more about this BikeFitting

Jesse (Director of Pedal Chile) lives in La Patagonia of Chile. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health and Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: Riding singletrack, snowboarding, and reading non-fiction (especially narrative non-fiction).