Bike pedals and cleats

Right next to wheels and chains, pedals and cleats are some of the most important components of your bike. From flat pedals to clipless ones, MEC has all types of pedals and cleats for your trusty bicycle, all designed by brands like Crankbrothers, Shimano, Look and more.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between flat and clipless pedals?

Flat (platform) pedals work with any shoes and are easy to use—ideal for casual riders and MTB enthusiasts who value maneuverability and convenience. Clipless pedals require cycling shoes and cleats that attach your feet to the pedals. This connection lets you both push and pull for better power, efficiency, and cadence control—perfect for long rides or racing.

Can I mix and match pedals, shoes and cleats?

Yes—as long as the shoe’s bolt pattern matches the cleat (2-hole or 3-hole) and the cleat matches the pedal. For example, you can use Look or Shimano SPD‑SL cleats on shoes with a 3-hole bolt pattern. Want to use 2-hole cleats on 3-hole shoes? Adapters are available to help .

Do clipless pedals improve performance?

Absolutely. Being fastened to the pedal lets you apply power throughout the stroke—especially pulling up—improving power transfer, acceleration, and efficiency.

Bike pedal buyer’s guide

Flat pedals

If you need information on how to choose bike pedals, check out our online article all about it. Most people are familiar with good old flat pedals (also called platform pedals). They’re what most people picture when they think of a bike pedal, but there’s more variety than you may realize. While there are no-frill flat pedals available, there are also models with grippy pins hold your shoes in place – essential for mountain biking. They’re great for working with any type of cycling footwear and making it easy to get on and off for your bike.

Clipless pedals

Clipless pedals let you “clip in” and “clip out” of your pedals with special cycling shoes and cleats. When you’re clipped in, you’re attached to your pedals, which comes with extra power potential. Unlike flat pedals, where you can only down on the pedals, clipless pedals let you both push and pull with each pedal stroke. The benefits? Maximizing power, smoothness, acceleration and efficiency. They’re great for making the most of your leg muscles to speed up quickly and ride efficiently (especially on long rides). Most mountain bike pedals are the 2-hole clipless design, and most road bike pedals are the 3-hole clipless design.

Bike cleats

Cleats are a must for clipless pedals (unless you get clipless pedals that also work as flats). Basically, cleats are small pieces of metal or plastic that attach to the soles of your bike shoes to connect your shoes to your bike pedals. The majority of pedals come with cleats, but you can also buy them separately if you need to replace worn ones, or if you want ones that offer more or less float. When choosing cleats, remember that they need to fit both your bike pedals and your cycling shoes. All the parts need to work together – two out of three will get you nowhere. Road bike pedals are much more specialized for long, fast, uninterrupted rides. They usually have cleats with 3 holes in a triangular pattern and are one-sided (they only engage on one side).

If you have any questions about compatibility, chat with a staffer at your local MEC store.