Flat pedal
Also called · platform pedal · flats — the common informal name, mostly among mountain bikers
A flat platform you simply rest your foot on, ridden in any shoes, with nothing attaching your foot to the pedal. It is the pedal most bikes come with and the one you can step on and off freely.
How to spot itA plain flat or wide platform with the foot resting on top in ordinary shoes, often studded with small grip pins on a mountain-bike version.
Best forEveryday and city riding, anyone new to cycling, and any trip with a lot of stops, because you can put a foot down instantly.
Watch outA small or slick platform lets a foot slip on bumps; a wider pedal, grip pins, and a stiffer-soled shoe cure most of it. Metal grip pins can bark a shin, so spin the pedals gently when you swing a leg over.
You might say“the ordinary pedal you just put your foot on”“the flat pedal with no clips”“the pedal you can ride in normal shoes”“the wide grippy pedal on a mountain bike”
Source · Bicycle pedal manufacturer category documentation (Shimano, Crankbrothers); Sheldon Brown bicycle glossary — pedals and toe clips · 2026-07
Two-bolt clipless pedal
Also called · SPD pedal — after Shimano's SPD, the archetypal two-bolt system, now used loosely for the type · clip-in pedal · mountain-bike pedal
A pedal that locks to a small two-bolt cleat recessed into a lugged shoe sole, so you can clip in for a firm connection yet still walk fairly normally. Confusingly called clipless because it replaced the old toe-clip cage. Common for commuting, touring, and mountain biking, and often double-sided so either face clips in.
How to spot itA compact metal pedal, sometimes double-sided or with a platform on one face, worn with shoes whose cleat hides down in the tread so the rider walks almost normally.
Best forCommuting and touring where you walk at the other end, and off-road riding, where a recessed cleat and a walkable shoe matter.
Watch outClipping in takes practice, and the classic mishap is a slow-speed tip-over with a foot still attached; set the spring tension low while you learn and practice unclipping before traffic.
You might say“the clip-in pedals you can still walk in”“the ones with the cleat sunk into the shoe”“SPD pedals for commuting”“the pedals your shoe snaps into but you can walk normally”
Source · Bicycle pedal and cleat system manufacturer documentation (Shimano SPD, Crankbrothers); Sheldon Brown bicycle glossary — clipless pedals and cleats · 2026-07
Three-bolt (road) clipless pedal
Also called · road clipless pedal · three-bolt cleat pedal
A clipless pedal that locks to a larger three-bolt cleat protruding from a smooth, stiff road shoe, giving a wide, rigid platform and efficient power transfer at the cost of being awkward to walk in.
How to spot itA wide, usually one-sided pedal worn with a smooth-soled stiff shoe carrying a big wedge-shaped cleat; the rider walks with a duck-footed clack on hard floors.
Best forRoad riding and longer distances where pedalling efficiency and a stable foot matter more than walking around.
Watch outThe protruding cleat is slippery on hard floors and wears down with walking; rubber cleat covers help, and it is not built for getting about on foot. Expect the same clip-in learning curve.
You might say“the pedals with the big cleat that sticks out”“road bike clip-in pedals”“the ones road cyclists clack around cafes in”“the clip-in pedals that are hard to walk in”
Source · Bicycle pedal and cleat system manufacturer documentation (Shimano, Look); Sheldon Brown bicycle glossary — clipless pedals and cleats · 2026-07
Toe clips and straps
Also called · toe cages · clips and straps
A cage, often with a strap, fixed to the front of a flat pedal that your ordinary shoe slides into, holding the foot in place without special shoes or cleats. It is the pre-clipless way of keeping a foot located on the pedal.
How to spot itA plastic or metal cage over the front of an otherwise normal pedal, sometimes with a strap across the top, ridden in everyday shoes.
Best forKeeping a foot placed without buying special shoes, and a low-cost middle ground, still seen on some city bikes and fixed-gear setups.
Watch outYou slide a foot out rather than twist it, which takes getting used to; keep the straps loose for easy exits in traffic until the habit is second nature.
You might say“the cage on the front of the pedal you slide your foot into”“toe cages with a strap”“the old-style foot straps on the pedals”“the plastic cage over the pedal”
Source · Bicycle pedal and toe-clip manufacturer category documentation; Sheldon Brown bicycle glossary — toe clips and straps · 2026-07
Hybrid (one-sided) pedal
Also called · one-sided pedal · combo pedal
A pedal with a flat platform on one face and a clipless mechanism on the other, so you can clip in for a proper ride or ride in ordinary shoes for a quick errand. A common commuter compromise between the two worlds.
How to spot itA chunky pedal with two different faces, a plain platform on one side and a spring clip on the other, so which side is up varies as it hangs.
Best forRiders who clip in some of the time but want to hop on in normal shoes for short trips, without swapping pedals.
Watch outYou often have to nudge the pedal to the face you want, a small fiddle at the lights, and it does neither job quite as purely as a pedal built only for that job.
You might say“the pedal that is flat on one side and clip-in on the other”“pedals you can use with normal shoes or clip into”“half flat, half SPD pedals”“the pedal with a clip on one face and a platform on the other”
Source · Bicycle pedal manufacturer category documentation (Shimano); Sheldon Brown bicycle glossary — pedals · 2026-07
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