Clipless vs Flat Pedals
Whether clipping in is actually worth it, what it costs in total, and the honest case for never bothering.
How this is funded: we earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which bike we recommend, and we will tell you plainly when we would skip one. Full disclosure.
Ride flat pedals for your first season. Then decide. Clipping in is a real improvement and it is an optimization — it belongs after braking, shifting and cornering have stopped requiring conscious thought, not alongside them.
If you want the option available without committing, dual-sided pedals have a clip mechanism on one face and a flat platform on the other, and they are the answer for most people reading this.
The difference, in six rows
| What you will notice | Flat pedals | Clipless pedals |
|---|---|---|
| What you wear | Any shoes you already own. | Cycling shoes with cleats bolted on. |
| Total cost to start | About $26 for a decent pair of pedals. | About $110 to $180: pedals, shoes, sometimes cleats. |
| Learning curve | None. | A few rides, and probably one slow fall. |
| Efficiency on climbs | Good. You can only push. | Better. You can also pull up and stabilize the stroke. |
| Foot security on rough ground | Feet can bounce off over washboard. | Foot stays exactly where you put it. |
| Stop-start traffic | Effortless. Put a foot down and go. | Requires unclipping in advance. Stressful when new. |
The name is backwards, and that is not your fault
This trips up every beginner and it is worth stating plainly: clipless pedals are the ones you clip into. Flat pedals are the ones you do not. If that seems backwards, it is, and everyone agrees.
The efficiency claim, honestly
The standard argument is that being attached lets you pull up on the backstroke as well as push down, roughly doubling the useful part of each revolution.
That argument is weaker than it sounds. Riders do not, in practice, pull up much — the leg is heavy and lifting it costs energy too. Studies looking for a large sustained power advantage from clipping in have generally not found one.
What clipping in genuinely gives you:
- Your foot cannot move. No repositioning, no bouncing off on washboard, no sliding forward on a wet pedal.
- A consistent, repeatable foot position, which matters for knees over long distances far more than it does for power.
- Confidence on steep or loose climbs, where a foot slipping off a flat pedal at low speed is genuinely how people fall.
- A little more control when you lift the bike over an obstacle.
Those are real and they are worth having. They are not worth having in week one.
The total cost, which nobody quotes
Pedal prices are quoted alone, and that is misleading. Clipping in is a system:
- Pedals: roughly $30 to $60.
- Shoes: roughly $50 to $120. Not optional — normal shoes cannot take a cleat.
- Cleats: $20 to $30, unless the pedals include them. Some do; most listings do not say.
So the honest figure is $110 to $180 to start clipping in, against about $26 for a good flat pedal. On a first-bike budget, that difference buys padded shorts and a floor pump, both of which improve your riding more than pedals will.
The cleat-pattern trap
If you do go clipless, this is the mistake that costs money: the pedals and the shoes must use the same system.
- Two-bolt (usually called SPD) — the cleat recesses into the sole so you can walk normally. What gravel riders, commuters and mountain bikers use, and the right choice for a first setup.
- Three-bolt (road) — a larger cleat that protrudes from the sole. More surface area for long hard efforts, and awkward to walk in.
They are not interchangeable. Decide the system first, then buy both halves to match — the shoes page covers this from the other side.
How to learn without falling over
- Set the release tension to its loosest. Every clipless pedal has an adjustment screw, usually a 3mm hex key. Wind it all the way down while you learn.
- Practice on grass, next to a fence. Ten minutes clipping in and out on both feet, somewhere soft, holding onto something.
- Unclip early, every single time. This is the actual habit. Approach a junction, unclip one foot well before you need it. Every fall happens to someone who arrived at a stop still attached and then had to think about it.
The honest case for never bothering
Plenty of experienced riders use flat pedals permanently, and not out of ignorance. If your riding is commuting in traffic with frequent stops, if you want to wear normal shoes at your destination, or if the idea of being attached to the bike makes you anxious in a way that would stop you riding — flat pedals are simply the correct answer, and a good pair with pins and sealed bearings is a real upgrade over what came on the bike.
The efficiency difference will not decide whether you enjoy cycling. Our pedals page has both options with live prices, including dual-sided pedals if you want to defer the decision.
Questions people actually ask
Are clipless pedals worth it for a beginner?
Not in your first month. They are more efficient on climbs and keep your foot in place on rough ground, but they cost $110 to $180 all in and come with a learning period. Learn the bike first, then add them once braking and shifting are automatic.
Why are they called clipless if you clip in?
Because they replaced toe clips — the cages and straps riders used before the modern system existed. 'Clipless' meant 'without toe clips'. The name outlived the thing it was distinguishing itself from, which is a common fate for technical vocabulary.
How much more efficient are clipless pedals?
Less than the marketing suggests. Laboratory studies have generally struggled to show a large sustained power advantage from pulling up on the pedal, because most riders do not actually pull up much. The genuine benefits are a more secure foot position, better control on rough ground, and no wasted energy repositioning your foot.
Will I fall over with clipless pedals?
Probably once, at a standstill, slowly, in front of someone. It happens to nearly everyone. Set the release tension to its loosest while learning, practice clipping in and out on grass next to something you can hold, and build the habit of unclipping well before you need to stop.
Can I use flat pedals on a gravel bike?
Yes, and plenty of people do permanently. A good aluminum flat pedal with pins and sealed bearings is a genuine upgrade over the plastic ones most bikes ship with. There is no rule requiring drop-bar riders to clip in.
What are dual-sided pedals?
A clip mechanism on one face and a flat platform on the other, so you can ride in normal shoes or cycling shoes on the same bike without changing anything. For a beginner deciding whether to commit, they are usually the smartest purchase — the trade-off is having to flip the pedal to the side you want.
Sources
Specifications come from the manufacturer or the retailer listing, dated. Where a figure is not published, we say so rather than estimating it.
- Shimano — Component product list — Shimano's own component lineup, from which the road groupset hierarchy is read (accessed July 23, 2026)
- Shimano — GRX gravel components — Shimano's gravel-specific groupset series and what it is designed for (accessed July 23, 2026)
Read next
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If you go clipless, this is which system to go clipless with.
Read the comparisonBest Bike Pedals for Beginners
Five pedals with live prices — flat, clipless and dual-sided.
See the pedal picksBest Cycling Shoes
The other half of clipping in, including the cleat-pattern trap.
See the shoe picksHow to Ride a Road Bike
Get shifting and braking automatic first. Then think about your feet.
Learn the basicsFirst-Bike Starter Kit
Where pedals and shoes sit against the twelve things you need first.
See the full kit