I’ll bet there is a whole group of active cyclist out there who don’t know why the current pedal technology is called “clipless”. They probably accept it as simple fact – that pedals are now called “clipless pedals” just because they are.

Having been actively engaged with cycling for over 25 years, I’ve participated in the evolution of pedals to not only know why clipless pedals are called “clipless pedals”, but have firsthand experience with the pedal technology that has lead up to the removal of clips.

I really shouldn’t be too arrogant about this experience, after all, most people know what toe clips are on bicycles. But – I’ll be willing to bet – there are only a small percentage of cyclists today who have actually used toe clips and dedicated cycling shoes on a road bike. It is an experience that is not for the faint of heart and takes some nerve to make a connection with a bicycle that cannot be undone. I’ll explain in a minute.

My older Speedplay were an exercise in simplicity paired with great functionality

But first, let’s explore my evolution through pedal technology. Like all kids growing up, I got to experience the freedom of a new bicycle (a mid-70s Schwinn Tornado) with the classic flat pedals. These pedals are the ultimate “get on and go” technology as you are just as comfortable pedaling with or without shoes. For a kid, a simple platform pedal (hopefully with no protrusions for uncomfortable barefoot riding) is all any bike needs.

As I moved up to the world of ten-speeds, I started to realize that there was a whole half of the pedal stroke that was being neglected. Platform pedals only support power on the way down and facilitate a gentle, power-free ride on the return half of the rotation. That’s rather wasteful and it wasn’t long until I was trying to find some toe-clips to attach to my pedals in hopes of harnessing this extra opportunity for power. By the early 80s, the clipped technology was pretty far along, but my measly budget forced me into the basic rat trap style pedal with a spring steel clip and nylon straps. Paired with my standard Nikes, this was a big improvement over the platforms but far from race caliber. Tennis shoes – with their flexible soles – are far from the best way to transfer power from legs into the bike.

My biggest shift at the time came in the form of dedicated bike shoes. This is also where my story turns dangerous. Dedicated cycling shoes at the time had two main features. First, their soles were rock-hard stiff. The whole idea was that all the power in your foot needed to be put directly into the bike’s crankarm and there was no room for flexing. If you ever saw anyone dismount a bike at the time after riding a few hours with these shoes – you would see how they could barely walk due to the pain inflicted on their feet. Those soles really sucked. Effective, but sucky. The second feature was around the interface between the sole of the shoe and the pedal. Built into the base of the shoe (usually with an adjustment for position), was a block with a narrow slot. The idea with this slot is that it would mate with the narrow ridge of the pedal and thus slide the shoe onto the pedal and create a secure connection. The toe clip’s job was to simply push down on the top of the shoe to keep it secured inside this rigid slot. There was no movement between the shoe and the pedal. A quick tightening of the toe clip strap and you were “one with the bike” with no chance of breaking away. If you crashed, the bike was coming with you with no separation. It was effective, if not harrowing. For the several times I laid the bike down using these shoes/pedals – it was always securely attached to my feet even after sliding 20 feet down the road.

Although they appear similar, the cleat technology of the new Speedplay Zeros yields significant improvements in the pedal-to-shoe interface

Jump ahead 15 years and I first entered the world of clipless pedals probably around 2001 when I returned to cycling. The vast majority of pedals on the market at the time were based on a ski-binding technology and provided the secure connection between the bike and the shoe, but still allowed the rider to get out with a twist of the foot. But, when the foot was in the pedal, it was usually in a rigid position and generally didn’t “float”. I had read about an alternative technology on the market from a company called Speedplay, who offered a pedal that still provided a secure connection but also allowed your foot to pivot on top of the pedal and freely move around without impacting the connection. I bought some for my Old Steed™ (even though they were considered “triathlete” pedals and not for real cyclists). They worked great and gave me a real appreciation for how simple and important good pedal technology is to the whole riding experience. It is not only great for steady power transfer during a ride, good pedals also make it simple to get on/off the bike with ease and become an unconscious part of the experience. Just like the old platform pedals on my kid’s bike, my Speedplay pedals just worked.

But, after several years with the old Speedplays, I wanted to upgrade due to some wear and tear found in the old pedals. After too much calf-stretching exercises on the pedals, I found that they have a slight bend to them. I also found it became harder and harder to generate that first “click” as the cleat snapped into place. They still worked great, but were showing their age and didn’t seem to fit with the newness found in the rest of my Tarmac.

In my next round of pedal evolution, I was going to be willing to try anything. Outside of the Speedplay technology, most other road-based pedals are still based on the ski binding concept and have not really changed much over the past 5 years. Sure there are minor improvements and exotic materials to be purchased, but I’m not a “weight weenie” and don’t really find value in spending multiple times over for the same, basic technology in titanium or composite. I’d rather take the 80 grams in additional weight and stick the extra $200 back in my pocket.

In my search for replacements, I found that pedals are like religious beliefs. Everyone has both an idea why their choices are superior and why the alternatives are a surefire path to hell. “Shimano SPD-Rs are great!” “Shimano SPD-Rs suck, Looks are great.” “Float eliminates ankle and knee pain.” “Excessive float will cause tremendous leg problems.” Every choice has a host of opinions on both side, so I thought I would stick to what I have direct experience and get another pair of Speedplays.

I think I might regret buying the white color, but it goes well with my white saddle and handlebar tape

Thus, I bought a set of Speedplay Zeros in stainless steel spindle material and white finish. Penn Cycle had them for sale for less than most internet warehouses, so a quick Saturday trip and my new bike was sporting the Zeros.

They are a basic upgrade from my older Speedplay technology and work on the same principle of a floating interface between the shoe and the pedal. But, they have a few extra upgrades – like micro-adjustment to the float in both directions – that make them a noticeable improvement over the old ones. Some short hours on them while connected to the trainer indicates they are a nice addition to the New Steed™ and will be felt during the ride. The connection is solid and I can feel that they allow for a nice transfer of energy with no slop. My first few steps into them took nearly all my weight to get the “click”, but a simple cleat lubrication and a few times in/out have resulted in a quick and confident step-in process.

As much as I’d like to say that I hope to get the same eight years of life as I received on the older Speedplays, I actually hope to wear them out and replace them in less than four years. This would take a tremendous increase of miles in the saddle, but it aligns well with my goal of increasing my outdoor mileage for 2010 and beyond. They are good pedals and match my new-found purchasing prowess to buy quality over price. They cost nearly as much as most people spend on an entire bike, but that comes along with being a cyclist and not just someone who rides a bike.