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What are the best pedals for a gravel bike?
We present the best pedals for gravel bikes, broken down by riding situation. Also a comparison of the best fit of each pedal on the roads where gravel bikes are ridden.
Modified at: 2023.11.9Posted at: 2022.9.7
Table Of Contents
The best pedals for each scene
For everyday riding
If you use gravel bikes for everyday riding, fretted pedals are sufficient.
If you want to customize your pedals, replace them with flat pedals that are lightweight and have a wide tread surface for more comfortable pedaling.
Cycling
If you are cycling on a gravel bike, binding pedals are recommended. Although gravel bikes can be ridden on gravel, they are still road bikes, so if you are cycling, you can easily ride long distances with less effort and faster and farther by installing binding pedals.
Shimano offers two types of binding pedals.
- power-oriented SPD-SL
- the SPD, which is designed for walking
Gravel bike users are more likely to choose SPD. Of course, you can also wear SPD-SL on a gravel bike.
Gravel and light trail
If you want to enjoy riding and activities on gravel and light trails, Shimano’s SPD binding pedals are by far the best choice.
The binding allows you to pedal well on rough terrain, and you can push the bike up on tight slopes without slipping.
If you are going to ride on serious gravel or forest roads, choose shoes with spike-type binding shoes that can be fitted with MTB points.
Camping and Touring
Gravel bikes are ideal for bicycle camping and touring because of their load carrying capacity.
When used for camping/touring, you will spend as much time walking as you do on the bike, so flat pedals or easy-to-walk Shimano SPD pedals are recommended.
If camping/touring is going to be a long ride, Shimano SPD pedals will give you the benefit of the bindings, but you won’t have to abandon walking like you do with the SPD-SL.
Summary of the best pedals for gravel bikes
Finally, here is a summary and comparison of which pedals do and do not match each scene.
| Pedal type | Cycling | Gravel | Camping | Camping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flat pedal | ◎ | ○ | △ | ◎ |
| Shimano SPD Binding Pedal | ○ | ◎ | ◎ | ◎ |
| Shimano SPD-SL Binding Pedal | x | ◎ | ○ | x |
In this way, we can see that Shimano SPD-type binding pedals are the best and most versatile for the roads we expect to ride on a gravel bike.
SPD binding pedals are also available in a single-sided flat model, so you can customize your bike with such a model to upgrade to a more versatile gravel bike.
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Overview of Electric Shifting Components for Gravel Bikes
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