Clips versus flats is one of the many great arguments of mountain biking but the techier and more complicated clipless pedal is a mainstay of many rider's arsenals. While not for everyone, the advantages are great as they provide better control, and pedalling efficiency through a more secure connection. Unlike flat pedals, there's an array of different clipless mechanisms on the market to suit a selection of riding styles. To help you pick the best clipless pedals, here are the best we've tested.

Although flat pedals dominated mountain biking in its early years, riders made use of toe clips to keep their feet firmly on the pedals on rough descents. Toe clips are plastic cradles that riders slid their feet into, and cinched down using a strap. While toe clips did keep the shoes in place, they're not the easiest to use as they could only be attached to one side of the pedal, so riders would have to flip the pedal to engage with the clip.

For riders wanting maximum security, toe clips were the way to go. That was until Shimano brought SPD, or Shimano Pedalling Dynamics to the market in 1990. SPD does away with the toe clip (hence the name, clipless) in favour of a cleat bolted to the sole of a shoe and a spring-loaded mechanism on the pedal. SPD spelt the death of toe clips and paved the way for other brands to jump on the bandwagon and create their own clipless mechanisms. However, toe clips are still widely used and available to buy to this day, and are often favoured by commuters who don't want to carry a spare set of normal shoes to the office.

Even though some brands build their pedals with the SPD mechanism, like the late great Nukeproof, those are few and far between. Most other brands either have a subtle variant of the SPD mechanism, like Hope or something vastly different like Time and Crankbrothers but what's important is that all of these require specific cleats. Choose the wrong cleat for your pedal and it won't engage properly, or work as it should.

On top of that, cleats wear so they'll need regular replacement depending on how often you ride and the conditions you ride in. If your pedal engagement no longer feels as precise as it used to, and your feet are slipping out of the mechanism it's time for a new set of cleats.

One of the best things about clipless pedals is that they come in all shapes and sizes. Pedals designed for cross-country and light trail riding are almost just the mechanism attached to a spindle but as we go towards more heavy-duty riding, flat-pedal-like platforms and pins become commonplace. Both styles of pedals have their advantages, with the minimal pedals lending themselves better towards XC and gravel for their lightweight. Clipless pedals with platforms are geared towards gravity riding offering better support, a larger area to stand on during those hasty clipping-in moments, and more adjustability thanks to additional pins.

To find the best pedals we've tested overall check out the best mountain bike pedals but if it's flat pedals you're after, here's the best MTB flat pedals.

Best clipless MTB pedals 2024

• HT Components M2
• Crankbrothers Candy 7
• Crankbrothers Mallet Trail
• Time XC 8
• Shimano PD-M520
• Hope Union Clip RC
• Look X-Track En-Rage
• Hope Union Clip TC
• Crankbrothers Eggbeater 3
• Time Speciale 12
• DMR V Twin
• Crankbrothers Mallet E

HT Components M2

£100

HT Components' M2 is a small-bodied clipless pedal that makes a serious case for cross-country and gravel riding. While it might look like an SPD design from the outside, it's rather different and requires its own special cleat. Included in the box are cleats with varying release angles.

On the trail, the M2s impressed thanks to their lightweight and easy but solid snap-in engagement. They're fully serviceable too which is yet another plus and for the price, the HT M2s pose a serious challenge against its pricier rivals.

For the full report, read the HT Components M2 clipless pedal review.

Crankbrothers Candy 7

£180

The Candy 7 is the next step up in platform size from the Eggbeater as it uses the brand's famous four-bar mechanism surrounded by a small but useful platform. These are designed for XC but we found them great for anything up to gravity riding. 

Available in four colours, the Candy 7s are fully user serviceable and because of that cool Eggbeater mechanism, they don't get gummed up with mud. They're super easy to clip into too. On top of that, with the selection of cleats available, these pedals provide plenty of float that makes them easy on our Pat's knees.

For more information, read the Crankbrothers Candy 7 clipless pedal review.

Crankbrothers Mallet Trail

£180

Crankbrothers' Mallet Trail is another step up in the platform size department from the brand, despite the pedals being touted as a gravel and trail mountain bike option. Like the Candy 7, the Mallet Trail boasts the Eggbeater mechanism but benefits from a larger platform with two pins per side and a pair of adjustable traction pads. With that, these pedals offer more support and more to stand on when unclipped.

Compared to larger platform clipless pedals, the size was something to get used to but the feel on the pedals is excellent thanks to a healthy helping of float. As standard, these get long spindles too which up support and stability on the bike by widening the Q-factor.

Read our Crankbrothers Mallet E clipless pedal review for more information.

Time XC 8

£150

Recently acquired by SRAM, Time is another brand that diverts from the SPD system with the ATAC mechanism. During our tests, the XC 8s proved excellent on everything from road and gravel to cyclo-cross and mountain bike. They never clogged with mud and we appreciated the amount of float these pedals offer.

Although the ATAC mechanism is different to the ever-popular SPD, the Time XC 8s were super easy to clip in and out of even with a shoe filled with mud. They're light, too. However, due to the float, the feel isn't quite as locked-in as some might prefer.

If you love loads of float, read the Time XC 8 clipless pedal review to find out more.

Shimano PD-M520

£45

And here we are with a modern take on the classic SPD system and what a pedal. At just £45 the PD-M520 is nothing but excellent value for money in a package that's sure to be appreciated by price-conscious gravel and mountain bikers everywhere.

It might not be the most attractive option on the market but this pair of pedals is all about the function because they worked faultlessly during our test but are also easy to clean and maintain. They're so durable that our Suvi rode a set for over four years without issue.

If simplicity and longevity are two things you look for in a pair of clipless pedals, make sure you read the Shimano PD-M520 clipless pedal review.

Hope Union Clip RC

£150

Hope is renowned not just for its beautifully CNC-machined brakes but for its flat pedals, too. So when the brand unveiled its range of clipless pedals to the world we were very excited to check out what the brand was conjuring up and we weren't disappointed. The RC is the small-bodied clipless pedal in Hope's Union range and its own dual mechanism is designed to be easy to engage into and secure.

These pedals are smooth and user serviceable which is always a plus in our books. They come with two sets of cleats offering different levels of float and release angles. These pedals also come with a neat card that helps with cleat setup but if we were to complain, there might not be enough float for some riders.

To learn more about these pedals, have a gander at the Hope Union RC clipless pedal review.

Look X-Track En-Rage

£75

Coming in at £75 Look's X-Track En-Rage pedal is another clipless offering that's kind to the wallet. It's built with a large platform for support underfoot and on this model, there are no pins which some will certainly appreciate.

On the trail, these pedals were easy to clip into and the mid-size platform offered more than enough support. They're reliable too but with a friendly price comes one notable downside - they're rather weighty.

But if you're not too fussed about weight, look at the Look X-Track En-Rage clipless pedal review to learn more.

Hope Union Clip TC

£150

Another entry from the Barnoldswick-based componentry firm is the Union TC. Without stating the obvious, these pedals get larger platforms with four adjustable pins per side. These pedals get that same stainless steel cleat and mechanism build, so they use proprietary cleats but considering the performance you get in return, it's tough to grumble.

The build quality exhibited by the Union TCs is second to none and on the bike, they've proven to be very worthy of their asking price. There's a useable level of grip when not completely clipped in. Issues are few too but we found that the bearings are pretty stiff, so wear can be uneven as you constantly clip into only one side of the pedal.

For more, read our Hope Union TC clipless pedal review.

Crankbrothers Eggbeater 3

£150

While certainly unusual looking, the Eggbeater is the heart of Crankbrothers' clipless pedals and here we have it in the Eggbeater 3 build. Like all Crankbrothers pedals, the pedal feel is unique and our Matt found it best when paired with stiff-soled shoes. But other than that, the open, four-bar mechanism makes light work of shifting mud and the pair of pedals is rather lightweight. Entry and release are easy too.

This design has remained unchanged for a long time and rightfully so as it simply performs. They are also very light. 

For more information on these pedals, check out the Crankbrothers Eggbeater 3 clipless pedal review.

Time Speciale 12

£250

The Speciale 12 is another of Time's pedals that uses its ATAC mechanism but this time is housed within a larger platform that makes them ideal for trail and enduro riding. The price is rather lofty but expectedly, the Speciale 12's are well built.

Coming with four pins per side, the float can be tuned depending on your preferences. We found that clipping in was as easy as it gets and at 404g per pair, the Speciale 12's are rather light. Time also offers a selection of cleats that allow for further tuning of float and release but unfortunately, the easy-release cleats aren't included in the box.

To see what all the fuss is about, read the Time Speciale 12 clipless pedal review.

DMR V-Twin

£140

Although DMR is best known for the Vault flat pedals the brand does have a clipless offering, the V-Twin. This pedal borrows Shimano's SPD technology but DMR claims to have built the most adaptable caged clip pedal available. This is done through the nylon bumper and metal shim feature which allows adjustment for float.

On the trail, the V-Twins provided loads of support. They might be a bit heavy but the performance pays back in spades thanks to the adjustability. A service kit can be picked up for only a tenner.

Read the DMR V-Twin clipless pedal review for more details.

Crankbrothers Mallet E

£180

Stepping platform size up another notch is Crankbrothers' Mallet E pedals. Again, these use that Eggbeater mechanism but around it is a larger body that has been included to boost support while adding grip through its six pins per side.

We were big fans of the platform size and there's plenty of float available from that mechanism. That float can be tuned too thanks to cleats you can swap from shoe to shoe. As expected of an Eggbeater mechanism, mud clearance is impressive. Downsides are few, but users can't tune the release tension and they're rather pricy compared to Shimano's offering. But if you're looking for Crankbrothers' mechanism in an enduro and gravity-friendly package, the Mallet E might be the pedal for you.

Here's the full Crankbrothers Mallet E clipless pedal review if you would like to find out more.

How to choose the best clipless mountain bike pedal

Are clipless pedals better for mountain biking?

Clipless versus flat pedals is one of the hottest arguments in mountain biking but both provide very real benefits. For clipless pedals, that's greater security on the pedal and better pedalling efficiency. The former is solely because the rider's feet are mechanically attached to the pedals which then aids the latter, as clipless pedals allow the rider to pull up on the pedals, making better use of the whole pedal stroke.

Over rough sections, your feet are far less likely to break free from the pedal's mechanism and a benefit that I love is that when clipping into a clipless pedal, your feet will be in the same position every time. With flat pedals, it often takes a bit of shimmying to be in that perfect spot.

Whether clipless pedals are better is up for debate and many pick their pedals to suit the riding and conditions they're about to do. The freedom the flat pedals provide means that ejecting from the bike during a crash couldn't be easier and there's no mechanism to break free from when putting a foot down mid-way around a greasy corner. Some might find flat pedals better in the wetter months and clipless pedals better when they dry out.

What is the disadvantage of clipless pedals?

The main disadvantage of clipless pedals is that they mechanically attach the rider's feet to the bike and to unclip, you'll need to perform a special movement. Because of this, there's a definite learning curve and riders may not free themselves from the pedals during a crash, which can mean that the bike will come toppling over you should you go over the bars. For the most part, this is avoidable as a pedal mechanism can be adjusted to provide stronger or weaker levels of tension on the cleat on certain pedals.

Another disadvantage is that cleats wear out. Different cleats wear at different rates depending on the material they're built from, and varying conditions can affect longevity. 

Although clipless pedals offer varying levels of float (free movement before disengaging from the pedal), there's not as much adjustment or opportunity for varying foot positions. A cleat can be adjusted for natural foot rotation as well as fore and aft positions but if you ride very heel in and toes out, or the other way around clipless pedals may not be an option.

How much faster do clipless pedals make you?

Honestly... Not much but it depends very much on the style of riding you're doing. The great Sam Hill, known for his downhill and enduro success coined the phrase 'flat pedals win medals' and underneath his very shoe soles, flat pedals did exactly that. However, you won't find flat pedals on the cross country, gravel, or road circuits as the marginal gains their clipless cousins provide are considerable performance benefits.

Clipless pedals will likely help you gain and maintain more speed when climbing and sprinting, where squeezing every watt from the pedal stroke is imperative. Choosing clipless pedals for these efforts means you can pull up on the pedals for more power through a greater portion of the pedal stroke. You'll gain some extra speed or make a climb more tolerable through greater efficiency.

For the weekend warrior, enduro racer or downhill athlete, clipless pedals eliminate the chances of your feet bouncing off, or moving around the pedal which comes into its own when descending. That's because riders will spend less time panicking as they try to regain the perfect foot placement on their flat pedals and this can save a few seconds.

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