Burt agrees, adding: “I’d say if you can ride one or the other you can ride either bio mechanically speaking — it will just be personal preference.”

The price of the Ultegra R8000 pedals is high and if performance is what you’re after, as opposed to weight savings, it might be worth considering the well-performing, but slightly heavier Shimano 105 R7000 pedals. The premium price tag might also be off-putting when other more affordable power meter pedals are available, but it is reflective of how the pedals are class-leaders in many ways. One up from Shimano’s entry-level pedals, the Tiagra R550s offer very good performance and reliability for the price with a design that echoes the company’s top-end pedals.

Best road bike pedals in 2023, as reviewed by our expert testers

The pedal’s surface area has substantial symbolic importance. It is part of the brand’s identity and acts as an indelible signature on the product.

A good fit-and-forget pedal that’s a happy balance between Dura-Ace and 105. David Caudery / Immediate Media Garmin’s Rally RS200 power meter pedals have a clean look and are easy to install. Simon Bromley / Immediate Media We have a guide on how to fit and adjust cycling cleats if you are new to riding with clipless pedals or just need a refresh. The closest competitor to the Keo 2 Max Carbon is the Shimano R8100 pedal, both in terms of where it sits in the range and the price point. Both options can be sourced online for similar prices if you find the right deal. Most road cleats use a three-bolt pattern and come in a variety of different floats. Stan Portus / Our Media

Redshift Arclight Bike Pedals

Shimano’s 105 R7000 pedals strike a good balance of weight to price. They are reliable and a solid performer, as you would expect from a Shimano product carrying the 105 name. The R550s are a great set of first clipless pedals, offering everything you need. They have Shimano’s three-bolt cleat system, adjustable float and adjustable release tension so you can make clipping in and out as easy or hard as you like. The KEO 2 MAX carbon pedals are in the 2 nd tier of Look’s road pedal lineup, the KEO BLADES being their top tier. Compared to Shimano, I would guess they are between the Ultegra and 105 pedals. See the table below. You can readjust the table to sort by price if you wish. MODEL LINEUP BY WEIGHT Wahoo’s acquisition of Speedplay saw a complete revamp of Speedplay’s pedal range, but these Wahoo Speedplay Zero pedals retain many of the features that made the original Zero an incredibly popular choice.