Quill/Platform Pedal Gallery and Time Line

MTB-Specific Clipless Pedal Gallery and Time Line

Toe Clips, Toe Straps
and Shoe Cleats Gallery

Cinelli M71 (1st Generation) 1970

Italy
This rare 1st generation Cinelli M71, is the first modern-day clipless pedal. This early version pedal was made in 1970 and its cleat is made of aluminum. Later versions of M71 pedal cleats were made of molded plastic for durability. Also, the pedal platform of this original version is made of chromed steel and looks quite different from the aluminum platforms with a round hole found on later M71 pedals. Designed by Cino Cinelli.

Cinelli M71 (3rd Generation) 1972

Italy
Third generation Cinelli pedals can be identified by their exposed spring (as shown) together with the big round hole in the platform.

Contak Early 1973

Italy
Cleat slides in from the side and is held by a ball detent. Slide outward to exit.

Cinelli M71 (4th Generation) 1974

Italy
Manual lock and unlock.
Slide in entry. This fourth and final generation Cinelli M71 pedal is identified by a round hole in the platform and a spring unit fully enclosed in a housing.

NaturaLimits Quick Release Cleats 1980

USA
These novel "clipless" pedal adapters attached to the bodies of typical quill racing pedals and the cleats would attach to cycling shoes. This retro-fit system was intended as a replacement for toe clips and straps and turned ordinary quill pedals into clipless pedals.

Keywin 1983

New Zealand
Bayonet-type locking device secured the cleat to the pedal. Twist inward to engage and twist outward to release.

Look #PP65 1984

France
The first commercially successful clipless pedal. Introduced the first widely accepted (three-hole) cleat mounting standard.

Elger 1984

West Germany
Simple design that locked by twisting inward and unlocked by twisting outward.

Aerolite 1986

USA
Step down to enter. Tilt foot to release. Cleat clasped rather than
locked onto the pedal.

Puma 1986

Germany
Twist in and out bayonet-type lock. Integrated shoe pedal system.
No fore-aft adjustability.

CycleBinding 1986

USA
Step down entry. Opposing ball detent locking device. Integrated shoe pedal system. Drop spindle pedal design. Inverted cleat was designed for easy walking.

Look Model PP75 1987

France
Look's second generation design was aimed at the competitive rider. This pedal was also rebadged and sold under the Mavic Brand.

MKS Mapstage 1987

Japan
A manual design with no spring latching mechanism. Twist inward to engage and twist outward to release.

Campagnolo SGR 1987

Italy
The Italian component company’s in-house entry into clipless pedal design. Slide in entry. Twist to release. Possibly the heaviest clipless road pedal ever.

adidas Systeme 3 1988

Italy
Slide-in entry. Three manual modes of a attachment using an outboard lever; You could set the lever to slide out easy, or hard or fully lock it. Integrated system required adidas shoe.

Avenir 1988

USA
Step down to enter, twist out to release. Had non-recentering free float.

Foster Pro Cleats 1988

USA
An after-market alloy cleat made as a retro-fit replacement for the plastic cleats made by Look. Came with a "Lifetime" replacement policy.

Sampson-Sakae Ringyo 1988

Japan
Licensed from Sampson.
Sold new for $89.95

Shimano PD7401 1988

France
Look-licensed, manufactured in France with bearings and spindles from Japan.

Time TBT 1988

France
First commercially successful clipless pedal that had float (spring-recentered) and could not be set to a fixed position.

Lyotard PL 2000 1989

France
This is Lyotard's short-lived design for a clipless pedal. The spring-loaded end cap slides outward to engage and disengage the cleat. Lyotard, a late arrival to the clipless pedal market, was unable made inroads into the clipless pedal market with this design..

Mavic 646 1989

France
A Look licensed design where the body could pivot side to side plus or minus 5 degrees about the spindle and bearing unit. Free float by way of two
micro-adjustable cams.

Sampson Stratics 1989

USA
A second version of the Sampson pedal. Micro adjustable free float.

Gobbi 1990

USA
The Gobbi Pedal has a self guiding plastic cleat with flexible edges that slide on and grasp the round shaft of the pedal body. Twisting the foot disengages the cleat from the pedal.

LLC Power Control System 1990

Germany
Designed for use with a Look cleat, this pedal had a very short spindle to improve cornering clearance.

Primax 1990

Italy
Similar function to Look’s design.

Shimano 1991

Japan
Look-licensed manufactured by Shimano. Offered float or fixed position by turning a dial on the back of the pedal.

Talon 1992

USA
Similar in function to Look’s design.

Time TWT Action 1992

France
Time creates a walkable recessed cleat road pedal system. Required a proprietary shoe and mounting pattern.

Diadora Power Drive 1992

Italy
Required a proprietary mounting pattern. Designed to position the foot
closer to the spindle.

Shimano PD7410 1993

Japan
Shimano’s first in-house designed clipless road pedal (SPD). Miniaturized version of Look’s design using a proprietary 2-hole mounting standard.

Podio 1994

France
A second design by the inventor of the original adidas System 3 clipless pedal. Sold under the Eddy Merckx marque. Slide in to enter and twist out to release. Required a proprietary shoe mounting pattern.

Power Pedal 1995

Norway
Pedals rotated in only one direction on the spindle using a clutch. No backpedaling. This, in theory, created more leverage by adding the length of the shoe sole to the length of the crank arm during the upstroke phase of the pedal stroke.

Performance 1995

Taiwan
Similar to Look design but with two rear spring gates instead of one
and a resin body.

Exus Mag Flux Road 1996

Taiwan
Foot is secured by a
powerful earth magnet.

Shimano Dura-Ace SPDR 1996

Japan
Shimano’s second in-house road pedal design. Used a proprietary 2-hole mounting standard.

Shimano Dura Ace 7700 1998

Japan
The 25th Anniversary edition of Shimano's SPDR design.