More advanced platform pedals are used on many mountain bikes, BMX bikes or the so-called "urban" bikes people use to get around town without the specialized features of road or touring bikes. These pedals feature an edge that often has "teeth" for better gripping power into the soles of your shoes, helping you keep your foot on the pedal.
Advantages
- Simple to use
- No specialized footwear needed
- Nothing holding you to the bicycle
- Pedal design offers better contact for your feet on pedal surface
Disdvantages
- No power transferred to the pedal on the upstroke - i.e., you can push down on platform pedals, but you can't pull up on them when pedaling.
- Pedal teeth can bite you too, if your feet slip off and the pedals hit you in the shins.
