Lighter pedals are easier to push than heavier pedals, making for a more efficient and less effortful ride. “Imagine your pedal stroke as you move the bike forward: Every turn of the legs, you are lifting the weight of one pedal as it comes around the bottom of the rotation, up and over,” Sachs says. “That movement takes energy every time. So a lighter pedal will mean you save that little bit of energy each pedal stroke, and that really adds up over a long day on the bike.” (Given this, lighter pedals are often more expensive than heavier pedals, too.)