79pmooney

Cleats for shoes fall into two categories. 2-bolt cleats such as Shimano SPD that bolt into two nuts in slots in the sole of the shoe. Bike shoes with that system are common. Many of those shoes are fully "walkable" meaning you are not walking on the hard metal of plastic cleat but instead on rubber lugs. (Store owners and those with hardwood floors will thank you.) Then there is the three bolt system that was designed for road racing. Two widely spaced bolts at the rear of the cleat and a front bolt. LOOK was the original clipless pedal manufacturer and came up with the 3 bolt system The cleat is big enough that they do not lend themselves to walkable shoes. Some cleats have soft rubber covers you can slip on to protect floors (and yourself from slipping) but walking is still awkward. Most of the shoes that can accommodate the three bolt cleats also have the nuts for two bolt cleats but the reverse is usually not true. Most of those three bolt shoes have smooth hard soles as they are almost always intended for racing.

Pedals and cleat systems vary more than the shoe types. There is the Look system, starting with the now obsolete Delta, now KEO (not compatible with Delta. There is the original Shimano system, SPD, by far the most common. Then there are the Eggbeaters by the crank Brothers that are favored by many cyclocross racers as they tend to shed mud well. Speedplay pedals that are very small, neat and light. Plus many others.

A driving force in clipless pdal design has been rotation, ie a pedal that allows you to be locked to the pedal for efficient power transmission but at the same time, allow the foot to rotate. Some pedal allow unlimited rotation with the pedal offering no resistance to the rotation. Pedals differ on how the rotation happens. Some rotate about the forward part of your foot, some further backat the center of the pedal. Some pedals tend to keep your foot in line to varying degrees. On many you can dial in the level of that resistance. On some pedals you can lock out the rotation completely.

You asked a big question. I tried to give you enough on what the pedal choices are that you can ask the next question. For now, just keep in mind the issue of two bolts vs three because that choice shapes a lot of your options. (I'm guessing you want a 2 bolt system but be aware.)

Edit: you posted while I was writing. Yes. Pedals come with the cleats you mount on your shoe. And as I said above, yes, pedals and shoes have to be based on the same bolt pattern, 2 or 3. The shoes you describe are almost always 2 bolt shoes. For a no-brainer start, you could by a pair that fits comfortably then get the Shimano SDP pedals and cleats. Very reliable pedals. Probably millions out there. Every bike shop has seen them.

I say that and I resisted for decades because I am one of those who does far better with no-float pedals, ie having my shoe locked into the pedals; no rotation so I used older systems that allowed that. (Don't worry. I am not trying to sell you an anything except hopefully pedals that work for you. And more than anything I say, keep an open mind. Your first system may not be "it". But when you are there, you will know why so many of us never go back.)

Ben