Originally Posted by alanbikehouston

Few $2,000 bikes are shipped with pedals. The stores add them for test ride purposes until the new owner puts on the pedals he prefers.

I prefer BMX style pedals with built-in reflectors such as the MKS "Sneaker Pedal". The "Sneaker Pedal" can be used with sneakers, dress shoes, sandals, or (my favorites) skateboard shoes. The reflectors work well for riding ay night, which is something I do about 300 nights every year.

So, if I bought a new bike and it came with fancy and expensive pro style pedals, the first thing I would do is trash those pedals and put on a $25 pair of "Sneaker" pedals.

So, it is better to ship bikes without pedals. Every cyclist picks their own shoes, so it only makes sense to pick their own pedals.