The Best MTB Flat Pedals
The Best MTB Flat Pedals
With so many options to choose from, picking a set of flat pedals can be a challenge - particularly if you're just starting off mountain biking. We've put together 5 of our favourite pedals, across a range of price points.
What's The Difference?
At first glance, it's hard to spot what makes one pedal £20 and another £120. The most basic pedals will have soft resin bodies, usually spinning on plastic bushings, or directly onto the axle. The bushings tend to wear very quickly, making them something of a false economy. At the next step up, most pedals are made of a composite, usually some kind of fibre-reinforced plastic, often with either moulded pins or replaceable metal ones. Composite pedals are usually much lighter than metal pedals at the same price point, and they're still durable enough for most riders.
Further up the range, you'll get either proper steel bearings, plastic bushings, or a combination of the two. Bearings will either be adjustable loose-ball bearings like you'll find in the Shimano range, or replaceable cartridge bearings like the Hope pedals - both are good, one requires preventative maintenance, where the other requires replacement once worn. Some flat pedals also use bushings made of low-friction materials - you'll often see bushings from a company called IGUS, which are commonly acknowledged as being very good quality.
The "stack height" of a pedal is something which some people are very concerned about. In theory, the lower the stack, the closer your foot sits to the centre of the axle, providing a more natural feel and lowering your centre of mass. There is always a tradeoff here - the thinner the pedal, the flimsier the body, axle and bearings have to become to fit inside. On that note, you'll see Convex, Flat and Concave pedal shapes. Convex pedals are popular as they can help hold your foot in position, but the thinner the pedal becomes, the more likely it is to develop issues with bearings or bent axles.
Some ultra-thin pedals have a convex shape, tapering away from the axle to reduce overall thickness where possible, but some people find this design causes aching and fatigue in the foot. You won't know until you try.
The Best Entry-Level Flat Pedals
DMR V6 Flat Pedal
If you're just starting out, the DMR V6s are a great set of pedals to match a new £500/£600 hardtail. The plastic pins are grippy enough for light trail riding, without shredding the soles of your shoes if you're wearing foam-soled trainers rather than rubber mountain bike shoes. Pedal strikes are quite common when you're first starting out – these pedals are pretty durable, but they're also quite cheap to replace if they do get damaged. The axles and bushings are replaceable if they wear out. There are plenty of colour options to suit your bike, and DMR make some matching grips if you're feeling particularly stylish.
The Best Heavy-Duty Flat Pedals
Shimano PD-GR500 Flat Pedal
It's not the most stylish option here, but if you like to ride hard, or you're prone to breaking things, the GR500 is well worth the money. Developed for Downhill riding (GR stands for Gravity), it's a tad overbuilt, and it'll put up a good fight. While the stack is a little taller than some of the lighter pedals on the market, the extra material is put to good use. Shimano use a durable cup-and-cone bearing system with a large steel axle – the bearings are adjustable and serviceable, so you can keep them in great condition with occasional maintenance. Most flat pedals at this price point spin on small cartridge bearings and bushings, which are much less resilient to wear, and require repacement once worn.
If you neglect them, they'll perform admirably for a good while. If you don't mind servicing them every year or so, these pedals will still be here with the cockroaches after armageddon. These are my personal favourite, and they'll put up with big hits, hard riding, and big mileage in rough conditions, without spending too much.
The Best Value-For-Money Flat Pedals
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Flat Pedal
If you're looking for low stack, light weight and a reasonable price, the Crankbrothers Stamp 1 is a great option. Spinning on a steel axle with replaceable Igus bushings, the Stamp 1 is fairly durable for trail riding, though it isn't going to be quite as robust as the Shimano GR500s. The stack is low, with a slight concave profile to securely hold the foot in place. There are several colour options available, with a few modern, muted tones to match the latest trendy frame colours.
The Best Premium Flat Pedals
Hope F22 Flat Pedal
Made in England, these Hope flat pedals strike a great balance between weight and durability. They have a slightly concave shape to support the food, and the replaceable pins can be adjusted with washers. The pedals spin on sealed cartridge bearings which are replaceable when necessary, though as usual for Hope, the weather sealing is very good. Most importantly, they're available in Hope's usual array of bright shiny colours. Yes, they're expensive, but they should tick all of the boxes.
The Best Flat Pedals for Casual Use
Ergon PT Flat Pedal
Big spiky flat pedals are great if you're riding in proper MTB shoes with tough rubber outsoles. But what if you're just going for a tootle along the towpath to the cafe, or the pub? Metal studs will destroy modern foam-soled shoes without a second thought. If you don't want to deflate your Airmaxs or shred your Skechers, have a look at the Ergon PT pedals. They're a great option if you don't do much off-road riding with your mountain bike or ebike.
They have a rough, textured top to grip your shoe, rather than relying on spikes digging into the sole material. A large platform provides good support, so you won't get achy feet. They also feature a neat inner edge guide to prevent your shoes getting scuffed against the cranks, as well as low-profile reflectors to enhance visibility. Are they the most stylish option out there? Not at all, but you can always rely on Ergon to come up with a comfortable and high-quality solution. Maybe don't take these down any black trails, though.