The pedals on your bike are uniquely personal, but one thing is a given – you’re either going to be riding flats or clip-in. Yes, we know some riders chop and change, but generally, you will worship at one church, which is why we’ve split this pedal group test and have included five of one and five of the other.
It may look like there’s little difference between two sets of flat pedals, but it’s like the difference between a fine wine and a cheap bottle of plonk. Not only will the build quality be superior, a good pedal will also have a more refined shape. The general consensus is to have a large, low-profile platform with a slight amount of concavity and perfect pin placement.
With clip-in pedals, you’re mechanically attached to the binding via a cleat bolted to the bottom of the shoe, so the test for clip-in pedals is not grip but how easy it is to get in and out. Getting stuck in a clipless pedal is a sure-fire way to get on YouTube but it can also be pretty dangerous if you’re riding somewhere exposed.
Regardless of whether you’re a dyed-in-the-wool flatty or a clipless convert, we’ve picked the best pedals in each category, that way you’ll always start with your best foot forward.
USED & ABUSED
How we test
The grip on a flat pedal comes from a combination of the shape of the platform, the pin arrangement but also the rubber sole of your shoe. To make this as fair as possible we tested all the flat pedals with the same pair of test-winning Five Ten Freerider Pro shoes. Five Ten’s Stealth rubber is the best out there and it’s a popular choice with most flat pedal users.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة Summer 2023 من Mountain Bike Rider.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة Summer 2023 من Mountain Bike Rider.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Best places to ride with your kids
Five top venues to keep the nippers entertained this summer
CANNONDALE MOTERRA NEO CARBON 2
It’s got more suspension tunes than a Hitchcock movie, but will this Moterra thrill us or chill us?
100% GLENDALE GLASSES
When it comes to eyewear, having a large lens not only offers a lot more protection from trail splatter, it puts the frames further out from your field of view, allowing you to focus on the terrain in front of you. The Glendale is absolutely vast, and actually has a lens size akin to a full downhill goggle, so you literally can’t see the top or sides of the frame.
DMR STAGE 2 MTB RAIL SADDLE
DMR's new Stage 2 MTB Rail is one of those new/old products. The shape and construction are identical to the existing Oi Oi saddle, but the company has wrapped it in a new skin and added some harder-wearing reinforcement to the edges. It's also toned down the lairy graphics; this saddle only comes in plain black.
STRAIGHT TORQUING - GUY KESTEVEN
Has tech taken the hard work and fun out of mountain biking, or should we embrace evolution and roll with it?
STORM FORCE
Manon Carpenter may have retired from downhill competition, but her new role as a trail advocate is achieving results far beyond the race track
SWEAT AND SLATE
We ride 140 miles through Snowdonia on Cycling UK's newest and gnarliest long-distance trail
HEAD SPACE
New guidance reveals how to spot concussion, and how best to treat it
LATE SUMMER LOVIN'
Classic UK holiday hotspots that really shine when the crowds have gone
HOT STUFF
WHAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS MONTH