The best mountain bike flat pedals ridden and tested
First rate flat pedals for getting a foot out and going flat out
If you're after the best flat pedals for mountain biking, then look no further. We've ridden and reviewed a wide variety of them and here's our roundup of the top-scoring flatties that are on sale today.
- Buyer's guide to MTB pedals - all you need to know
- Buyers guide to mountain bike tyres - get the best rubber for your MTB
- Is it worth converting your mountain bike to tubeless?
[Updated 9th November 2020]
The best mountain bike flat pedals you can buy in 2020
- DMR V11
- Nukeproof Horizon Pro 2
- HT PA03A
- DMR Vault
- Shimano PD-M828 Saint
- Pedaling Innovations Catalyst
- Bontrager Line Pro
- Specialized Boomslang Platform
- OneUp Components Aluminium
As well as looking at these high scoring pedals we have also written a buyer's guide to mountain bike pedals so you can make sure you are getting the right ones for you.
If clipless pedals are more your thing, then check out our guide to the best clipless mountain bike pedals here.
DMR V11 pedals
£50
Based on the excellent DMR Vault pedals, these are superb pedals that have all the performance of their premium brothers at less than half the price. They have loads of grip and support, with the same proven bearings and platform design plus a very damage resistant body. They're as near to perfect as can be when it comes to real-world use. Highly recommended.
Nukeproof Horizon Pro 2 flat pedals
£80
The Nukeproof Horizon Pro 2 pedals manage to improve on an already excellent design, with improved ground clearance thanks to a subtle but effective platform redesign. They're grippy, tough, smooth rolling and long-lasting and while they're still fairly portly, that's a small penalty to pay for a set of fit and forget flatties.
HT PA03A pedals
£35
HT's PA03A pedals might not have the snappiest of names, but when it comes to getting boatloads of grip from a durable and comfortable platform at a bargain price, it's a name worth remembering as they're the ones to beat. They are pretty cheap and fairly light too at 351g for the pair. That makes it eminently easy to overlook any small flaws and they score full marks. If you're into the whole colour matching thing, there's a huge palette of finishes to choose from too.
DMR Vault pedals
£100
DMR's Vault flat pedal is hugely popular with both trail and gravity riders and with good reason. It's super grippy and offers masses of support from a tough and reasonably lightweight platform, though you do need to keep an eye on the pins getting loose as they can rattle out. At full retail, they're fairly pricey, but if you shop around they can be had for much less. Even at full whack they still make sense, with an all-around combination of grip, support and durability, putting the DMR Vaults up there with the best. They also come in a staggering array of colours, plus pro-rider special editions.
Shimano PD-M828 Saint flat pedals
£130
Shimano's tough Saint flat pedals feature a broad platform that maximises ground clearance and also run on some smooth, serviceable and quality bearings that promise a long lifespan. If you switch to the longer pins from out of the box, then there's also plenty of grip, though they're expensive and rather heavy compared to rivals.
Pedaling Innovations Catalyst flat pedal
£80
Pedalling Innovations’ oversize Catalyst flat pedals might look rather odd and clunky, but there’s much more to them than novelty alone, with a super supportive platform that offers greatly improved comfort. That said, they are heavier than usual, the pins are a bit short and poorly spaced and the platform shape needs refinement, but we still rate them and the concept behind them.
Bontrager Line Pro pedals
£90
Bontrager might be Trek's in-house component brand, but these Line Pro flat pedals stand on their own merit thanks to tough construction and plenty of tuneable grip. The Line Pros can suck up the punishment and offer plenty of traction. At 420g for the pair, they're moderately heavy for the money, but that's certainly offset by the fact they've lasted extremely well. Bontrager might not be the first brand you'd look to, but you'd definitely miss out if you ignore these. The only small issue is that if you want a set in this rather lovely orange, then sorry, the only colour currently available is black.
Specialized Boomslang Platform pedals
£125
Not the cheapest or the lightest flat pedal, but the grip and durability on offer make the Specialized Boomslang's well worth the trade-off. At 439g a pair, they’re not the lightest pedal in the playground, but who cares when they’re this good. Strength and durability come at a price, £125 to be precise. But for that, you get a solid pedal with spare pins carried in the pedal itself too, they’re ‘weathering’ well too, we are happy to say.
OneUp Components Aluminium pedals
£88
OneUp’s aluminium flat pedal offering delivers super sharp and grippy pins with variable heights for their location on the pedal and a super thin and large platform for maximum clearance and stability, making it a cool contender. It's not quite up there with some of the best in terms of grip and shape, but then its cheaper than some and despite the minor bearing roughness from the get-go, they’ve been hammered in the muck since with no further deterioration. The pins thread through from the opposite side too meaning they can still be removed and replaced when you’ve knackered the sharp end. All in all, a very good flat pedal with well thought out features and a reasonable price tag.
2 comments
Hey, just not reviewed them yet! We are trying to get hold of some Superstar kit though.
Cheers, Rach
Wheres the DMR V12 ? Or the Superstar Nano