Nukeproof Horizon Pro Sam Hill flat pedals £80.00
Superbly grippy and durable flat pedals fit for champions
Jon Woodhouse
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May 23 2017 |
Pedals
Overall
Quality
Performance
Value
What's good?
- Extremely grippy thanks to well shaped body and pins
- Broad, stable platform offers excellent pedalling support
- Tough, damage resistant design
What's not?
- Weight is a bit on the high side
Buy if...
You want a superbly grippy set of flat pedals that are built to last
When you consider Nukeproof has World Champion downhiller, enduro racer and renowned flat pedal user Sam Hill on the payroll, it's little surprise the Horizon pedals work superbly.
They've got a broad and wide platform, with a slightly concave shape to help your foot sit into the pedal, with heavily chamfered leading edges that reduce the chances of striking rocks and make them more likely to slide over rather than get hung up on obstacles.
The platform is also made from forged rather than cast aluminium and in the time I've been using them they've proven to be pretty damn tough, with only a few scratches to show despite some hefty rock strikes.
Nukeproof-Horizon-Sam-Hill-pedal-100.jpg, by Jon Woodhouse
The grip levels are superb too, thanks to ten steel pins per side that protrude roughly 5mm above the body. That means your feet stay utterly stuck to them, even on seriously rough terrain. The pins on the leading edge also screw in from the back of the pedal with an Allen key head, making them much easier to extract when damaged that those that use a fiddly grub screw design.
They spin on a cromoly steel axle with a pair of ball bearings and a DU bushing to keep them rolling smoothly. The sealing is definitely up to the job and they're still smooth and rattle free despite a number of months worth of riding in mud and grit.
It all works really well together to give a pedal that keeps your foot perfectly in place when you're bombing down something and when you're hauling yourself back up the other side the broad platform means they're comfortable and stable underfoot, with no weird edges or hotspots under your sole.
Nukeproof-Horizon-Sam-Hill-pedal-101.jpg, by Jon Woodhouse
At 430g for a pair, they're not particularly light but they're pretty similar to other designs of a similar size and price, such the DMR Vault. I'm more that willing to carry around a few grams extra over more fragile and expensive models with magnesium platforms or titanium axles, though the latter is available for a a hefty £95 upgrade that saves a paltry (claimed) 68g per pair. My advice is not to bother. If you want to save a little bit more for no loss of performance, you can buy the plain Horizon Pro for £5 less and the only difference is the lack of a polished pedal face and Sam Hill doesn't have his name written on them.
Either way, the Nukeproof Horizon pedals are amongst the very best flat pedals I've tested and they're well worth investing in if you preferred riding style involves you getting your foot out while you're going flat out.
Test report Nukeproof Horizon Pro Sam Hill flat pedals £80.00
Pedals
Product purpose:
Nukeproof's blurb is: "Designed in conjunction with 5 time downhill world champion Sam Hill, we have created a flat pedal that incorporates a large platform, adjustable pins and angled faces to aid deflection from obstacles.
Each pedal body spins on high quality DU bushings with 2 sealed cartridge bearings to help spread the stress loads from heavy impacts. Meanwhile a lip seal between the axle end and pedal body helps to reduce ingress of water and dirt prolonging pedal life between services.
Available in a multitude of configurations and materials, this is a pedal ready to tackle whatever you can throw at it."
Build extra:
It's made from a forged piece of aluminium, with nicely chamfered edges to aid it sliding over obstacles. There at ten steel pins per side, with the ones most exposed to damage at the leading and trailing edges screwing in from the back of the pedal, making them much less likely to tear out or seriously damage the thread in the pedal body when struck. The body has a slightly concave shape, helping your foot to sit in. There are a pair of bearings per pedal, along with DU bushings. They've got a cromoly steel axle and you can use either an 8mm Allen key or normal 15mm pedal spanner to fit them.
Product construction
Product performance
Product performance extra:
They're ridiculously grippy, which is exactly what you want from a flat pedal.
Product durability
Product durability extra:
The bearings are still running very smoothly and without play after a good few months of use and abuse. The platform is looking a little beaten up, but the pins are still straight and none of them have fallen out or worked loose, either.
Product weight
Product weight extra:
At 430g, they're on the heavier side, but not overly so compared to similarly priced and sized rivals.
Product comfort
Product comfort extra:
That big broad platform means you can pedal all day without discomfort and it's easy to find in a hurry.
product value
Product value extra:
They're towards the more expensive end of the market but they're certainly not outrageous for what you're getting. You can go for the plain Pro pedal, which is a fiver less and identical save for a rougher finish.
Overall performance:
It's pretty hard to fault the Horizons
Product likes:
The broad platform, huge amounts of grip and pins that are easy to replace when damaged but stay put otherwise.
Product dislikes:
They're fairly heavy, but that's about it.
Buy:
Yes, definitely
Recommend:
I certainly would, without hesitation
Conclusion:
These pedals are superbly grippy and they've taken a serious beating with no more than superficial marks. The platform is broad and stable for pedalling, while the slightly concave design allows you foot to sit in really well. They're amongst the the best flat pedals on the market today.
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