Flat Pedals .. recommendations for Muppet MTBing

[Jamsxr]

DMR V12 Magnesium on my MTB
Nukeproof Horizon Pro on my eMTB

 

[Rusty]

OK, I'm being lazy .. I got bored looking ..

Something like this .....

big and wide with nice long pins to rip the ass out of your pants when you crash.
Just buy the cheap ones - so you can save your argent for something you really need ..........

 

[Beekeeper]

My absolute favorite is the Nukeproof Horizon Pro pedal. The pedal provides a good platform with plenty of grip. Many reviews rank them as a reference.
View attachment 20455
My current ones have been run for +10.000 kms and the cost is around €85. They have taken quite some beating, virtually stopped the bike at a milestone, taken rocks and carved roots, from wet and muddy conditions in Denmark over the Alps to dusty and rocky Spain. View attachment 20454
They got well sealed bearings that just lasts (still on the first beating set), and no grit and grime goes into them even thought I ride around the year. Pins are easily adjustable and replaceable. The pins are able to (as all real flat pedals) produce some great scars on the shins if you fool around with your feet. @Zimmerframe they make a great signature tatoo

I was looking at these myself yesterday and already pencilled them in on my Xmas list. I think Sam Hill uses these ones and had a part to play in their design?

 

[apac]

Zims. It's the internet. what you're mainly going to find here is a list of rather weak recommendations of "what I've got"

As for your top "recomendation" so far... The HT components AN01 flat pedal Neil at Superstar components originally bought in bulk direct from HT branded with Superstar logos were arguably a better shape, better designed pedal than the Nano-X he now makes in the UK and sells at a more premium price.
Those old pedals can still be purchased in various guises at a fraction of SS current pedal price.
eg,
CarbonCycles.CC :: Components :: eXotic Shop :: Flats - Alloy :: Alloy Flat Pedals, 10 Colours :: CC-PED07F
I'm not for one second saying this is what pedals you need/want BTW, just that I personally prefer them (and they're a lot cheaper) - their one weakness is that the pedal axles are prone to bending under extreme loads/impacts - And Superstar pretty much seem to have copied the axle design/construction when coming up with the new design for their UK made pedals. replacemet axles are cheapAF, easy to fit and still readily available.

Pedal choice should be as personal as grip and saddle choice. FFS you only have 5 contact points for control when mtbing! So please don't simply buy what the most complete strangers off the internet happen to have recomended with zero actual basis for their own choice.
How you ride makes a massive difference. As does what sort of terrain/conditions and what footwear you choose to ride in. eg. 5:10 shoes offer possibly the most flat pedalgrip available and can actually mask a poor pedal design but this also offers among the least pedal feel (feedback) through the soles/edges of the shoe. They also make it more difficult to re-position your foot while riding. also more shoe flexibility means more pedal feel. (obviously too flexible or too much feel will genuinely hurt your feet.
I'm not going to recommend any pedals for you at all as i've no idea how any of the above details pertain to you personally (plus i'd like you to learn to think for yourself ) but I will say no matter how you ride or what footwear you choose avoid any flat pedal without a true concave platform.

A few other things to consider if you ever aim to progress towards being a stylish rider who pulls tricks I'd avoid any pedal body with funky overly rounded/ergonomically shaped edges (consistent, straightish edges just work way better for that sort of riding). large inboard bearing designs like the Boomslangs someone else above recommended are also pretty awful for a rider who moves their feet around the pedal/cranks (tabling etc.)

I’ve got these ones. Before the nano-x. Are these similar to what you have linked to?

 

[Trail-Niels]

I was looking at these myself yesterday and already pencilled them in on my Xmas list. I think Sam Hill uses these ones and had a part to play in their design?

They where - according to Nukeproof - developed in cooperation with Sam Hill. You can get a Sam Hill edition or regular ones without the signature. With a pair of FiveTens your feet will be glued to the pedals.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Thanks for all the recommendations guys. Gives me a really good starting point to work out from those which I think works best for me and my "lack of/individual" style...

Just buy the cheap ones - so you can save your argent for something you really need ..........

Funny you mention that, pedals, new footwear then need to replace/upgrade my body armour. Checked my fox titan cheapo copy crap in the magic reflective light portal yesterday (I really need to change my manual mirror to a more modern Hi-Res e-mirror) and it doesn't sit right, no matter how you adjust it. It has saved my ass on numerous occasions, but I can now see why I ended up with a bashed up kidney area a couple of week ago.

 

[Rusty]

Checked my fox titan cheapo copy crap in the magic reflective light portal yesterday (I really need to change my manual mirror to a more modern Hi-Res e-mirror)

Let me guess - you are still using a hammered tin mirror from the 18th century ...... because it was hanging on the wall of the goat herders shack you rent when you moved in?

 

[Fivetones]

I chose Hope F20 as I wanted to try them. I love them. Grippy but not too grippy if you’re careful with pin placement/omission. Also exquisitely made up the road from me and I like supporting local.

If I was to try others I’d probably go composite, say, Burgtec.

As for butchered shins. I have a lot of scars from early 80s BMXing. Including ‘bear trap’ type pedals!

 

[Gary]

It's always strange how you define other peoples opinions/recommendations and products as rather weak or incidental but when someone has the same product you use then it's the best there is and can't be beat or anything you use or buy is the best you can get!

what are you even talking about?

I haven't actually recomended any pedal.

Whereas the only reason you've given for your recommendation of the One-Up composites is

to get the thinnest pedals I can get that are quality and don't require me to hand over my first born.

and

No point getting pedals that are 17mm thick, on ebikes with 160mm of plush suspension you can tend to use up a fair bit of stroke and lower the BB when you least expect it.

this tells us pretty much nothing else about the actual pedal, just that you don't have the foot eye co ordination or timing to not pedal into things. It's actually pretty funny that you genuinely believe that extra 2.5mm of clearance is bailing you out. Especially when you admit to

done that heaps of times, my shins look like Italian sausages!

ie. not having yet attained the skill to keep your feet on the things.

No matter how weak, at least you did bother to give a few reasons for your pedal choice.There's really no need to get wound up by my words or resort to personal insults and calling folk names just because you can't handle hearing the truth.

Lighten up, eh?

(or light up, whatever works)

 

[Gary]

I’ve got these ones. Before the nano-x. Are these similar to what you have linked to?

View attachment 20458

View attachment 20459

Similar, yeah. But not the same pedal. Like I said. Neil at Superstar basically just copied (not a bad thing) the HT Nano's he used to sell by the bucket load and put his own slant on the design. some will prefer his rendition. some won't. Neither are wrong.

 

[B1rdie]

I have gone with the chromag contact. Just because its a canadian product and if I ever have issues due to contact of pedal with things I can sue them and go live in the bahamas.

 

[steve_sordy]

Earlier I referred people to the Superstar Components Nano X because that was what seemed to get the most support whenever the same question was raised.
But I use DMR Vaults. My first pair were bought because the bike came with £100 of stuff to buy from the shop. I already had everything they were offering or didn't like it, but I needed new pedals, so I spent £99.99 on the Vaults. I would not have ordinarily spent that much on pedals. But I have been won over by them and have since bought another pair when I bought a second bike.

DMR Vault: Nice platform, great grip, easily maintainable, lasts ages (I still have that first pair I got in 2012, and the second pair a year or so later). Only 17mm thick but still very strong. Both look well used and are still performing perfectly. One pair, dunno which one, has had new bearings bushes and seals. I have just bought some new bearings and bushes for the other set (probably).

Tip No 1: Always check the pin tightness before the first ride.
Tip No 2: Always remove the centre pin on each face, because it is in direct line with your shin bone.

 

[Donnie797]

If you have big feet or want a bit of extra "meat" to stand on, think about bigger pedals (i.e.: Acros A-Flat XL).

 

[B1rdie]

If you have big feet or want a bit of extra "meat" to stand on, think about bigger pedals (i.e.: Acros A-Flat XL).

This one has the inward shape that gives some extra support (that shape fits feet with hallus valgo) but has the tips too square and that may hurt the roots and the rocks may claim revenge.
One thing thats has been neglected is that flat pedals should not be flat but concave because the concave shaped are more confortable (much) and grip better than those super thin designs.

 

[steve_sordy]

...............
One thing thats has been neglected is that flat pedals should not be flat but concave because the concave shaped are more confortable (much) and grip better than those super thin designs.

You can change the length of the pins* to make the concave shape you so desire on a flat pedal, or indeed make it flat on a concave pedal!

* Either by using pins of different length, adding washers, or even filing them down!

One thing that I have done after years of use, is to run a whetstone over the tops of the pins to flatten them and restore the corners and hence the grip. By the way I do not mean to file them to a point as one guy did after reading a similar post of mine!

 

[Zimmerframe]

One thing that I have done after years of use, is to run a whetstone over the tops of the pins to flatten them and restore the corners and hence the grip

I followed Steve's advice and this is what I was left with .. Remember people, don't always believe everything the Handsome Prince tells you ..

 

[steve_sordy]

OK, I'll bite.

Those are axles you tosser! Not pins!!

 

[Trail-Niels]

I followed Steve's advice and this is what I was left with .. Remember people, don't always believe everything the Handsome Prince tells you ..

View attachment 20482

Wonder how @Zimmerframe do maintenance on the bike? - but I must say, it's a neat job done filing down the pins to the bare axels - must have taken quite some time...

 

[Zimmerframe]

Wonder how @Zimmerframe do maintenance on the bike? - but I must say, it's a neat job done filing down the pins to the bare axels - must have taken quite some time...

I didn't have a whetstone, so it was the angle grinder with a flap disk. The aluminium just vanished in 3 seconds and left the lovely shiny steel bits. I think I've saved a load of weight and if I zip tie a small tube under my shoe I can slide it over the lightweight pedal and it's like a diy clip on/clip off .. clip less . cliporiss ?

 

[nickB]

I have 'Raceface Chesters' and they work great! I am thinking of trying the 'issi Thumps' with replaceable pins next.
I often remove the center pin to save my shins and does not effect the grip!

 

[Zimmerframe]

Let me guess - you are still using a hammered tin mirror from the 18th century ...... because it was hanging on the wall of the goat herders shack you rent when you moved in?

As a rule of thumb, I find the worse the mirror, the better I look ???

SVP.. it's squat ! Not rent.

So found a few minutes to compare all the pedals suggested.. what are the dmr V12 magnesium like ? @Jamsxr , you've got these on your mtb , but not your emtb ... is there some reasoning behind this ? or it's just how things panned out ?

 

[tedturbine]

I have 'Raceface Chesters' and they work great! I am thinking of trying the 'issi Thumps' with replaceable pins next.
I often remove the center pin to save my shins and does not effect the grip!

This removing the centre pins thing is a great idea

 

[StevenM]

Just paint the ones that came with the bike.
repaint them every week for that new look

 

[B1rdie]

You can change the length of the pins* to make the concave shape you so desire on a flat pedal, or indeed make it flat on a concave pedal!

* Either by using pins of different length, adding washers, or even filing them down!

One thing that I have done after years of use, is to run a whetstone over the tops of the pins to flatten them and restore the corners and hence the grip. By the way I do not mean to file them to a point as one guy did after reading a similar post of mine!

I would not recommend doing that.
The pedals should have a concave profile and the pins all the same lenght depending on your outsole choice.
Ask my shins why!

 

[Pdoz]

I followed Steve's advice and this is what I was left with .. Remember people, don't always believe everything the Handsome Prince tells you ..

View attachment 20482

gary was right, you need to learn to think for yourself . Now, with a bit more filing you might still be able to produce a concave surface

 

[Zimmerframe]

gary was right, you need to learn to think for yourself . Now, with a bit more filing you might still be able to produce a concave surface

I'll get back to it .. I did wonder if I'd just stopped too soon.

 

[Husky430]

Something like this .....

big and wide with nice long pins to rip the ass out of your pants when you crash.
Just buy the cheap ones - so you can save your argent for something you really need ..........

Something like this Rusty? Cheap as chips at $65 Aus and only 300gms for the pair. Been faultless so far and being so thin, less chance of pedal strikes

 

[Zimmerframe]

Something like this Rusty? Cheap as chips at $65 Aus and only 300gms for the pair. Been faultless so far and being so thin, less chance of pedal strikes

How come the Entity pp15 only seems to be sold in Australia ?

 

[outerlimits]

I just can’t seem to understand how people keep destroying their shins with pedal gashes ?‍
I must be doing something wrong. I’ve only managed to do it once, and that was because I was wearing riding thongs, and my foot slipped out of the footwear.
Like really, you wear 510’s and have big grippy pins on the pedals, how do you even slip a pedal ?

 

[Husky430]

Not sure why they are only sold here, so you can't anything Entity in the UK?