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. No expense was spared with the clipless pedals, and we used the highly rated Crankbrothers Mallet BOA clip-in shoe. This balances stiffness and feel, and has a reasonably large cleat box, so any sole issues with attachment, engagement and release were common across all the clipless pedals.
JARGON BUSTER
Know your pedals
AXLE
Most flat pedal axles are cro-mo steel, which is stiff and strong. To ease crank fitting the axle will feature a 6 or 8mm hex on the end and sometimes an additional spanner. To keep out dirt there’s usually a rubber oil seal between the platform and axle.
CLEATS
Clipless pedals have a specific cleat that is unique to the pedal. This is either brass alloy (Crankbrothers and Time) or cold steel (Shimano and the rest) and it’s mounted to the universal two-hole fitting on the bottom of all SPD shoes.
