Why You Should Buy Flat Platform Mountain Bike Pedals
Whether you’re hitting the trails or commuting to work, “flats” can help. It’s an affordable and smart upgrade that can be applied to nearly every type of bicycle.
You can ride them with street shoes (although a shoe with a flat, hard rubber sole is ideal), and changing out pedals won’t hit you with another costly trip to the mechanic.
Buying flat platform mountain bike pedals shouldn’t be hard. There are a few things that are easy to remember.
Lighter Weight
- Lighter Weight- Weight is often a trade-off with durability. You’re looking for a happy medium between hauling extra ounces around the mountain and not having the pedal break apart on a tough drop.
Sealed Bearings
- Sealed Bearings– As with any outdoor support, the cleaner you can keep the machinery, the longer you can play. Sealed bearings keep the dirt out and the pedals spinning.
Replaceable Pins
- Replaceable Pins– Pins are the points of traction that keep your feet on your pedals. If the pins aren’t replaceable, you will lose the entire pedal as soon as you break a pin.
Grippy Platform
- Grippy Platform- You’ll see the word, “grippy,” being used. It simply means that the platform and pins where you plant your feet should feel sticky enough that your foot doesn’t slide off the pedal in an inopportune moment while you’re on the trail or commuting through snowfall.
We put together a short list of affordable mountain bike pedals that meet these criteria. Let’s take a look at these affordable options.
Top 6 Mountain Bike Flat Pedals Under $100
RaceFace Chester Mountain Bike Pedals
If you’ve had the opportunity to test a few demo mountain bikes, it’s quite likely that you have already tried out these pedals as well. They’re comfort and durability make them a popular choice among bike shops and mechanics.
The Chesters are fully serviceable and very grippy pedals. Their nylon composite platform absorbs more shock than the standard aluminum alloy pedals and the smaller platform forces you to be conscious of the accuracy of your foot position. The eight hex pins are threadable, adjustable and quite grippy, ensuring that once you put your foot on the platform, it isn’t going anywhere.
The only real drawback to these pedals are that the .20 inch long pins are very sharp. If you have a tendency to reset your pedals with your shin, you’d better have some bandages handy.
RaceFace provides a generous two year manufacturer’s warranty for repair or replacement.
We like these Chester pedals and if you’ve had some experience riding flats, you’ll appreciate the stability these pedals provide.
RockBros Mountain Bike Pedals
RockBros uses a ten pin system on a nylon composite platform to keep your feet from sliding around. The pins are adjustable and extra pounds are shipped with your order.
D.U. bearings keep the dirt out and the pedals turning smoothly. That makes these pedals ideal for daily commuting.
The warranty is, sadly, only good for thirty days, but at this price, you can throw everything you’ve got at them without doing too much damage to your wallet.
RockBros has developed a lightweight pedal with all of the bells and whistles you need at an entry level price. While we would like to see a longer warranty, this is a good place to start your platform pedal adventures.
Crankbrothers Stamp Flat BMX/MTB Bike Pedal
If you’re looking for a light and sturdy pedal, consider the original Crankbrothers Stamp.
These mountain bike pedals are available in two sizes; Large and Small. However, this is misleading. The Small are actually comfortable for average sized feet, but Large are really for people who have a men’s size shoe of 10 or larger.
The Danny MacAskill Style features ten threaded, adjustable pins to secure your foot to the pedal. The sealed bearings feel smooth.
One look the design of these aluminum pedals and you’ll realize that very little mud and debris will ever get lodged in these flats. They do take a little getting used to if you’re transitioning from a pedal with a narrow width. Expect to drag on the pavement during your first few hard banking turns.
Rebuildable kits are available. This is a solid pedal that lives up to its manufacturer’s solid reputation.
MZYRH Mountain Bike Pedals 9/16″
These platform pedals are made from a high grade, 6061 aluminum alloy on a steel spindle. The three bearings are sealed.
The platform is wide and supports twelve adjustable pins, creating enough stability for beginners to feel comfortable and gain confidence.
These are strong enough for a Super 73 bike.
One thing to note is that some users have complained about the pedals, “falling apart.”
We noticed that many of the pins are quite loose upon delivery and need to be tightened and/or adjusted to suit your riding style.
All in all, these pedals make a strong case for themselves as an all around winner.
FOOKER Nylon 3 Bearing Composite 9/16 Mountain Bike Pedals
These FOOKER pedals are made from a nylon composite platform supported by a Chromoly steel axle. You’ll feel comfortable as this platform can absorb more shock than its aluminum counterparts. Meanwhile, the steel axle holds the pedal true to the crank shaft.
You can choose from two different bearing styles: three bearings or needle rollers. The needle rollers are for a stronger lateral movement which is ideal if you’re buying these for a mountain bike.
It ships with extra pins and a spare washer.
If there are any drawbacks to these pedals, there have been some reports of the needle bearings breaking easily. We haven’t noticed any problems with them yet.
A three year manufacturer’s warranty against defects let’s everyone know that, when it comes to customer service, FOOKER isn’t playing around.
We feel that these are a solid alternative to the RaceFace Chester flat pedals. In fact, except for the price, the pedals are nearly identical in every way.
BONMIXC Mountain Bike Pedals, 9/16 Cycling Four Pcs Sealed Bearing Bicycle Pedals
The BONMIXC pedals are manufactured from 6061 Aluminum. The twenty-two rounded head pins will keep your feet where you planted them and the four sealed bearings create a smooth pedal stroke.
To create a lighter pedal, BONMIXC has come up with a hollow design. While it did lighten the load, we do have some concerns with the platform being able to carry a heavier load (person).
We weren’t thrilled with the inability to access some of the bearings without special tools and not being able to adjust the pins was also a letdown for us.
These pedals ship with three replacement pins.
If you’re just looking to upgrade a child’s bike, this could be a good, affordable choice. The pins are comfortable and won’t chew through shoes and shins like other pedals listed here. Just keep in mind that you’ll never get the grip you need for challenging trails.
Mountain Bike Pedal Recommendations
While everyone raves about RaceFace Chester pedals, you can also never go wrong with the Crankbrothers’ Stamp. It’s been a solid choice for years. However, if you have your heart set on a pair of RaceFace Chesters but it simply isn’t within your budget, go with the FOOKER Nylon 3 Bearing Composite 9/16 Mountain Bike Pedals and you won’t be disappointed.