All Arround MTB

They may have a large 115x105mm platform but, weighing in at just 362g for the pair (only marginally heavier than the claimed 355g), these nylon-composite pedals aren’t going to weigh you down on the trails. There’s plenty of surface area to plant your feet on after dabbing, although, unusually, they’re slightly convex in shape (the centre of the platform sits slightly higher than the outside edge). OneUp reckon this helps reduce rock strikes and deflect obstacles. In practice, we didn’t notice either of these benefits and would have preferred the increased grip and foot-hugging feel of a convex platform. Instead, the pedals rely on their 10 steel pins per side for traction. After putting in a considerable 2,000km on them, they’re still running smoothly, thanks to the DU bushing and cartridge bearing in each pedal. The price puts them in direct competition with HT’s nylon PA03As (reviewed last issue), which still have the edge, thanks to their better shape and grip. Even if the One...

OneUp’s new pedals have 10 supergrippy pins per side and a generous 100x111mm of usable platform. Their shallow depth (the outside edge measures just 12mm) makes them less likely to snag on rocks and ruts. A huge cartridge bearing is housed in a big bulge that butts right up to the crank arm. This helps keep things spinning smoothly, in combination with three more cartridge bearings at the opposite end of the axle. The shallow design means there’s no concavity in the platform, so the OneUps don’t cup your feet as well as some pedals. Thankfully, the tall pins, which protrude just over 5mm, do an impressive job of keeping your feet planted. On the odd occasion when our shoes got rattled out of position, the broad, stable platform meant we remained surefooted enough while readjusting. Getting your foot position right does take some time to get used to, due to the bearing bulge. Stamp down on the pedal willy-nilly and you’ll quickly notice if you haven’t hit the platform quite right. ...

With a platform that measures 110mm by 105mm, these flat pedals have to be some of the biggest we’ve seen. They’ve been developed with freerider Tyler McCaul, who’s known for his silkysmooth style and monster whips. When you’re hanging the back end out sideways, you want to be sure your feet are going to stay on, and these look like they’ll do a pretty good job of that, with a deep concave shape and 14 replaceable pins per side. Considering their big footprint, the weight is fairly reasonable, at 440g a pair. Deity are looking for a UK distributor as we speak, so hopefully it won’t be long before you can get your feet on these.

These new clipless pedals from DMR are expensive but they’re perfect for riders who have OCD tendencies when it comes to exactly how their shoes connect to their bike. At first glance they’re just Shimano SPD-style offerings with an alloy cage around the outside for extra support and protection. And that’s fine, because the SPD mechanism is a well-proven, tunable-tension set-up that’s easy to find fresh cleats for. DMR have a deservedly superb reputation for bearing and axle strength, via their classic flat pedals, and we’ve had no mechanical issues with the V-Twins through a dirty early spring and into the dry season. Where they really earn their chops and justify their price, though, is with the amount of tuning you can do to the platform and level of grip. In standard trim, plastic bumpers front and rear give clean, swift entry and exit with low-tread trail footwear. Add a shim underneath the bumpers and they become snug with skate-style clipless shoes. Then you can start sw...

THE M530S ARE the budget option in Shimano’s caged SPD pedal range and at 52$ they’re an absolute bargain. The low price means we can excuse their heavier weight (455g per pair) and less refined looks than their more expensive XT and XTR counterparts.

IF THE STANDARD Horizon Sam Hill flat pedals aren’t quite trick enough for you, then these might be just the ticket. What do you get for the extra 142$ though? Quite simply, these don’t weigh as much, offering a saving of around 75g thanks to the titanium axle.

IF THE PODIUMS look familiar that’s because they were originally designed and sold by Point One Racing, who’ve since been acquired by Gamut.

HERE’S AN INTERESTING concept from CrankBrothers – their new flat pedals are available in two sizes, and which one you should go for depends on how big your shoes are.

THE CHEAPEST OF the six Candy models and the only ones to use a composite body, the 279g Candy 1s are actually lighter than the two pedals above them in the line-up. They come with the same brass cleats used across the CrankBrothers range, which can be swapped to provide a 15 or 20-degree release angle.

THE HO2 PEDALS have been designed to be as thin as possible at the edges in order to increase ground clearance and avoid the pedal strikes that are common with modern slack-and-low bike geometry. They run on sealed bearings and DU bushings, which should keep them spinning smoothly even in the grimmest weather, and they’re a good weight, especially considering the cost, with our pair weighing just 314g.

Developed with two-time World Cup champ Aaron Gwin, the X1s are HT’s attempt to break into the clipless downhill pedal market. The large (83x92mm) aluminium body ought to provide a stable platform and there are five removable grub screw pins so you can tailor the amount of grip.

Shimano’s range of Trail pedals have already become absolute classics. They incorporate Shimano’s time tested SPD mechanism and offer a great compromise between simplicity, reliability and a decent platform. Clipping in is slightly more fiddly over rough ground than with the Crank Brothers Mallet, but Shimano’s crisp, predictable mechanism is a joy to use.

Our editor, Jon, is a big fan of these pedals. The high traction, wide platform and low price make it hard to argue with him on this particular occasion. The plastic body (technically a nylon reinforced composite) is not the biggest, but it’s set out from the crank by 15mm effectively widening the pedal, providing a broad and sure-footed platform. It houses 3 fixed plastic pins, along with 7 adjustable bottom-loading alloy ones per side. This allows you to tailor the level of grip to your needs.

Shimano’s SPD mechanism is now 25 years old, and yet it still works better than most. Despite the lack of a cage to guide your shoes into the mechanism, engagement was never fiddly. With very flexy shoes the pedal can be felt through the sole so these are best used with stiffer, racier shoes. The lack of a cage makes them a little treacherous if you miss clipping in on a technical section and have to ride it out unclipped too.

Gravity maniacs everywhere swear by the Mallet, and it’s easy to see why. The large platform affords ample support to the foot whether clipped in or not, and adjustable pins allow you to tailor the grip to your preference. We chose to run the pins pretty far in to prevent them getting in the way when clipping in.

With ten hexagonal pins dotted around the edge of the slightly concave pedal body the Aefect has a quality feel underfoot. The platform is broad on paper at 100mm wide and 91mm long, but there is very little gap between the crank and the inner edge of the platform. This makes them 10mm narrower in total than the Nukeproof Electron Evo. If you have large feet, this is noticeable: the foot feels less secure on the pedal, with a little extra overhang at the edge.

Striking a balance between the Eggbeater and Mallet pedals is the Candy, which offers a small cage for added support, but saves a sweet 120g over the Mallet. The mechanism is shared with the mallet – offering a choice of a 15° or a 20° release angle. We stuck with 15° which gives ample to give room to manoeuvre. Even in this setting, the fairly narrow 52mm q-factor makes careful cleat position essential to prevent the toe fouling on the crank arm when unclipping.

Okay, they have an unfortunate name, but these are a competent set of pedals for trail riding. The “posi-lock” mechanism is very similar to Shimano’s SPD system in both design and feel. Engagement is nice and easy as the cage prevents the pedal from spinning underfoot, but it stays out of the way to aid easy entry.

Clipping in to Time’s Atac pedals is very straightforward indeed thanks to the ramped trailing edge of the composite body which really helps to guide the cleat into the binding mechanism. The design affords a choice of 13° and 17° release angle. Disengagement was found to be rather tricky at times in either setting, but particularly in the 17° orientation as the release tension was quite unpredictable.

Developed with Specialized pro rider Brad Benedict, these are a solid and dependable set of pedals. At 432g a pair they’re the heaviest flats here by 72g. The large aluminium body is stout and we’ve found them to stand up to abuse extremely well as a result. We’ve put serious time in on the Bennies, and they’ve come through it all without any play, or serious damage.