Guides
Pedal buying guide
Updated · Independent guide · 8 picks compared
Quick answer
The best flat pedals for most riders are a composite pedal like the OneUp Composite for value and a big platform, or an aluminum pedal such as the Crankbrothers Stamp 7 or Wolf Tooth Waveform for a thin, tough body in two sizes. Match the platform to your shoe size, look for replaceable pins and a standard 9/16" spindle, and ride them in flat-pedal shoes with a soft, flat rubber sole.
Independent & reader-supported. DrPedal doesn't sell anything. If you buy through our Amazon links we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. How we make money.
Chosen from current models on manufacturer specs, compatibility and design — not sponsored placements. Amazon buttons open a search for the exact model.
Best for: Trail riders on a budget and riders with bigger feet
A big 115 x 105 mm nylon platform with 10 rear-loading steel pins per side held by Nyloc nuts, so a bent pin unscrews from behind. OneUp lists the standard size at 355 g.
by Race Face
Best for: New flat-pedal riders, e-MTB and trail bikes
The updated Chester comes in small and large with nine metal plus two molded pins per side and a 16 mm platform height. Older 2019–2023 Chesters had 8 pins per side, so check the version.
Best for: Trail riders who want serviceable internals
A 110 x 105 mm composite platform about 17 mm thick, nine bottom-loading pins per side and a CroMo spindle on a rebuildable bearing-and-bushing system. Listed at 380 g per pair.
Best for: Riders who want the platform sized to their shoe
Small fits roughly US 5–10 and large US 10–15. Forged 6061-T6 body, chromoly spindle, 10 adjustable pins per side; listed at 345 g (small) and 375 g (large) per pair.
Best for: Wet-weather riders who want a thin concave pedal
A concave 6061-T6 body 14 mm thick at the edges and 12.5 mm in the center, a 17-4 PH stainless axle and 11 stainless pins per side, with six spare pins in the box.
Best for: Average-size feet (US men's 7–10)
Spank sizes the Spoon by width: 90 for US men's 6 and under, 100 for 7–10, 110 for 11 and up. The 100 has a 16–12 mm concave profile and 10 steel pins per side.
Best for: Riders who service their own parts
An asymmetric 2014-T6 aluminum body on a CroMo axle with three cartridge bearings plus an Igus bushing, and 11 pins per side. Hope states 360 g per pair with all pins fitted.
Best for: Enduro, park and dirt-jump riders
A square extruded 6061 body, 17 mm thick with a concave footbed, on a 4140 CroMo axle. DMR lists 430 g per pair; a smaller Vault Midi is also sold.
Swipe sideways on mobile. "—" means not applicable or not confirmed by the manufacturer.
| Model | Body | Platform (as listed) | Pins per side | Bearings / bushings | Sizes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OneUp Components Composite | Nylon composite | 115 x 105 mm (standard) | 10, rear-loading | — | Standard, Small | Check price |
| Race Face Chester (2024 version) | Nylon composite | S 105 x 100 / L 115 x 110 mm | 11 (9 metal + 2 molded) | — | Small, Large | Check price |
| SDG Comp | Composite | 110 x 105 mm | 9, bottom-loading | Bearing + bushing | One size | Check price |
| Crankbrothers Stamp 7 | Forged 6061-T6 aluminum | S 100 x 100 / L 114 x 111 mm | 10, adjustable | Igus LL-glide | Small, Large | Check price |
| Wolf Tooth Waveform | 6061-T6 aluminum | S 105 x 99 / L 112 x 106 mm | 11, stainless | — | Small, Large | Check price |
| Spank Spoon 100 | Aluminum | 100 x 105 mm | 10, steel | Sealed bearings + Igus bushing | Spoon 90, 100, 110 | Check price |
| Hope F22 | 2014-T6 aluminum | 105 x 102 mm (usable) | 11 (7 hex + 4 smaller) | 3 cartridge + Igus bushing | One size | Check price |
| DMR Vault V2 | Extruded 6061 aluminum | 105 x 105 mm | — | DU bushing + cartridge bearing | Vault, Vault Midi | Check price |
Choose flat pedals by platform size first, then pins, thickness and bearings. Thread size only matters on kids’ and BMX bikes.
Your shoe should cover most of the platform. Too small and the sole hangs off the front and back, so the edge pins can’t hold it; too big and the pedal catches rocks.
Makers list dimensions in different orders, so compare like with like.
Most good flat pedals have 9–11 replaceable pins per side, set around the edges. Taller pins grip harder but make it harder to reposition your foot and hurt more if you slip.
Back-loading pins thread in from underneath, so a smashed head on top doesn’t stop you removing them. Top-loading pins are simpler but can round out after rock strikes. See our pedal pins guide.
Concave means the center of the platform sits lower than the edges, so the sole cups into it: the Wolf Tooth Waveform is 14 mm at the edges and 12.5 mm in the middle.
A thinner body puts your foot closer to the spindle, so the pedal is less inclined to roll under your foot, and it gives more ground clearance. Composite pedals are usually a little thicker than alloy ones.
The body spins on cartridge bearings, bushings (DU or Igus types) or a mix. Many good designs pair an inboard bushing with outboard bearings, as the Hope F22 does. Whatever the layout, choose a pedal whose maker sells a service kit.
Adult bikes use 9/16” x 20 TPI pedal threads. One-piece cranks (some kids’, BMX and cruiser bikes) take 1/2” pedals, and the two never interchange. The left pedal is reverse-threaded: see which pedal is reverse threaded.
Composite (nylon) pedals are the value choice: light, tough and they skid off rocks rather than denting. Aluminum pedals can be machined thinner and hold pins in metal threads, which is why most premium flats are alloy.
A flat pedal is a body spinning on a spindle, carried by bearings, with pins for grip. From the crank outward:
A wobbly pedal points to parts 4 and 5 (worn bushings or loose bearings); a slippery one points to part 10 and your shoes.
“Pedality” is not a pedal brand, model or bike-industry term; it may be a typo or shorthand for pedal quality. A quality flat pedal has:
Every pick on this page meets those points.
Los pedales flat (también llamados pedales planos o de plataforma) son pedales sin enganche: el pie se apoya sobre una plataforma ancha con pines metálicos que se clavan en la suela. No necesitan calas ni zapatillas especiales, aunque una zapatilla de MTB para pedal plano, con suela de goma blanda y plana, agarra mucho mejor. Para elegirlos, fíjate en el tamaño de la plataforma según tu talla de pie, en que los pines sean reemplazables y en la rosca: casi todas las bielas de adulto usan 9/16”.
Flats let you dab instantly and ride in any shoe; clipless pedals lock your foot to the pedal for efficiency, with a learning curve. For a middle ground, look at single-sided clipless pedals with a platform or magnetic pedals, or go fully clipless.
Grease the threads, start each pedal by hand and tighten firmly; the left pedal tightens anticlockwise. Replace bent pins before the threads in the body get damaged, and rebuild the axle with the maker’s service kit and fresh grease as soon as it develops play.
Flat pedals are platform pedals with no cleat: your shoe sits on a wide body and small metal pins bite into the sole. You can put a foot down instantly and ride in any shoe.
It isn't a pedal brand or an industry term, and no pedal is sold under that name. People searching it usually want to know what makes a good pedal; see the pedal quality checklist above.
It's Spanish for flat pedals (also pedales planos or de plataforma): pinned platforms ridden without cleats. The buying advice here applies the same.
Pick by shoe size. Crankbrothers suggests the small Stamp for roughly US 5–10 and the large for US 10–15; Spank makes the Spoon 90, 100 and 110 for small, medium and large feet.
No, but they help. Flat-pedal MTB shoes have a soft, flat rubber sole the pins sink into and a stiffer midsole. Flat-soled skate shoes work reasonably; lugged running shoes grip poorly.
Composite pedals are cheaper and skid off rocks without denting, but are usually a little thicker. Aluminum pedals can be thinner and hold pins in metal threads, but cost more.
Adult flat pedals use a 9/16" x 20 TPI spindle. One-piece cranks on some kids', BMX and cruiser bikes need 1/2" pedals. The left pedal is reverse-threaded: see which pedal is reverse threaded.
Usually worn pins, hard or lugged soles, or a platform too small for your foot. Replace bent pins (pedal pins guide) and try a softer-soled flat-pedal shoe.