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Pedal buying guide
Updated · Independent guide · 8 picks compared
Quick answer
MKS pedals come from Mikashima Industrial in Saitama, Japan. The range splits three ways: toe-clip pedals (Sylvan Track, Sylvan Road, GR-9), the double-sided Sylvan Touring, and flat city pedals (Allways, Lambda, Promenade). On a track or fixed-gear bike, run the Sylvan Track with MKS toe clips and a strap. For commuting in everyday shoes, start with the MKS Allways. Any Ezy version comes off the bike without tools.
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Chosen from current models on manufacturer specs, compatibility and design — not sponsored placements. Amazon buttons open a search for the exact model.
Best for: Track, fixed-gear and singlespeed riders using toe clips and straps
The classic MKS track pedal: a slim, single-sided 80 x 61 mm alloy cage on a chromoly axle with adjustable cup-and-cone bearings. It is built to be ridden with a toe clip and strap, not as a flat pedal.
Best for: Fixed-gear riders who want the Sylvan shape without bearing maintenance
Same 80 x 61 mm cage as the Sylvan Track, but MKS swaps the cup-and-cone bearings for triple sealed bearings and cuts 25 g. The cage teeth are almost smooth, so MKS recommends using it with clips and straps.
Best for: Road, randonneuring and city riders who want a wider clip pedal
A wider single-sided Sylvan cage for road and touring shoes, with triple sealed bearings. MKS lists it at 330 g per pair, 24 g lighter than the classic Sylvan Road. The cage plate is close to flat, so it works best with toe clips and straps.
Best for: Loaded touring and long days where you want either side of the pedal to work
The double-sided Sylvan Touring dates back to 1979; the Next update adds triple sealed bearings and is listed at 338 g per pair, roughly 50 g lighter. The cup-and-cone original is still sold for riders who service their own bearings.
Best for: Road and vintage builds with toe clips, best for smaller feet
A compact 70 x 78 mm alloy road pedal on a 9/16" chromoly axle, with hand-adjusted cup-and-cone bearings. Retailers list 299 g per pair. It is meant for toe clips and straps, and riders with bigger feet are usually pointed to the larger GR-10.
Best for: Commuting, city riding and touring in normal shoes
A double-sided alloy platform, 84 x 110 mm, with replaceable pins and sealed bearings, listed at 381 g per pair. It grips everyday shoes without clips. MKS also sells it in Ezy and Ezy Superior removable versions.
Best for: Big feet, soft-soled shoes and riders who hate pins
Designed with Rivendell and also sold as the Grip King. The Lambda is a large double-sided pedal, about 78 x 119 mm, whose C-shaped ridges grip the sole without pins that damage shoes. Listed at about 420 g per pair, with hand-adjusted cup-and-cone bearings.
Best for: Folding bikes, flat dwellers and bikes that travel in cars or on trains
A double-sided city platform with replaceable alloy cage plates and cup-and-cone bearings on MKS's Ezy quick-release axle. Pull back the collar on the crank adapter and the pedal slides out.
Swipe sideways on mobile. "—" means not applicable or not confirmed by the manufacturer.
| Model | Type | Step area | Bearings | Listed weight | Toe clips | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKS Sylvan Track | Cage pedal | Single-sided | Cup-and-cone | — | Designed for clips | Check price |
| MKS Sylvan Track Next | Cage pedal | Single-sided | Triple sealed | 318 g/pair | Recommended | Check price |
| MKS Sylvan Road Next | Cage pedal | Single-sided | Triple sealed | 330 g/pair | Recommended | Check price |
| MKS Sylvan Touring Next | Touring cage pedal | Double-sided | Triple sealed (Next), cup-and-cone (original) | 338 g/pair (Next) | Compatible | Check price |
| MKS GR-9 | Cage pedal | Single-sided | Cup-and-cone | 299 g/pair | Designed for clips | Check price |
| MKS Allways | Flat platform | Double-sided | Triple sealed | 381 g/pair | Flat-pedal design | Check price |
| MKS Lambda (Grip King) | Flat platform | Double-sided | Cup-and-cone | About 420 g/pair | Flat-pedal design | Check price |
| MKS Promenade Ezy | Removable platform | Double-sided | Cup-and-cone | — | Possible | Check price |
MKS is a Japanese pedal maker known for adjustable cup-and-cone bearings, serviceable parts and the Ezy quick-release system. The name stands for Mikashima, a family-owned company in Tokorozawa, Saitama. It began making aircraft parts in 1943, switched to bicycle pedals in 1946, and still makes its pedals in its own factory in Japan.
The Next versions of the Sylvan pedals are the modern update. They keep the classic shape but use triple sealed bearings and save weight.
Start with how you hold your feet: in a toe clip and strap, or loose on a flat platform.
Choose a Sylvan or GR-9 if you want toe clips. Choose the Allways, Lambda or Promenade if you ride in everyday shoes without clips.
The Sylvan Track Next and Road Next have nearly smooth cage teeth, so MKS recommends clips and straps for them. If you are unsure, the double-sided Sylvan Touring works either way. See our cage pedals guide for more on the rat-trap style.
Cup-and-cone bearings suit riders who service their own bikes. Triple sealed bearings suit riders who never want to touch them.
Cup-and-cone pedals (Sylvan Track, original Sylvan Touring, GR-9, Lambda, Promenade) can be opened, regreased and adjusted with basic tools. The Next pedals and Allways use sealed bearings; MKS’s advice is not to inject lube into them because it shortens bearing life.
Match the cage to your shoe size. A narrow cage under a big foot pushes pressure onto a small area.
The GR-9 (70 x 78 mm) suits smaller feet; retailers send bigger feet to the GR-10. The Lambda (about 78 x 119 mm) and Allways (84 x 110 mm) are the big-footprint options. The Sylvan Track is short front to back because the toe clip positions your foot.
The MKS pedals on this page use the standard 9/16” x 20 TPI thread, which fits nearly every adult three-piece crank. A 1/2” thread is only used on one-piece cranks (some kids’, BMX and older cruiser bikes).
The right pedal tightens clockwise and the left pedal is reverse threaded. If you are swapping pedals for the first time, read which pedal is reverse threaded and put a little grease on the threads.
Choose an Ezy model (Promenade, Allways, Lambda, Compact and others) if the bike has to fold, hang flat against a wall or fit in a car. Hinged alternatives are in our folding pedals guide.
For a fixed-gear or track bike, the standard MKS setup is a Sylvan Track (or Track Next), MKS steel toe clips and a single leather or nylon strap. The clip sets fore-aft foot position. The strap holds your foot down when you resist the pedals or skid.
MKS clips run about one size small by most retailers’ accounts. Our MKS steel toe clips XL page covers sizing, and the stainless cage clips are the rust-free option.
For retention without a clip, Power Grips straps bolt diagonally across a flat pedal; our toe clips and straps guide compares the options.
| Riding | MKS pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Track / fixed gear | Sylvan Track or Track Next | Slim single-sided cage built for clips and straps |
| Road and randonneuring with clips | Sylvan Road Next or GR-9 | Light, sealed (Road Next) or serviceable (GR-9) |
| Loaded touring | Sylvan Touring or Touring Next | Double-sided, works with or without clips |
| Commuting in normal shoes | Allways | Wide pinned platform, sealed bearings |
| Big feet, soft shoes | Lambda (Grip King) | Long platform, grips without pins |
| Folding bike, train or car | Promenade Ezy or Allways Ezy | Pedals come off by hand |
Tourers like the Sylvan Touring because either side works and the original’s bearings can be serviced on the road. Randonneurs who pack bikes onto trains can get some Sylvan Next pedals in Rinko versions on the Ezy Superior system. Commuters who want something slimmer than the Allways can look at the Compact, listed at 233 g per pair and MKS’s lightest pedal.
The Ezy system has two parts: an adapter that stays threaded into the crank, and a pedal with a plug-in axle. To remove the pedal, take off the stopper ring and pull back the spring-loaded collar on the adapter. Small balls retract and the axle slides out. Push the pedal back in and the spring returns the collar.
Cup-and-cone MKS pedals reward a yearly clean and regrease: remove the dust cap, back off the locknut and cone, repack with fresh bearing grease, then set the cone so the axle spins freely with no play.
Leave the Next pedals’ bearings alone. On those models the dust seal cap doubles as the bearing adjuster, and loosening it can introduce play and early wear. Several models, including the Sylvan Next and Promenade, have replaceable cage plates.
For the brand overview and more models, see our MKS brand page.
MKS has made pedals in its own Japanese factory for more than 70 years and is certified to supply pedals for Japanese keirin racing. The pedals are known for hand-adjusted cup-and-cone bearings, replaceable cage plates and parts support, which is why touring and fixed-gear riders keep buying them.
In Japan. MKS (Mikashima Industrial) is a family-owned company based in Tokorozawa, Saitama. It started out making aircraft parts in 1943 and switched to bicycle pedals in 1946.
The Sylvan Track, or the Sylvan Track Next if you want sealed bearings. Both are single-sided cage pedals made for toe clips and straps, and MKS's chrome steel clips bolt straight on.
Usually not. MKS sells clips separately, and the Sylvan Next listings say clips are compatible but not included. See the MKS steel toe clips or the stainless cage clips.
The original Sylvans use cup-and-cone bearings that you can regrease and adjust. The Next versions use triple sealed bearings, weigh 24 to 53 g less depending on the model, and need no routine bearing service.
Ezy is MKS's quick-release system. An adapter stays threaded into the crank, and the pedal clicks into it like a hose coupling. Pull the collar back to remove the pedal. Ezy and Ezy Superior parts do not interchange.
The models on this page use the standard 9/16" x 20 TPI thread that fits almost all adult three-piece cranks. A 1/2" thread is only for one-piece cranks.