More safety: 6 flat pedals in the test

Stefan Frey

· 01.06.2016

Photo: Georg Grieshaber

More safety: 6 flat pedals in the test

Platform pedals provide more safety on technical trails and steep terrain. We tested six flat pedals in practice.

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The large footprint of platform pedals supports the foot, while sharp pins wedge into the sole. And yet you can ground yourself in a flash in tricky riding situations. We tested six current flat pedals in the bike park and on extensive MTB tours.

Crank Brothers 5050 2

www.crankbrothers.com

Price: 69.99 euros - Weight*: 482 grams - Dimensions: 97x96x19 mm

5050, half plastic, half aluminium. The classic from the Crank Brothers range is made up of two bolted parts and offers a large, flat base. The height of ten pins on each side can be adjusted using a hexagon socket. This further improves the grip slightly. However, the hexagon socket quickly becomes clogged and the pins can become loose without additional screw locking. Practical: Two spare pins are hidden on the outside of each pedal - just in case.

Conclusion: heavy pedal with a fat footprint. Only moderate grip.

Grip 3 out of 6 points

Footprint 5 out of 6 points

HT ME03t Evo Mag

www.shocker-distribution.com

Price: 129 Euro - Weight*: 273 gram -

Dimensions: 96x102x11 mm

Wow, only eleven millimetres! That makes the HT pedals thinner than the topping on my sandwich and, at 273 grams, also extremely light. The magnesium body makes it possible. Ten aluminium pins on each side wedge into the sole of the shoe like teeth in a bread roll. However, they can sometimes fall out on contact with the ground. However, this rarely happens as the flat design guarantees plenty of ground clearance. The running of the large pedal body can be adjusted using the lock nut on the axle. With a titanium axle, the HT would weigh 220 grams.

Conclusion: flat, light, grippy - you can hardly expect much more from a pedal.

Grip 5 out of 6 points

Footprint 6 out of 6 points

NC-17 Sudpin IV S-Pro

www.nc-17.de

Price: 98,95 Euro - Weight*: 362 grams - Dimensions: 88x90x18 mm

Twelve extra-long pins, flattened at the top, drill into the sole of the NC-17 like a finger into a nose. The Sudpin is certainly not lacking in grip. However, the foot position is difficult to correct. This becomes particularly problematic if you have not hit the rather small platform correctly. The foot then lacks support. The pins are firmly attached thanks to the screw adhesive, but have to be changed with a Phillips screwdriver, which is annoying. Beautifully milled and anodised, the Sudpin also looks good.

Conclusion: plenty of grip, but difficult to change position on the pedal. Rather small footprint.

Grip 4 out of 6 points

Footprint 4 out of 6 points

Reverse Black One

www.reverse-components.com

Price: 119.90 euros - Weight*: 312 grams - Dimensions: 92x100x18 mm

Shrill guys drumming on their chests in front of the ice cream parlour are rarely taken seriously. The Black One therefore prefers to exercise restraint. The stylishly milled aluminium pedal in plain black gives little indication of how securely you are standing on the slightly concave platform. Only the 20 brightly coloured pins are a warning: watch out, it's snappy! The pedal body looks flatter than it actually is, but the Black One is still quite light. However, large feet will find it difficult to fit properly on the small platform.

Conclusion: an unobtrusively good pedal with acceptable grip, but a small footprint.

Grip 5 out of 6 points

Footprint 3 out of 6 points

Shimano Saint PD-MX80

www.paul-lange.de

Price: 69.95 euros - Weight*: 490 grams - Dimensions: 89x100x18 mm

Thor seems to have hammered the Saint pedals out of an aluminium block with his own hands: solid, robust and indestructible - but at 490 grams, they are as far removed from "light" as butter is from diet margarine. Once you have removed the small washers from under the pins, the large, concave pedal body provides a secure footing. Nevertheless, the seven pins do not offer ultimate grip. Shimano's conical bearings are considered the epitome of durability and are very easy to maintain. You can forgive the weight.

Conclusion: robust and low-maintenance pedal with acceptable grip.

Grip 4 out of 6 points

Footprint 5 out of 6 points

6 Images

Photo: Georg Grieshaber

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Stefan Frey

Editor

Stefan Frey is from Lower Bavaria and loves the mossy, loamy trails of the Bavarian Forest as much as the rugged rock of the Dolomites. For technical descents, he is prepared to tackle almost any ascent - under his own steam. As an accessories specialist, he is the first port of call for questions about equipment and add-on parts, while as head of copywriting he sweeps the language crumbs from the pages of the BIKE print editions.

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More safety: 6 flat pedals in the test

Stefan Frey

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