The Best Mountain Bike Flat Pedals of 2024

The OneUp Composite pedals provide large 112 x 105 mm (measured) hexagonal platforms, the same as their Aluminum option and the same footprint size as the PNW Loam pedal. The platform has 10 rear-loading pins per side, with nine around the perimeter and one toward the outside rear center of the axle.

The platform is also grooved in the areas where pins are not present. The convex platform measured 18.6mm at the axle and a thin 13.2mm at the leading edge. The grip provided by the OneUp Composite pedals was average in the range of convex profiled pedals in our test, and while it does offer easy mobility, a concave profile provides more outright traction on faster, rougher terrain.

The OneUp Composite pedals follow this idea — the convex profile makes it easy to unweight the edges of your foot to pivot on the central pin, and the lack of dead space between pins ensures grip in any position you land on.

Servicing the OneUp Composite is a breeze, with the only potential hang-up being the need for a longer 9mm socket head (or 8mm, depending on the age/version of your pedals) to reach the axle nut. Like with all its components, OneUp provides detailed service instructions and kits, including all the parts, on its website. Like most composite platforms, the pins use nuts to mount in the pedal rather than the tapped holes in metal platforms.

The nylon composite material feels solid, and while it is easier to scratch these pedals than their aluminum counterparts because the material is the same color throughout rather than an anodized surface, they hide it well.

At $60 retail, the OneUp Composite pedals balance average grip, above-average mobility, easy serviceability, light weight (368g for the pair), and represent one of the best values in flat pedals available by exhibiting many of the same traits as its more expensive aluminum counterpart.

If you are a clipless rider who wants a pair of flats for occasional use, are not sure about switching to flats, has budget constraints, or just prefer a composite pedal body or affordable, quality components, the OneUp Composite should be your first choice.

With one of the thinnest profiles (at max thickness) of just 12.5mm, along with the chamfered leading edges and tapered outside edges, the Atlas reduces the chances of pedal strikes compared to thicker and squarer options. The shape of the pedal matches the soles of shoes very well and helps provide full perimeter contact with all the pedal pins for maximum grip.

Bearing in mind that a size 7 U.S. men’s shoe was used for testing, the average size platform could potentially be a bit on the small side for those with larger feet. The tall pins, 6.5mm on the leading and trailing edges and 5mm toward the axle, combine with the slightly concave profile to provide a very high level of grip at all times. The grip provided is right up there with the grippiest options we tested both while climbing and descending fast, rough terrain.

With tall pins and a concave profile, the grip provided by the Race Face Atlas doesn’t allow for the easiest foot mobility, and repositioning requires deliberate lifts. While this is common on pedals with this much grip, it can result in your feet being locked into awkward positions at times.

If you find the grip to be too much, Race Face includes pin washers that can be installed to decrease their height and increase foot mobility. Another consideration is the inboard bearing bulge. Many riders don’t get along with this feature on flat pedals, but it does provide a nice bumper for the edge of the foot while also helping to reduce the likelihood of crank rub.

Servicing the Atlas pedals is quite easy and requires only a 30mm socket to remove the endcap for inspection and greasing. Replacing bearings and bushings requires additional tools and a bearing kit, but the 6802 sealed cartridge bearing and IGUS bushing showed no signs of wear during our testing and are easy to clean and grease regularly to keep things running smoothly. Should you have any issues with your pedals, Race Face supports the Atlas with a lifetime warranty for added peace of mind.

With a smartly tapered, thin, and light platform providing high levels of traction, the Atlas pedal excels in the priorities for most riders. With average mobility and an easy process for light service, the Race Face Atlas has no weak points to speak of and is a great performance choice, even at the high $180 price point. The lifetime warranty should help ease the price, and the outstanding performance on trail makes the Atlas a great option for all riders, particularly those looking for a thin concave option with very high traction.

With the high grip, easy-to-ride feel, and straightforward service, the OneUp Aluminum is a strong contender for anyone seeking a thin, lightweight aluminum pedal with a convex profile.

The usable platform size of the OneUp Aluminum measured 114.6 x 102.3mm, which is around the average for the pedals in our test and should accommodate most riders. With the large inboard bearing bulge, crank boot users should take note that the OneUp Aluminum may cause some fit issues and may not be compatible.

In terms of traction on the trail, the level of grip felt similar to the controlled float aboard the Wolf Tooth Waveform, our best overall pick, rather than the traction-focused feel of the Race Face Atlas. The convex profile and 10 tall, sharp pins provide enough grip, especially on rough terrain and during climbs, but not the pure “locked in” feel of the Atlas.

This is possibly due to the convex profile allowing great grip in every position, rather than a concave “pocket” more sensitive to foot positioning while remaining slightly more forgiving from a foot mobility standpoint.

The thin profile of the OneUp pedals helps reduce the risk of pedal strikes, and the beveled edges on the outside edge further assist in deflecting impacts. In addition to the new pair for this review, a personal pair that’s been put through the wringer for the past 2.5 years shows marks from rock strikes limited to the outside edge of the platforms. This is where the extreme bevel has helped deflect impact, and the axle/bearing/bushings are still spinning very smoothly with literally no service.

Speaking of, the Aluminum pedals are super easy to service and can be taken apart with a cassette tool to access the internals for cleaning and greasing. Bearing rebuild and pin replacement kits are inexpensive and available through OneUp.

With its forgiving nature, the OneUp Aluminum is a great choice for riders who don’t want to have to think much about foot placement, prefer a convex profile, or just want an overall great pedal that is easy to ride and maintain. The thin profile, average size, and strong, versatile performance of the OneUp Aluminum should work well for most riders, and, at its moderate price, the OneUp Aluminum is relatively affordable, too.

With a large footprint of 115 x 120mm and a measured usable platform of 115.4 x 110, the Dagga is one of the largest we tested (second only to the uniquely massive Pedaling Innovations Catalyst), the widest overall, and has the widest Q-factor. The dual concave design tapers from 16mm at the leading/trailing edges to 14.2mm at the center of the axle and 15.4mm at the widest parts of the axle.

Even with the larger dimensions, we found rock strikes to be less of a problem than expected, due likely to the reasonable maximum thickness of just 16mm. The platforms didn’t overlap the smaller size 7 men’s shoes excessively, and the pin placement resulted in good contact with the soles.

The dual concave design and 12 well-placed 4mm tall pins on each side provide outstanding grip. Whether picking the way up a slow, technical climb, hurtling down rough terrain at speed, or slamming into compression, the grip is confidence-inspiring with a locked-in feel. Your feet won’t move unless you want them to.

Surprisingly, repositioning the feet on the Dagga requires only an average amount of effort when compared to the other grip-focused models we tested. It still requires a deliberate effort but is less challenging than the Deity TMAC or the HT Supreme, for example. Chromag also sells shorter pins should you wish to dial back the grip a bit.

A slight squeaking noise presented itself after the first few rides, but thankfully, servicing the Dagga is quick and easy with a set of allen keys and an 8mm socket. Plus, Chromag includes detailed instructions and a tutorial video to guide users through the process. A quick cleaning and greasing and the issue was quickly resolved.

If you’re seeking unflinching grip and a large platform for demanding DH, enduro, or super aggressive trail riding, the Chromag Dagga stands out as our favorite model in the test. There are undoubtedly less expensive, lighter weight, and sleeker options on the market, but its exceptional grip and surprisingly well-rounded performance make the Dagga our top choice when grip is the priority.

The Loam pedals use a 6061 aluminum body providing a 115.6 x 104.4mm convex platform, which tapers toward the outer edge and is relatively thin at 16mm thickness at the central axle and 10.3mm at the front and rear edges. The Loams aren’t the biggest or thickest pedal in the test, but for whatever reason, pedal strikes seemed a bit more common, and they felt larger than the numbers suggest.

The traction provided by the convex platform had a consistent feel but was far from the “locked-in” character of the high-grip competition. Instead, they allow for easy foot mobility and foot “float” while providing a trustworthy grip for most riding, irrespective of foot positioning.

In PNW’s marketing materials, they state that the Loam pedal is built to provide “just enough grip to feel planted in sketchy terrain, but not so much that you can’t reposition your feet.” Based on our experience, it seems they accomplished this goal. They are grippy enough to provide confidence, yet subtle foot adjustments can be made predictably and with minimal effort.

Both the convex profile and the ability to pivot off the forward central pin, located directly under the balls of the feet, seem to be at play here, yet the grip felt consistent wherever the foot ended up on the pedal. This combination of easy mobility and consistent grip made the Loam intuitive and quick to adapt to.

Basic service is a straightforward process that requires only a set of Allen keys. The rear loading pins, however, could prove to be difficult to remove through the small access holes should they get bent. Still, with its extremely mobile feel and consistent, average traction in any position, the PNW Loam Alloy does what they were designed to do. This is our recommendation for those seeking a pedal that allows for easy foot repositioning.

If you are coming from clipless pedals and missing rotational float or just want a big, reliable, forgiving platform, the $99 PNW Loam provides solid overall performance and excellent mobility at a low price.

Pedaling Innovations provides lots of information to back up the science behind their claims, as well as follow-up emails with helpful tips to make sure you’re getting along with the pedals after you purchase them.

The first thing you’ll notice about the Catalyst pedals is their massive rectangular platforms. At 143mm in length and with 128.2mm of usable length, they are approximately 1.5cm longer than other models we tested. At 95mm wide and 16mm thick, they have otherwise fairly normal dimensions.

The idea is to position the feet with the axle beneath the arch, with the goal of “recruiting” the hips, which is said to increase power, efficiency, stability, and comfort compared to other designs. For most riders accustomed to placing the ball of the foot closer to the pedal’s axle, this position can take some getting used to, but that’s how the Catalyst is designed to be used, and they can feel awkward and clumsy if you don’t.

Adapting to the foot position takes a few rides to become comfortable, but once you do, the advantages of the Catalyst become more apparent. While they don’t exactly feel as agile or precise for certain quick movements, they do provide loads of support and a confident, planted feel at speed through rough terrain or when weighting the bike through corners.

After weeks of testing, the reduction of stress on the feet over extended descents was noticeable. It would be easy to choose these pedals for a long day at the bike park or a high-mileage endurance ride.

With a whopping 18 pins per side, it came as a little bit of a surprise that their grip was only moderate on the first few rides. Thankfully, Pedaling Innovations supplies longer pins, and after swapping out eight on each side for longer ones, the desired level of grip was achieved.

Adapting to the centered foot position also helped to improve grip over time. Still, repositioning the feet when needed never took too much effort, though the centered foot position does again take some getting used to with regards to mobility.

Manufactured by VP Components, the Catalyst pedals have a relatively standard design with an inboard bushing and two sealed cartridge bearings that are easy to remove and replace. Rebuild kits and replacement axles are only $10 each.

A full bag of long pins is also included to fine-tune grip or use as replacements. The large platform does result in the Catalyst being the heaviest model we tested, though the performance gains claimed may outweigh the slight increase in weight.

The Pedaling Innovations Catalyst is an interesting model with a unique design backed by research and science. While they take some getting used to, the comfort, stability, and control at speed and over rough terrain are noticeable. While the $150 price tag doesn’t necessarily encourage experimentation, the 30-day money-back guarantee makes them a much less risky proposition.

Measuring 103.9 x 104.5mm (L x W), the Vault Mag is an average-sized pedal and the dual concavity gives them a great feel underfoot. While some of the high-concavity pedals are more sensitive to foot positioning, the Vault Mags provided a comfortable pocket for the sole to settle into but retained traction and comfort wherever our feet landed on the pedals.

With about 1mm of drop between the center of the axle and the perimeter of the body, the Vault Mags were not the most concave option in the test, but are perfectly shaped to match shoes with some raise in the toebox and the well-shaped and formed platform held our feet in position and applied uniform pressure across the contact patch very well.

The eleven 3.6mm diameter top loading pins per side provide reliable grip. If the traction out of the box is too much, the pins can be flipped to reduce the height along the perimeter of the body. Though they don’t grip quite as tenaciously as the Chromag Dagga or Raceface Atlas, they still have ample grip for all but the most discerning riders or extremely aggressive terrains and riding styles.

Magnesium isn’t a commonly used material for flat pedal bodies, but DMR claims several environmentally friendly benefits related to its use compared to aluminum. The magnesium is mostly extracted from seawater. It requires less energy to process and cast, it produces less waste, the waste is easily recyclable, and it is non-toxic.

While magnesium is slightly softer than aluminum, we didn’t notice any unwarranted scarring of the pedals during rock strikes, and the Vault Mags ran very smoothly through a muddy and wet test period, exhibiting a very controlled spin around the axle with nearly no resistance. 

Servicing the Vault Mag is a standard procedure, and while we prefer rear-loading pins, we had no issues with pins bending or shearing during the test period, and the tapped holes in the magnesium body showed no signs of deformation even when we intentionally tried to strip them out.

We found the DMR Vault Mag to be one of the most forgiving dual concave pedals in the test for foot mobility, similar to the Wolf Tooth Waveform, but at a lower price and with slightly less outright traction. With a great, pocket-like feel underfoot, reduced environmental impact due to the magnesium material, and low weight, the DMR Vault Mag is a solid option for all riders, particularly those who like the feel of a dual concave platform.

With relatively low weight, a reasonably sized 100 x 100mm platform, great traction, and a $120 price tag, they are a good option for riders seeking the locked-in grip of a concave platform, provided they can find the sweet spot.

Outright traction on the Supreme was in line with some of the grippiest models we tested, but also more sensitive to foot positioning, and the traction felt compromised when not in the right spot. This may be due to the lack of pins on the inside edge of the platform, and when the feet weren’t perfectly centered, the feel was quite different. This positional sensitivity wasn’t as apparent on other models in this test, so it is worth considering if your feet don’t always end up in the right spot.

Servicing the relatively lightweight 375g Supreme is a standard procedure, but HT does not provide service manuals on its website. The process requires a thin-walled 8mm socket to remove the axle nut, and thankfully, HT includes this tool with the pedals.

The design also requires you to remove the bushing to remove the bearings, which makes it more difficult to ensure the pedal innards are clean and appropriately greased during quick services that don’t require a bushing replacement. The bushing is a tight press fit and will require a tap or bolt to remove, meaning it will need to be replaced when doing so.

While the HT Supreme stood out in terms of overall traction, it didn’t rise to the top in a crowded field of quality pedal options. If you are precise with foot placement and/or like smaller platforms, the grippy HT Supreme should be considered at the reasonable price of $120.

The TMAC’s highly polished symmetrical platform measured 110.2 x 105.2mm and had the most concavity of any pedal in our test, at 2.15mm of drop per side from the leading/trailing edges to the axle. Most other concave options were about half of this level of concavity, and you can certainly feel it on the TMAC. Fans of concave pedals should feel right at home.

The concave profile and 14 thick, top-loading grub screw pins provide ample traction, one of the grippiest in the test, providing tons of confidence and a strong, locked-in feel. That said, the pronounced concavity of the TMAC’s profile made them feel more sensitive to fore-aft foot positioning than expected. And, given the grip of the 14 pins, they aren’t the most forgiving in terms of foot repositioning. When positioned perfectly, however, the grip proved to be unwavering.

Weighing 448 g for the pair, the TMAC is among the heaviest pedals in our test. This likely won’t matter much to the target audience, but it is worth noting if you concern yourself with pedal weight. Servicing the Deity TMAC is a fairly easy process, but a standard 8mm socket was too thick to reach the axle nut.

So, a thin-walled socket, like the one included with the HT Supreme, is needed to remove it. The pins are top-loading and, though ours didn’t get damaged during the test period, will likely require some time with the vise grips to remove if the heads get smashed or bent. 

The Deity TMAC is a beautifully finished, highly concave option with standout traction that downhill riders, free-riders, and anyone who prioritizes outright grip and prefers a concave profile will love. While the Chromag Dagga may have taken home the grip crown in this round of testing, the Deity TMAC is another high-grip model that is very worthy of consideration.

While they have been making pedals for some time, Crankbrothers designed its Stamp flat pedal shoes with a sole tread intended to Match the pedal shape and pin layout of the Stamp pedals to work as a “system.” Though we didn’t test the pedals and shoes together, we will report back with more info when we do.

The usable Stamp 7 small platform measured 95.3 x 101.8mm and has a concave profile with an 11mm thickness at the center of the axle and 13.4mm at the leading/trailing edges. The axle thickness ramps down to its low point slightly outside of the center of the pedal, where the inner diagonal bracing begins, and uses shorter pins by the axle, thereby increasing the concave feel.

The slight bulge of the inboard bushing was occasionally noticeable, but otherwise, the shape, size, and feel of the platform were agreeable, especially for the men’s size 7 U.S. shoes used during testing.

The traction provided by the Stamp 7 pedals seems pretty average. As such, they don’t inspire the most confidence when compared to similarly sized but much grippier models like the Wolf Tooth WaveForm or HT Supreme. When heavily weighted, the grip level seems quite acceptable, but they don’t provide a particularly sticky feel, and it’s easy to accidentally pull a foot off during a technical climb, comparatively speaking.

At the same time, finding the sweet spot and deliberately repositioning the feet seems to require a similar level of effort as pedals with more grip. The Stamp 7 pedals use two lengths of top-loading pins, and they come with a full set of replacement full-length pins (bonus points).

The shorter pins around the axle can be swapped out for the longer ones, which we found improved traction marginally during testing. Like all top-loading pins, they may be more difficult to remove if/when they are damaged.

Crankbrothers included a small grease port on the Stamp 7 pedals, which should theoretically make it very easy to keep them spinning smoothly. A full service of the Stamp 7 only requires a 2.5mm Allen key and a paper clip, and it is easy to pull the axle assembly and two bushings from the body (no bearings here).

Removing the bushings and inner seals for inspection gets a bit tedious with the split bushing on the inboard side with a very small surrounding seal and pushing the outside seal through the pedal axle with a paperclip. While service is quite accessible, we found that we preferred working on more traditional assemblies of other pedals we tested.

The Crankbrothers Stamp 7 is a lightweight, 353g size small, and reasonably well-performing pedal that comes in two size options. Yet, at the fairly high price point, the average on-trail performance didn’t stand out compared to other similar or lower-priced options in this test. Again, we will update this review with info after testing them with the Stamp flat pedal shoes.

The Deftrap uses a fairly large, flat, and symmetrical 112.7 x 103.3mm platform with a relatively standard 10 pins per side in a perimeter pattern, two of which are molded composite that cannot be removed (the inside center pins closest to the axle). While the platform looks very basic and was the thickest in the test, it was easy to find and provided good support.

Pedal strikes did not occur more than usual on the thicker platform, but if you find yourself scraping obstacles frequently, you may appreciate the composite material’s tendency to slide over obstacles rather than hang up.

Traction and mobility were average on the Deftraps large, flat platform, and on-trail performance felt similar to the Crankbrothers Stamp 7 Small, a significantly smaller and more expensive option at $190. While weighted, the traction was good — but the composite pins provided less grip than their metal neighbors elsewhere on the pedal.

This can lead to some uncontrolled floating on the roughest, fastest tracks or when the pedals are not weighted very heavily, particularly when climbing seated technical switchbacks. The level of grip felt fairly consistent regardless of foot position, and while the mobility was not as controlled as the convex OneUp Composite, repositioning was fairly easy.

Performing a basic service on the Deftrap is a standard affair and requires only a 6mm Allen key and a 9mm standard socket. Two sealed cartridge bearings at the end of the axle should help distribute loading and increase durability.

The pins that are replaceable are rear loading, a nice touch, and use a nut to mount to the pedal in the same way as other composite pedals. Again, the two composite pins, inboard by the axle, are not replaceable. Replacement spindles, bearing/bushing kits, and pins, however, are readily available from Deity and are super affordable too.

Does the on-trail performance of the Deity Deftrap justify the $55 price tag? Absolutely. While the Deftrap was not the highest performer in our test, including expensive, high-end options, its performance was consistent, reliable, and satisfactory.

It’s a basic design and doesn’t have the mobility traits of the OneUp Composite or fully replaceable pins, but most riders looking for an affordable flat pedal will likely be pleased with the average performance and low cost of the Deftrap.