Just as OSHA requires when you’re on a ladder, we maintain three points of contact with our bikes: grips, saddle, and pedals.
If you’re a math nerd, you’ll correct me that it’s actually five points when you count shoes – but whatevs.
Today, you can easily spend $200 on flat pedals.
Do you need to? Not necessarily.
Would I? Yes. Absolutely… And with no regrets.
Riding flats is sort of the veganism of cycling – the most exhausting part is reminding everyone you do it. But once you recover from the metaphorical flatulence, flats will build real, transferable skills that make you a better rider everywhere.
That said: you don’t get to sit on your flat-pedal high horse unless you commit. And commitment here means good pedals and good shoes.
So, while the main purpose of this video (and article) is to compare pedals, we can’t really start without first comparing shoes – an essential, considering they are the singular layer ** between your bare feet and not only the pedals, but the entire ecosystem around you.
Not only are shoes a fashion choice, they are that layer of protection between your toe and a root while flying at high speed.
** Well, other than socks. Have I told you about waterproof socks yet?
You know the joke about when a CrossFitter, vegan, and atheist walk into a bar… and the question is who’s the first to self-identify themselves? I’ll add to that a question of who’s the first to tell the others about my holy devotion to waterproof socks. No… really...
As always, a big thanks to Jenson USA for sponsoring this video! And, thank you for following along with my journey. Any purchase you make through the links sprinkled throughout this article support me (at no cost to you), and help me continue to create content and grow the JKW team! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Editor’s Note: Speaking of the JKW team, these articles are adapted by Savannah from Jeff Kendall-Weed’s YouTube videos for riders who prefer reading over watching. They’re written in Jeff’s first-person voice to stay true to the style and storytelling of the original content.
Flat Pedal Technique (Before We Talk Tech)
Before diving into gear, let’s cover a few chill – but essential – flat pedal techniques.
1. The Descending Wedge
When descending rough terrain, drop your forward heel and lift your rear heel. This creates a wedge effect that locks your feet into the pedals without clips. Simple. Effective. A technique old enough that your body just might do it by primal instinct.
2. Preload Like You Mean It
One of the big differences when your feet aren’t clipped to your bike is that you can’t pull your bike up with your feet. The solution? Learning to pre-load the bike with your legs, and popping the bike with your upper body.
Load, explode, let the upper body do the work… after wearing your legs out on that climb!
3. Climbing Without Slipping
Most pedal slips happen on climbs. The trick is to time pedal strokes so you’re not powering directly over square-edged bumps. You’ll find your feet dancing the line between patience and precision.
Flats on eMTBs: A Quick Tip
If you’re riding an eMTB, consider smaller or cheaper pedals. You’ll be pedaling through terrain that would normally be hike-a-bike on an analog rig, and you will smash pedals. Also: if you do hike, flat shoes are just… nicer.
If you head over to the review video, you’ll see that more than a handful of people weren’t stoked that I started off a review about pedals with six minutes talking about shoes. But as stated above, shoes matter. The amount of grip will change your riding experience, and they protect your feet. Which, at least in my human experience, are usually fairly important.
To keep today’s article simple, we’re including the best flat pedal shoes in its own article. So, if you’re curious about shoes, you can head over here to read all about what footwear to pair with your pedals.
The common thread? A good flat pedal is about matching shoe, terrain, and riding style — not just price.
Now, let’s talk pedals. This is why you’re here. What you didn’t know was that shoes were also why you’re here (coming soon).
Anyway…
In a world where outdoor athletes are (over?) obsessed with counting grams, I actually prefer slightly heavier pedals. When trail riding, that extra mass helps them spin smoothly against the bearings, creating more momentum, and… my feet are happiest on a stiff, solid platform. Thinner pedals are great for jumping – but feeling the spindle isn’t always a vibe.
An often overlooked detail about flat pedals: riding with flats means that your foot will be twisting to steer and rotate the bike. Composite pedals flex more (something you can get used to, and some riders like that they glide over rocks); aluminum feels more solid. I’m fine with either, but given the choice – I pick metal.
TLDR; A Quick Flat Pedal Comparison
| Pedal | Price | Weight | Concavity | Platform | Notes / Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolf Tooth Waveform | $200 | 384 g | Low | Medium | Nice machining, good bearings, lacked grip for price |
| Race Face Chester | $58 | 355 g | Moderate | Large | Sleeper budget pedal, great value, some flex |
| Shimano Deore Composite | $65 | 394 g | Low | Small | Solid grip, small platform, good value |
| Race Face Atlas | $189 | 386 g | Low–Moderate | Large | Thin profile, great jumping feel, relaxed grip |
| Race Face Turbine (New) | $189 | 419 g | Deep (fore–aft & lateral) | Large | Most-ridden in 2025, excellent grip & comfort |
| Crankbrothers Stamp 7 (Large) | $200 | 375 g | Low | Large | Thin feel, good grip, best with stiff shoes |
| Praxis Brodium | $115 | 399 g | Moderate | Medium | Very low feel, great clearance, long-day pedal |
| Chromag Radar | $94 | 300 g | Moderate | Small/Youth | Reliable, grippy, confidence-inspiring for kids |
| Deity T-Mac | $179 | 409 g | Very Deep | Large | Freeride classic, excellent on eMTBs |
| Outlier Pendulum | $217 | 454 g | Minimal | Narrow | Huge grip but too specialized; park/shuttle only |
| Shimano GR500 (ex-Saint) | $95 | 533 g | Low | Large | Bombproof, best for pumptrack & DJs |
And Finally… Flat Pedal Reviews!
Wolf Tooth Waveform – $200 / 384g
Any dentist of the canis variety has got to make some interesting stuff, and Wolftooth is no exception. I’ve had great luck with many Wolftooth products, so I approached the Waveforms with high expectations. The machining is clean, the bearings feel solid, and the pins look aggressive. I first tried them on the Yeti MTe. They were okay, but that bike doesn’t have the plushest suspension, and my feet tended to wander a bit.
Next, I put the Waveforms on the Amflow, which has a more intuitive suspension feel, and the issues persisted. I noticed a lot of slipped pedals on my forward foot. Looking closer, these pedals don’t have much concavity. The bearings are good, the pedal is stiff, and the weight is fine – but for the price, I wanted more grip.
Ridden on the Yeti MTe and Amflow.
Race Face Chester – $58 / 355g
These are absolute sleepers. I found I could trust these $58 pedals just as much as the $200 competition. On my first few rides, I noticed a loud squeaky seal, but once that broke in, wow – they feel great! They’re light, cheap, and decently strong.
That said, there’s something to be said for the mass of a metal pedal. I liked the Chesters for their grip, but realized I don’t mind a slightly heavier pedal. They do have a bit of torsional flex, but within a ride, it’s easy to adapt. The concavity is just right – it helps with traction without being excessive. The thin feel is nice for jumping, and overall grip is solid. Honestly, I’d have a hard time skipping the Chesters if I were on a budget.
Ridden on the Pivot SL/AM.
Light, thin, and way better than they have any right to be at this price. Once that squeaky seal shut up, these things rode like full-priced contenders. If you’re counting dollars but still want real traction, the Chesters punch way above their weight.
Shimano Deore Composite – $65 / 394g
A bit of play, small-ish platform, but solid grip and feel. Shimano Deore Composite pedals are solid – good grip, strong body, decent feel, and very fair price. They’re a little small overall, but thin enough to feel “yummy” underfoot. I rode these on the Canyon Spectral and my Ripley AF and really liked them. We don’t always need huge cages!
The petite size also fit perfectly on my moto rack, which came in handy on a big trip. I did notice some bearing play, but nothing that caused problems – the grip comes mostly from the pins, and for the price, that’s fine. If you have smaller feet or want to feel on top of the pedal, go for the Shimanos. If you prefer a larger pedal, more solid bearings, and a locked-in feel, the Race Face Chesters are the better choice.
Ridden on the Canyon Spectral and Ripley AF.
Race Face Atlas – $189 / 386g
Great, thin, grippy, and I don’t mind the bearing bulge. Race Face Atlas got a lot of love in the comments on my last pedal video, and after using them for a couple of years, I now understand why. I love these pedals – comfortable, and with their very low profile, they provide a great feel for jumping.
I did a quick ride vlog comparing the Atlas to the newer Turbine pedals. The difference on trail isn’t massive, but each pedal has subtle strengths. The Atlas are thinner, and the massive bearing bulge requires your foot to sit further outboard. This creates a wider Q factor – really comfy if you have tight IT bands, but with less clearance on tight trails. The thinner vertical profile felt better than the Turbine when tossing the bike around on jumps. The Atlas pedals don’t offer a ton of concavity, which gives a more relaxed feel – nice for longer rides.
The heavily concaved Turbine, by contrast, offers more grip for downhill traction. Still, the Atlas remain a favorite of mine, delivering a comfortable feel with solid grip.
Ridden on the GT Force and GT Sensor.
Race Face Turbine (New) – $189 / 419g
Big pins, deep scalloped concavity fore-aft and side-to-side, and a comfy feel that outshines the TMac on trail.
As we were making this video, we were pouring over riding footage, and the pedal I rode the most in 2025 was the Race Face Turbine. Maybe it’s because I have two pairs, but at the end of the day, these pedals are awesome. Logan and I attended Race Face’s initial launch of them, and we both came away impressed. They offer fantastic grip with big pins, but more importantly, a deeply concave profile. The concavity works fore-aft, like many pedals, but also side-to-side. I found this scalloped design very comfy – more so than the TMac.
The Turbine is a larger pedal, so on tighter trails or bikes with a low bottom bracket, they can feel a bit clunky. I really liked the weight – it just complements the overall feel.
I even brought them all the way to Iceland for our cross-country adventure rides! For me, even with the soft FreeRide Pro Boa shoes, the concavity is spot-on, and the pins do exactly what they need to. I wouldn’t change a thing about these Turbine pedals.
Ridden on the Lauf Elja, Ibis Ripmo, Jeffsy, Amflow, and Norco.
Crank Brothers Stamp 7 (Large) – $200 / 375g
Crank Brothers has been making pedals since before Harry Potter hit theaters, starting with their Egg Beaters back in 2001. I’ve never really clicked with their clip variants, and when the 5050 flat pedals came out in 2008, I tried a pair and further swore off the brand. But I believe in third chances. After seeing dozens of comments about the Crank Bros Stamp pedals, I decided to give them a shot. They’re not cheap – $200 – but with my size 42 shoe, I went for the large and have zero complaints about sizing.
I have less experience with the Stamp 7 than any other pedal in this video, having only a few rides so far. Despite not feeling very concave, they offer very nice grip. The Turbines feel grippier, but the Stamps feel thinner. Overall weight is on the lighter side, and the bearings work well. I wouldn’t mind a bit more contact patch against the shoe, but that’s less noticeable with a stiffer sole. These are solid pedals, and I can see why they’re so popular. In a future pedal update video, I hope to share more impressions, but for now, initial impressions are positive – especially with stiffer shoes.
Praxis Brodium – $115 / 399g
Great feel, great grip, and nice and low. They come in at 399 grams and $115, with pins that are a tad thick – if you want mega grip, Dagga pins would be a solid upgrade.
For the more old-school, Northern California–based folks, these pedals might look familiar. About twenty years ago, I used to race with Jimmy, the original designer of this pedal. Around 2010, he launched a company called Point 1 that sold an early version. He later sold the design to my friends Juan and Mateo at Gamut, and eventually that design made its way to Praxis. That context matters, because there’s been a lot of development over the years.
The pedals are great. They have a super-low profile, which creates a really connected feel on the bike. I’ve run them on the Haro Daley rigid, the Amflow, and the Firebird. The feel is a little different – slightly busier – than the Turbines. That thin profile makes it easier to roll the bike fore and aft in the air, and they feel very natural to pump. More concavity would be nice, but what’s here works well for long days. You can feel the spindle in the middle of the pedal, but it’s not a problem. The price is right – these are some of the least expensive pedals in this test – and ground clearance is really, really good. If you don’t mind feeling the spindle slightly and plan on long days with some jumps, very NorCal-style, these are a great option.
Ridden with the Haro Daley, Amflow, and Pivot Firebird.
Chromag Radar – $94 (The Kids’ Choice)
I bought these as an upgrade for my daughter when she was seven, and we’ve loved them. These days, they’re starting to feel a little small – the suggested age range is four to ten – but in reality, my now nine-year-old is probably ready for a bigger pedal and likely has been for a while. That said, we’ve never had to mess with the Radars.
They’re solid, with good grip and good bearings, and they’ve absolutely inspired her to try more things on the bike. As a parent, I feel safer knowing she’s not just getting good traction, but a reliable pedal that isn’t going to suddenly slide off the spindle.
Deity T-Mac – $179 / 409g
Ah, the old classic. These have been great. I first rode them on the Yeti SB160, then put a ton of miles on them aboard the Pivot Shuttle SL e-bike. After that, they bounced between a few other rigs, including the Norco Sight VLT CX. They’re especially good on e-bikes thanks to their low profile and really solid grip. The first thing you notice is the deep concave design, which runs left to right across the entire pedal. On most rides – up to five hours – I got along just fine with that shape, though I’ve heard from others that the concavity can feel like too much. I didn’t run into that issue, but it’s worth noting.
The pins are thick grub screws, but they still work well, and the overall shape is nice. These make a good freeride choice – easy to take your feet off without worrying too much about shinners, yet with enough grip for trail riding. Honestly, for most riders, these pedals will be a home run, especially on e-bikes, where the thin profile and decent ground clearance really shine.
Ridden with the Norco Sight and Amflow.
Outlier Pendulum – $217
Ah yes, the clickbait of the year – the Outliers.
I did a big video on these because they generated so many questions that I knew there’d be interest. And to be fair, the outright grip is amazing. The low profile feels good when smashing through things. That said, I ended up pretty disappointed. A lot of you chimed in in the comments to tell me I was riding them wrong. Apparently, they’re designed less for trail riding and more for bike park or shuttle use.
First issue: they’re too low. They constantly smash into the ground if you lean the bike over in rough, loamy corners, or anytime you actually need to pedal.
Second, it’s surprisingly easy to catch the wrong side when putting your foot back on the pedal. This happened to me often – even in the bike park. It’s not like I’m constantly taking my feet off, but a couple times per ride, usually in corners, I’ll lift a foot so I can dab if things get loose. And correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s kind of the whole point of flat pedals in the first place – the freedom to dab.
Pedals shouldn’t be something you have to think about. With these, I thought about them a lot. I’d be curious to try the Void pedal, which isn’t one-sided and dropped like these, but I’m not keen to fork over another $220. On top of that, other reviews of the bearings haven’t exactly been confidence-inspiring.
Ridden with the GT Force and Priority Vanth.
Shimano GR500 – $95
These are the old classics of the group. They don’t offer a ton of grip for off-road riding, but for a pump track bike, they’re awesome. You’ll probably notice the ones shown here still say Saint all over them. As these pedals aged, they lost their holiness – their sainthood has officially been revoked. That said, they were too good to kill off, so Shimano re-released the design as the GR500, a more budget-oriented version.
I’ve found these to be very strong, and for pump track or dirt jumper use, the level of grip is spot-on. You don’t really need massive pins unless you’re smashing through a lot of rough terrain. They’re affordable, they look good, and they work great. Definitely worth considering if you’re after simple, bombproof pedals for a hardtail.
Now, over to you.
We’ve got a lot of commentary going on over at the YouTube video. The top pedals recommended by the audience that I didn’t test include: DMR Vaults, OneUp Waves, HT PA03A, Crankbrothers Stamp 2, Pedaling Innovations Catalyst, Chromag Dagga, Deity Supervillains, Deftraps, Syntace To Number Nine, Kona Wah Wah II, Sixpack Menace Aluminum, Hope F22, Yoshimura Chileo SS, Canfield Crampons, Acros, and many more…
Would you add any others to the list? Should I do a follow-up video focused only on audience favorites? Let me know in the comments below, or over at YouTube!
p.s. Thanks again to Jenson USA for sponsoring this pedal review, and thanks to LMNT for keeping me hydrated. Grab a free LMNT sample pack with any purchase! (The sample pack includes 2 samples of 4 of their top flavors, for a set of eight packets.)
And? If you’re new here and interested in learning new skills, you can sign up here for my Patreon. Each month, I create a tutorial exclusively for subscribers to help you build your bike skills.
Peace & Wheelies, đźš´ Jeff
