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The top 9 best budget mountain bike flat pedals

In this article I’m going to give you my top picks for the best budget mountain bike flat pedals.

The list features a number of MTB flat pedals with nylon bodies, since nylon is much cheaper to produce than aluminum.

That being said, there are a number of great high-quality mountain bike flat pedals that do come with aluminum bodies, which make you wonder why you’d ever pay over 100 USD for some of the more premium options.

Pedals I did not include are pedals that do not come with steel pins to keep your foot in place. The difference between plastic ridges and steel pins simply makes such a difference when it comes to grip, and I just can’t recommend not using steel pins for any type of trail riding.

So without further ado, here’s my overview of the best budget mountain bike flat pedals.

OneUp Components Composite

OneUp Components Composite flat pedal
OneUp Components Composite flat pedal
OneUp Components Composite flat pedal
OneUp Components Composite flat pedal
OneUp Components Composite flat pedal
OneUp Components Composite flat pedal

If you want to go big you want to go for the OneUp Components Composite MTB flat pedals.

The platform measures 115 x 105 x 18.5 mm, but still only weighs 355 grams with 20 rear-loading pins to keep your feet firmly planted where they need to be.

It offers the same single cartridge bearing and bushing on a steel axle as many of the competitors.

Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Small

Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Small flat pedal
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Small flat pedal
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Small flat pedal
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Small flat pedal
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Small flat pedal
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Small flat pedal

The Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Small is the nylon composite version of their aluminum counterpart.

It measures 100 x 100 x 13 mm and offers a chromoly axle with both a glide and cartridge bearing.

Slightly concave with 18, rear-loading pins, it’s one of the best-looking and lightest nylon offerings out there, weighing only 299 grams.

Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Large

Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Large flat pedal
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Large flat pedal
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Large flat pedal
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Large flat pedal
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Large flat pedal
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Large flat pedal

The Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Large is the larger version measuring 114 x 111 x 13 mm.

This makes this pedal more suitable for riders with size 10-15 (us) or 43-49 (eu).

The large version is slightly heavier, but still very light, sitting at 329 grams.

VP Aim

VP Aim flat pedal
VP Aim flat pedal
VP Aim flat pedal
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fallback
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The VP Aim is another great product from this Taiwanese giant.

A barrel-polished aluminum body weighing 445 grams, comes equipped with 20, front-loading steel pins.

Just like many other MTB flat pedals from this brand, 2 cartridge bearings and a single bushing spin around a CNC machined chromoly axle.

A very durable pedal for people who don’t mind the extra bit of weight.

VP Vice

VP Vice flat pedal
VP Vice flat pedal
VP Vice flat pedal
VP Vice flat pedal
VP Vice flat pedal
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The VP Vice is one of the best budget mountain flat pedals on the market.

For less than 50 USD you get a CNC machined aluminum body measuring 105 x 96 x 13 mm, with a total of 24, front and rear-loading steel pins.

The pedal is finished with a chromoly axle running inside 2 cartridge bearings and a single bushing, and weighs 406 grams.

It means this pedal has no equal within its price category.

Burgtec MK4

Burgtec MK4 flat pedal
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Burgtec MK4 flat pedal
Burgtec MK4 flat pedal
Burgtec MK4 flat pedal
Burgtec MK4 flat pedal

The well-designed Burgtec MK4 is from the UK.

The nylon and glass fiber reinforced platform holds 18, rear-loading pins, and measures 102 x 96 x 16 mm.

The chromoly axle sits inside with a single cartridge bearing and bushing and weighs in at 376 grams.

Fooker MTB Pedals

Fooker MTB Pedals flat pedal
Fooker MTB Pedals flat pedal
Fooker MTB Pedals flat pedal
Fooker MTB Pedals flat pedal
Fooker MTB Pedals flat pedal
Fooker MTB Pedals flat pedal

The Fooker MTB Pedals appear to have the exact same pedal design as the RaceFace Chester.

I don’t know what’s the story behind these apparent knock-off pedals, since there’s no brand website to visit.

What I do know is that there’s ample evidence that this blatant copy is about as good as the real deal for half the price. And judging by the amount of reviews on Amazon running in the many thousands, a lot of people care more about their wallet than about possible copyright infringement between manufacturers. And I understand that’s how things work.

These pedals are so cheap in comparison to similar products that it doesn’t really matter that Fooker doesn’t appear to offer service kits. When you’d need them, you can just as well buy a complete new pair of pedals.

And all of the other characteristics are the same as the Chester pedal. Except for the fact that the Fooker pedal is not a nylon composite, but simply a nylon pedal, which bumps up the weight to 450 grams, where the Chester sits at 360.

But from a financial perspective this is probably the most affordable value-for-money option on this list. And what you do with your money is not for me to judge.

DMR V8

DMR V8 flat pedal
DMR V8 flat pedal
DMR V8 flat pedal
DMR V8 flat pedal
DMR V8 flat pedal
DMR V8 flat pedal

The DMR V8 is the heaviest pedal on this list and one of the few mountain bike flat pedals that work with a cone and bearings setup.

A total of 18 small 5/32 inch bearings spin along a chromoly axle inside the aluminum body.

It’s reminiscent of how pedals used to work across the board, except for the fact that this one has a very modern design. With a platform measuring 100 x 95 mm, and 20, front-loading pins.

It’s pretty heavy, weighing almost half a kilo at 480 grams.

A great addition to this list since you can get a DMR pedal with an aluminium body for a decent enough price.

DMR V12

DMR V12 flat pedal
DMR V12 flat pedal
DMR V12 flat pedal
DMR V12 flat pedal
DMR V12 flat pedal
DMR V12 flat pedal

The DMR V12 is a modern flat pedal with the tried and true sealed cartridge and bushing running on a chromoly axle.

It’s not the lightest pedal sitting at 430 grams, but you do get a fully serviceable pedal with 20, rear-loading pins in a body measuring 100 x 95 x 16 mm.

But for a retail price of 60 pounds, there are more budget-friendly options.

Flat Pedals Weight Rating

As with any other aspect of a bicycle product, weight is always an important component of a high quality product. When looking at flat pedals, there’s an important tradeoff to make between the strength of the pedal, versus how much weight you’re trying to save.

And unlike many other products that use carbon, which is very expensive, budget-friendly composite pedals are actually both cheaper to produce and lighter than aluminum versions.

A popular way to lose weight is to use titanium spindles. It makes the pedals extremely expensive however, so you have to wonder how much money you’re willing to spend to save 100 grams.

In the following graphs you find the weight rating of flat pedals, which is calculated based on the place between the heaviest and lightest pedals researched. A 0 percent rating means you’re looking at the heaviest pedal, and a 100 percent rating the lightest.

OneUp Components Composite
50%
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Small
71%
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Large
60%
VP Aim
18%
VP Vice
32%
Burgtec MK4
43%
Fooker MTB Pedals
16%
DMR V8
5%
DMR V12
23%

Flat Pedals Bearing Rating

An important aspect of pedals is their internals and bearing setup. Almost all pedal manufacturers sell bearing kits, and it’s nice that you can rebuild your pedal internals if you need to.

What’s even better is that the quality of the bearings are of such a nature that you either don’t have to rebuild the internals at all, or after years of service. This saves you both time and money, and you simply enjoy your pedals more.

In the following graph you can find the bearing ratings in relation to the highest quality setup. The bearing rating is calculated based on the bearing setup and the maximum load it can endure. It’s an approximation of the quality of the setup that does not take into account how well the internals are sealed from outside elements. The setup deemed best receives a 100 percent rating.

OneUp Components Composite
46%
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Small
65%
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Large
65%
VP Aim
71%
VP Vice
71%
Burgtec MK4
46%
Fooker MTB Pedals
46%
DMR V8
46%
DMR V12
46%

Flat Pedals Grip Rating

Obviously the biggest difference between clipless pedals and flat pedals is that you’re not stuck to the platform. To have better grip than your standard flat pedal, pins were introduced. They dig into the soles of your shoes and provide the grip necessary on rocky trails.

The grip rating calculated here is based on the amount of pins in combination with platform size. Another factor is pin height. Since pins can be replaced, whereas platform size cannot, I didn’t factor it into the equation.

Another factor is how concave a pedal is, and how much you’re able to naturally place your foot on the platform. Feet with shoes on them aren’t totally flat, especially not when you’re actually starting moving or pedaling.

The grippiest pedal, even without pin height taking into consideration, is the Chromagg Dagga. Those pedals have set the baseline against which all other pedals are measured. You can see the respective flat pedal grip ratings in the graph below.

OneUp Components Composite
73%
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Small
54%
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Large
69%
VP Aim
67%
VP Vice
73%
Burgtec MK4
60%
Fooker MTB Pedals
60%
DMR V8
57%
DMR V12
57%

Specifications budget mountain bike flat pedals

Name
Price
Weight
Size
Length
Width
Height
Body
Spindle
Bearings and bushings
Pins
Service kit
Buy at Amazon
OneUp Components Composite
49.5 USD
355
115 x 105 x 18.5 mm
115 mm
105 mm
18.5 mm
nylon composite
Cr-Mo
1 cartridge bearing, 1 bushing
20, rear-loading
available
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Small
49.99 USD
299
100 x 100 x 13 mm
100 mm
100 mm
13 mm
nylon composite
Cr-Mo
1 glide bearing, 1 cartridge bearing
18, rear-loading
available
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Large
49.99 USD
329
114 x 111 x 13 mm
114 mm
111 mm
13 mm
nylon composite
Cr-Mo
1 glide bearing, 1 cartridge bearing
18, rear-loading
available
VP Aim
60 USD
445
105 x 105 x 18 mm
105 mm
105 mm
18 mm
aluminium
Cr-Mo
2 cartridge bearings, 1 bushing
20, front-loading
VP Vice
44.99 USD
406
105 x 96 x 13 mm
105 mm
96 mm
13 mm
aluminium
Cr-Mo
2 cartridge bearings, 1 bushing
24, front and rear-loading
Burgtec MK4
37.49 pounds
376
102 x 96 x 16 mm
102 mm
96 mm
16 mm
nylon composite
Cr-Mo
1 cartridge bearing, 1 bushing
18, rear-loading
available
Fooker MTB Pedals
26.99 USD
450
110 x 101 x 18.4 mm
110 mm
101 mm
18.4 mm
nylon composite
Cr-Mo
cartridge
18, rear-loading
not available
DMR V8
43 pounds
480
100 x 95 x ? mm
100 mm
95 mm
aluminium
Cr-Mo
18 5/32 inch ball bearings
20, front-loading
DMR V12
60 pounds
430
100 x 95 x 16 mm
100 mm
95 mm
16 mm
aluminium
Cr-Mo
1 cartridge bearing, 1 bushing
20, rear-loading
available
bio vanseijen

Johan van Seijen

FoundeR Restoration.bike

Johan van Seijen is the founder of restoration.bike. His passion for cycling in general, and restoring older bikes turned into a website to share his knowledge with a broader audience. Starting out on his father’s road bike and riding classics as the Amstel Gold Race and Liege Bastogne Liege he has shifted his attention to trail, XC, and gravel riding since. No matter how much he loves writing about everything related to cycling, nothing beats actually using his ever-expanding bicycle collection.

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