In this article I’m going to provide an overview of the best flat mountain bike pedals under 100 dollars.
Flat pedals up to 100 dollars are about the sweet spot where this product is concerned. There’s a mixture of nylon composite and aluminum versions available at the price point.
And a handful of entries offer more than what seems to be the industry standard of a single cartridge bearing and single bushing on a chromoly spindle.
Either way, whether you choose a single cartridge or dual setup, these pedals are all great products that will assuredly last you a long time with the proper care.
And if they do show signs of wear and/or play, the majority offer service kits to renew them.
So without further ado, here’s my list of the best flat mountain bike pedals under 100 dollars.
Crankbrothers Stamp 2 Small
The Crankbrothers Stamp 2 Small is one of the best sub-100 dollar flat pedals you can buy.
The reason is that they come in two sizes with this small one measuring 100 x 100 x 16 mm, perfect for feet up to size 10 (43).
The body is made from durable aluminum, with a chromoly axle holding not 1 but 2 cartridge bearings, and a single bushing to spread the load.
20, front-loading pins are used on a slightly concave 439 gram platform to add a firm grip and keep your foot into place. And all Crankbrother pedals including this one are fully serviceable.
- High quality, mid-tier aluminium pedal, with lots of grip and dual cartridge bearings
- None
Crankbrothers Stamp 2 Large
The Crankbrothers Stamp 2 Large is the larger version with a platform measuring 114 x 111 x 16 mm. It’s perfect for size 11 (44 EU) and up.
The pedals weigh a total of 494 grams.
- High quality, mid-tier aluminium pedal, with lots of grip and dual cartridge bearings
- None
RaceFace Chester
We at least know that the design of the RaceFace Chester was deemed nice enough to be copied. And it’s a nice-looking mountain bike flat pedal.
It has a big non-concave shape measuring 110 x 101 x 18.4 mm, with 18, rear-loading pins.
The weight is average, sitting at 360 grams.
It offers the same single cartridge bearing and bushing on a steel axle as many of the competitors.
- Very affordable, classic-shaped flat pedal
- It will forever be linked with the cheaper Fooker pedal
Chromag Synth
The Chromag Synth is not a carbon copy, but (almost) a nylon composite copy of the Chromag Scarab.
It means that where the Scarab sits far above a hundred dollars, the Synth is half that price.
For that price you get an 18-pin, front- and rear-loading, nylon composite MTB flat pedal measuring 100 x 107 x 13 mm, sitting at 380 grams.
Probably one of the biggest advantages of this nylon composite pedal is that you can buy a replacement pedal body should you smash it. If you ask me, every other pedal manufacturer should follow this, because it makes it much more attractive to choose a certain brand.
- Affordable composite pedal with replaceable body
- None
HT AN14A
The HT AN14A is a high-quality platform pedal with a rather small body.
That means the 94 x 95 x 17 mm CNC’d body is better suited for smaller feet up to size 10.
If you fall into that category the 20 pinned, rear-loading body will prove to have ample grip in a smattering of anodized colors.
On top of that you’ll also get a CNC machined chromoly axle with dual cartridge bearings and a single bushing, which is above the industry standard of a single cartridge and bushing setup.
For its size it’s not the lightest, weighing 475 grams.
- Small platform pedal with dual bearing setup
- Not for big feet
HT PA03A
The HT PA03A is a premium nylon composite MTB flat pedal.
It’s the most expensive on this list for good reasons. It has a big concave platform measuring 105 x 107 x 18 mm.
Weighing 345 grams, the platform has 16 rear-loading pins, and 4 nylon ones sitting at the axle.
The machined chromoly axle holds dual cartridge bearings and a single bushing, which sets these pedals apart from the rest of the competition. These dual bearings ensure a longer lifespan, because the load get’s spread out.
The concave design and relatively large platform is simple but very effective in keeping your foot in place.
- Only composite pedal with dual bearing setup
- None
DMR V12
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.
- Popular design for a budget-friendly price
- There are comparable pedals which cost less
VP Aim
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.
- Clean-looking dual bearing, single bushing aluminium flat pedal
- None
Reverse Escape
I like the Reverse Escape very, very much, if not for the fact that it seems they don’t offer service kits. They should get that in order. You can get it serviced for 25 euros, but it means sending it off to Germany.
Apart from the lack of service kit, the Escape flat pedal has a lot going for it. Great design in a 100 x 100 x 16 mm aluminum body, running on a CNC machined chromoly axle with a classic setup of bearings and a single bushing.
Once Reverse starts offering a service kit, this pedal could truly be one of the best sub-100 USD offerings.
- Nice looking pedal with machined aluminium body, and dual bearings.
- No service kit
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.
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.
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.
Specifications flat mountain bike pedals under 100
Name | Price | Weight | Size | Length | Width | Height | Body | Spindle | Bearings and bushings | Pins | Service kit | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Crankbrothers Stamp 2 Small | 99.99 USD | 439 | 100 x 100 x 16 mm | 100 mm | 100 mm | 16 mm | aluminium | Cr-Mo | 2 cartridge bearings, 1 bushing | 20, front-loading | available | |
Crankbrothers Stamp 2 Large | 99.99 USD | 494 | 114 x 111 x 16 mm | 114 mm | 111 mm | 16 mm | aluminium | Cr-Mo | 2 cartridge bearings, 1 bushing | 20, front-loading | available | |
RaceFace Chester | 59.99 USD | 360 | 110 x 101 x 18.4 mm | 110 mm | 101 mm | 18.4 mm | nylon composite | Cr-Mo | 1 cartridge bearing, 1 bushing | 18, rear-loading | available | |
Chromag Synth | 56.95 euros | 380 | 107 x 100 x 13 mm | 107 mm | 100 mm | 13 mm | nylon composite | Cr-Mo | 1 cartridge bearing, 1 bushing | 18, rear-loading | available | |
HT AN14A | 80 USD | 475 | 94 x 95 x 17 mm | 94 mm | 95 mm | 17 mm | aluminium | Cr-Mo | 2 cartridge bearings, 1 bushing | 20, rear-loading | available | |
HT PA03A | 69 USD | 345 | 105 x 107 x 18 mm | 105 mm | 107 mm | 18 mm | nylon composite | Cr-Mo | 2 cartridge bearings, 1 bushing | 16, rear-loading | available | |
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 | |
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 | ||
Reverse Escape | 79.9 euros | 405 | 100 x 100 x 16 mm | 100 mm | 100 mm | 16 mm | aluminium | Cr-Mo | 2 cartridge bearings, 1 bushing | 20, front and rear-loading | not available |
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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