The top 9 best flat mountain bike pedals under 100

Table of Contents

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Crankbrothers Stamp 2 Small

20%

Crankbrothers Stamp 2 Large

RaceFace Chester

49%

Chromag Synth

41%

HT AN14A

HT PA03A

54%

DMR V12

23%

VP Aim

18%

Reverse Escape

32%

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.

Crankbrothers Stamp 2 Small

80%

Crankbrothers Stamp 2 Large

80%

RaceFace Chester

46%

Chromag Synth

46%

HT AN14A

71%

HT PA03A

71%

DMR V12

46%

VP Aim

71%

Reverse Escape

71%

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.

Crankbrothers Stamp 2 Small

60%

Crankbrothers Stamp 2 Large

76%

RaceFace Chester

60%

Chromag Synth

58%

HT AN14A

54%

HT PA03A

57%

DMR V12

57%

VP Aim

67%

Reverse Escape

60%

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	link
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	link
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	link
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	link
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	link
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	link
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	link
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		link
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	link

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.