The top 8 best flat pedals for enduro

Table of Contents

In this article I’m going to focus on giving you my top picks for the best flat pedals for enduro racing.

Preferably you want superb grip, superb durability, and superb serviceability. It makes sense that for the downhill sections a concave pedal body with correctly placed steel pins is the way forward.

I’ve included a single nylon option as well, simply because the respective brand offers replacement pedal bodies, and it’s the most affordable option on this list as well. Not everybody likes to remortgage their house to finance their trail riding hobby.

So with all that being said, let’s head over to my overview of the best flat pedals for enduro racing.

Hope F20

Hope’s F20 refers to the number of pins located on each pedal. They only offer a single pedal for adults. Why have more if you put your best effort in a single product? Makes sense.

They obviously look nice, with the best machining I’ve ever seen on any pedal. But Hope also has an outstanding reputation for making superb-quality products and these pedals are no different. Both in the durability and serviceability department. And it doesn’t hurt to get a “best in test” seal of approval in this regard.

They contain 3 sealed cartridge bearings and a single bushing that spin freely and are sealed off to prevent outside contamination from happening. The seals on this pedal feel incredibly tight and after many miles have not shown any signs of loosening.

I also was looking for a pedal with rear-loading pins. Not that I intend on crashing them into any obstacles, but it is the better option.

They are very pricey for a pair of pedals but I guess that’s part of the allure as well. And the entire design, platform, bearings and bushing, seals, simply ooze high-quality. If you decide to spend money on buying the best the market has to offer, the Hope F20 simply will not disappoint.

RaceFace Atlas

The RaceFace Atlas looks kind of similar to the Crankbrothers Stamp 7.

But it has an asymmetric layout which enables the large 110 x 108 x 12 mm platform to use 20, rear-loading steel pins instead. And rear-loading pins are easier to remove when damaged so that’s a plus.

The biggest difference however is in the bearing setup. The Atlas flat pedal uses a whopping 4 sealed cartridge bearings; a huge one sitting near the crank and 3 further along the machined axle. This both increases the Q-factor and ensures the pedal can endure a tremendous amount of load, and is the perfect companion for a downhill beatdown.

It might be this incredible durable setup that has convinced the manufacturer to provide the pedal with a lifetime warranty. Either way this pedal coming in 9 different colors is built to last.

Burgtec Penthouse MK5

UK’s Burgtec Penthouse MK5 is a very high-quality premium mountain bike flat pedal.

The aluminum body with chromoly axle runs on 2 bushes, not one, and a single cartridge bearing. It means each rotating part gets a lesser amount of load from the pedal which ensures a longer lifespan. A characteristic offered only in the best pedals.

Personally I like the square design very much, and the CNC machined body is simply stunning. It hold 16, rear-loading pins, and weighs in at 379 grams for the pair. It dips at the axle enabling a concave design for more grip.

One of the best for sure.

Chromag Dagga

The Chromag Dagga sits at the right side of the spectrum when it comes to mountain bike flat pedals in a number of ways.

It easily has the biggest platform of any premium flat pedal out there, with a body measuring 120 x 115 x 16 mm.

Chromag further complemented this in-your-face design by offering a staggering amount of 24, rear-loading pins with a height of 7 mm. It basically means that once you plant your feet, they simply won’t come off the pedal again without the use of a tire iron.

If that pin-height proves a bit too much, you can also get height-adjustable pins to further tune your needs.

The rest of the body proves to be industry standard premium pedal characteristics. A chromoly axle, single bearing and bushing, and CNC machined aluminum body with service kits available.

It’s such an angry-looking, aggressive pedal for people who’re very serious about grip.

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.

Crankbrothers Stamp 7 Large

If my sources are correct, the Crankbrothers Stamp 7 pedals are probably the most used premium mountain bike flat pedals on the market.

It looks great. Crankbrothers offers two different sizes for all their pedals, with the Stamp 7 large aluminum pedal body measuring 114 x 111 x 13 mm.

The Stamp 7 works with two glide bearings on either side of the chromoly axle. These bearings are much wider than your average sealed cartridge bearing, ensuring a flatter platform and a larger contact area. With proper maintenance it means the Stamp 7 could probably last you a lifetime (pedal strikes not included).

The pedal body has a very slightly concave shape, which aids in keeping your foot in place. And 20 front-loading pins enable a nice symmetric design.

The combination of design, color options, and bearing setup with service kits makes this flat pedal a winner among the competition.

Crankbrothers Stamp 7 Small

I don’t know why, but Crankbrothers is the only company offering their pedals in two separate sizes.

The Crankbrothers Stamp 7 Small is obviously the smaller version of their most popular Stamp 7, which for years has been one of the best-selling flat pedals in the market.

It makes sense, because many riders have found the 100 x 100 x 13 mm body to fit their feet perfectly and hold just enough grip with 20, front-loading pins.

The easy-to-service chromoly spindle with 2 glide bearings ensures a long-lasting life and is very durable.

HT AE05

The HT AE05 flat pedal is one of HT’s premium offerings in the pedal department.

The aluminum platform measuring 100 x 96 x 17 mm dips to 12 millimeters at the axle, which makes for a 2.5 mm concave platform to seat your foot. E.g. a very grippy pedal, which is also one of the smaller on the market.

Deviating from industry standards, HT offers their proprietary EVO+ bearing setup, which is a single bushing and bearings seated between two races. It all spins on a chromoly axle.

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.

Hope F20

38%

RaceFace Atlas

39%

Burgtec Penthouse MK5

42%

Chromag Dagga

Chromag Synth

41%

Crankbrothers Stamp 7 Large

43%

Crankbrothers Stamp 7 Small

54%

HT AE05

49%

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.

Hope F20

96%

RaceFace Atlas

100%

Burgtec Penthouse MK5

67%

Chromag Dagga

46%

Chromag Synth

46%

Crankbrothers Stamp 7 Large

89%

Crankbrothers Stamp 7 Small

89%

HT AE05

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.

Hope F20

68%

RaceFace Atlas

72%

Burgtec Penthouse MK5

55%

Chromag Dagga

100%

Chromag Synth

58%

Crankbrothers Stamp 7 Large

60%

Crankbrothers Stamp 7 Small

60%

HT AE05

58%

Specifications flat pedals for enduro

Name	Price	Weight	Size	Length	Width	Height	Body	Spindle	Bearings and bushings	Pins	Service kit	Buy at Amazon
Hope F20	180 USD	390	110 x 102 x 14 mm	110 mm	102 mm	14 mm	aluminium	Cr-Mo	3 cartridge bearings, 1 bushing	20, rear-loading	available	link
RaceFace Atlas	179.99 USD	386	110 x 108 x 12 mm	110 mm	108 mm	12 mm	aluminium	Cr-Mo	4 cartridge bearings	20, rear-loading	available	link
Burgtec Penthouse MK5	99.99 pounds	379	102 x 100 x 15 mm	102 mm	100 mm	15 mm	aluminium	Cr-Mo	1 cartridge bearing, 2 bushings	18, rear-loading	available	link
Chromag Dagga	161.95 euros	488	120 x 115 x 16 mm	120 mm	115 mm	16 mm	aluminium	Cr-Mo	1 cartridge bearing, 1 bushing	24, 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
Crankbrothers Stamp 7 Large	179.99 USD	375	114 x 111 x 13 mm	114 mm	111 mm	13 mm	aluminium	Cr-Mo	2 glide bearings	20, front-loading	available	link
Crankbrothers Stamp 7 Small	179.99 USD	345	100 x 100 x 13 mm	100 mm	100 mm	13 mm	magnesium	Cr-Mo	2 glide bearings	20, front-loading	available	link
HT AE05	160 USD	360	100 x 96 x 17 mm	100 mm	96 mm	17 mm	aluminium	Cr-Mo	EVO+ bearing, 1 bushing	20, rear-loading		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.