In this article I’m going to provide a list of the best flat pedals for grip.
Mountain bike flat pedals have a number of advantages over clipless pedals except in one area, which is grip. When configured correctly clipless pedals will stay connected to your feet at all times. That means that the occasional jarring nature of a mountain bike trail won’t end up in an accidental foot slip on the pedals, with possible disastrous results.
To prevent these foot slips, flat pedals offer concave platforms with pins. The concave nature of a pedal helps get the ball of your foot into the correct position of the pedal, and the pins bite in the soles of your shoes to keep them there.
If you’re looking for grip you’re looking for flat pedals specifically designed for mountain biking, since these pedals tend to offer the most grip. And it’s the characteristics just mentioned, concave platform and pins, that will offer a greater amount of grip. With a more concave structure, more pins and longer pins naturally increase grip.
These characteristics are not necessarily related to price. Cheaper flat pedals can demonstrate such traits with equal effectiveness as premium ones. So you’ll find both budget-friendly and premium offerings on my list.
So with that being said, let’s head over to my top picks for the best flat pedals for grip.
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.
- Very grippy pedal with huge platform with optional heigh-adjustable pins
- Eats your shoes. Will flay your shins. Would loved to have seen better internals
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 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.
- Well designed, grippy platform pedal
- Not for big feet
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
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Small
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.
- Tried-and-true design in an affordable composite setup with quality internal setup
- None
Crankbrothers Stamp 1 Large
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.
- Tried-and-true design in an affordable composite setup with quality internal setup
- None
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
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.
- Best-selling premium flat pedal. Available in 2 sizes. Great design, grip, colors, and fully serviceable premium dual glide bearings
- None
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.
- Best-selling premium flat pedal. Available in 2 sizes. Great design, grip, colors, and fully serviceable premium dual glide bearings
- None
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.
- The only pedal with a 4-bearing setup for increased durability and Q-factor
- None
RaceFace Aeffect
The RaceFace Aeffect is a premium high-quality performance pedal.
Measuring 101 x 100 x 16.9 mm with 20, rear-loading pins, it offers dual cartridge bearings and dual bushings on a chromoly spindle.
That means many miles with this sturdy, great-looking pedal weighing a decent 375 grams.
The aluminum pedal body is available in a number of colors, as is a service kit, should you need one.
- Excellent pedal with dual cartridge and bearing setup for many miles on the trail
- None
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 pedals for grip
Name | Price | Weight | Size | Length | Width | Height | Body | Spindle | Bearings and bushings | Pins | Service kit | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 | |
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 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 | ||
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 | |
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 | |
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 | |
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 | |
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 | |
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 | |
RaceFace Aeffect | 119.99 USD | 375 | 101 x 100 x 16.9 mm | 101 mm | 100 mm | 16.9 mm | aluminium | Cr-Mo | 2 cartridge bearing, 2 bushing | 20, rear-loading | 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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