In this article I’m going to cover the best flat pedals for small feet. It means you’ll find pedals on this list with a maximum width of 102 millimeters.
Obviously you could ride larger pedals, but you run the risk of incorrect pin placement and more frequent pedal strikes if you do. Just as you can run the risk of using larger size shoes increases the risk of tripping so to speak.
Except for Crankbrothers, manufacturers choose to size their pedals in different models, instead of the same model in different sizes. Unfortunately that means that some of the best pedals aren’t all that good for female riders, who usually have small feet, or people with small sizes in general.
That being said, if you look hard enough there are still a number of incredible flat pedals out there, who’ll support your trail riding skills for many, many miles to come.
So without further ado, here’s my list of the best flat pedals for small feet.
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 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
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.
- Gorgeous, angular design
- Not the grippiest
HT ME03T
The lightest entry on this list, by far, is the HT ME03T. They are made of magnesium (hence the “M”) and a titanium spindle, which lowers the weight to a mere 218 grams. This is extraordinary considering the fact that the next lightest entry is 35 percent heavier.
The pedals are extremely thin. 11mm So if you like your pedals to be anorexic, and absolutely minimize the risk of pedal strikes, this is the setup for you.
HT (which stands for Hsing Ta) is a brand that only manufactures bicycle pedals (or it seems that way) and these are both their lightest and most expensive flat pedals. And with a price almost nearing 300 euros they are wallet-draining indeed.
The pedal makes use of HT’s proprietary EVO+ bearing system, which includes ball bearings within a container between two separate races, and 2 bushings.
The platform is relatively small and incredibly thin at 102 x 96 x 11 mm. The platform does provide ample amounts of grip with 20, rear-loading pins made from aluminum to further reduce the weight.
There’s something special about any bike component that caters to weight weenies, and this is truly a gorgeous piece of engineering for those who’re willing to spend the money.
- Lightest flat pedal on the market
- Small platform with weight restriction
HT AE03
The HT AE03 is the aluminum version of HT’s high-end ME03 pedal.
In all other respects it’s basically the same, which means you get an incredibly thin pedal measuring 102 x 96 x 11 mm, which promises the lowest risk of pedal strikes of all pedals out there.
It offers a chromoly instead of titanium axle and the aforementioned aluminum body with 20, rear-loading pins.
A beautiful thin pedal in many anodized colors to pimp your ride.
- Aluminium version of the ME03T, meaning small and thin platform
- Not for big feet
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
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 pedals for small feet
Name | Price | Weight | Size | Length | Width | Height | Body | Spindle | Bearings and bushings | Pins | Service kit | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 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 | |
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 | |
HT ME03T | 285 USD | 218 | 102 x 96 x 11 mm | 102 mm | 96 mm | 11 mm | magnesium | titanium | EVO+ bearing, 2 bushings | 20, rear-loading | ||
HT AE03 | 160 USD | 352 | 102 x 96 x 11 mm | 102 mm | 96 mm | 11 mm | aluminium | Cr-Mo | EVO+ bearing, 1 bushing | 20, rear-loading | ||
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 | ||
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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