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Mountain bike pedals - why so expensive?

by kil0ran
Wed, Nov 08, 2017 21:38
18

Looking for a good set of flat pedals for my gravel bike - the ones with the screws in the pedal body to add grip. Compared to road pedals they seem surprisingly expensive considering they don't have SPD/SPD-SL mechanisms. Are they better quality than road pedals at that price point? Lighter?

For example the new Shimano XT-level touring pedal (T8000 - flat one side, SPD the other) RRP is £90, and a set of pure flats even from Decathlon is £35...

At the high end I've seen pedals approaching £200, you're hard pressed to find a road pedal that costs that much...

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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18 comments

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barbarus | 7 years ago
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+1 for DMR. My brother has had the same set of v12s on his bmx since about 2000

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abusivemonk | 7 years ago
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Wellgo make a very good copy of the DMR v12 that's worth a look. Its very cheap compared to the DMR

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Team EPO | 7 years ago
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Slightly tangential but why do I have to replace my shimano road cleats but have yet to change my metal mtn bike ones.....can you buy metal road ones or too slippy when teetering around Costa?

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I am a human replied to Team EPO | 7 years ago
1 like

Team EPO wrote:

Slightly tangential but why do I have to replace my shimano road cleats but have yet to change my metal mtn bike ones.....can you buy metal road ones or too slippy when teetering around Costa?

I suspect it's as simple as metal cleats on pedals with carbon and plastic bits would wear out the pedals, whereas plastic on plastic is fine.

SPD - metal on metal

SPD-SL - plastic on plastic

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StraelGuy | 7 years ago
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I've got a set of DMR V12 Mag pedals you can have for a cheap price. They've got a few hundred road miles on them and I doubt I'll ever use them again. They're the champagne coloured ones.

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TypeVertigo | 7 years ago
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I'd say just get the T8000s. Great pedals, if their older T780 brothers are any basis.

I agree that £90 is a steep price for them, though. Where I live, they're half that price at local bike shops.

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kil0ran | 7 years ago
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Thanks guys. My commuter does extra duty as a tagalong mule, and when you're hauling an 8yo around being clipped in isn't the best option. Will take a look at the DMRs because its going to get an awful lot of wet/muddy use this winter, and that's not counting the corrosive properties of cow/horse/pig excrement we ride through in the New Forest 1

Interested to know - do the flats work well even if you're riding in SPD shoes? Mine are M088s so have got a decent tread on them. Just wondering if there will be enough shoe in contact with the pedal?

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kil0ran replied to kil0ran | 7 years ago
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kil0ran wrote:

Thanks guys. My commuter does extra duty as a tagalong mule, and when you're hauling an 8yo around being clipped in isn't the best option. Will take a look at the DMRs because its going to get an awful lot of wet/muddy use this winter, and that's not counting the corrosive properties of cow/horse/pig excrement we ride through in the New Forest 1

Interested to know - do the flats work well even if you're riding in SPD shoes? Mine are M088s so have got a decent tread on them. Just wondering if there will be enough shoe in contact with the pedal?

Oooh, they do V12s in orange, sold...

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Leeroy_Silk replied to kil0ran | 7 years ago
1 like

kil0ran wrote:

Interested to know - do the flats work well even if you're riding in SPD shoes? Mine are M088s so have got a decent tread on them. Just wondering if there will be enough shoe in contact with the pedal?

personally I'd avoid any shoe with deep tread when you're riding flats, even running shoes! Ideally you want a flat sole shoe such as Vans or any skate shoe. If you're feeling flush Five10's feel amazing, they provide that much grip it feels as though you're clipped in.

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janusz0 replied to kil0ran | 7 years ago
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kil0ran wrote:

Thanks guys. My commuter does extra duty as a tagalong mule, and when you're hauling an 8yo around being clipped in isn't the best option. 

I also take an 8 year old on a tagalong. I'd hate to honk us up hills without being clipped in. 

Maybe it's because I've had clips on all my bikes for the past tweny years. Frankly, I'd probably fall off if I jumped on a bike without clips. Of course, you need to choose a cleat system that you can walk on securely. 

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kil0ran replied to janusz0 | 7 years ago
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janusz0 wrote:

kil0ran wrote:

Thanks guys. My commuter does extra duty as a tagalong mule, and when you're hauling an 8yo around being clipped in isn't the best option. 

I also take an 8 year old on a tagalong. I'd hate to honk us up hills without being clipped in. 

Maybe it's because I've had clips on all my bikes for the past tweny years. Frankly, I'd probably fall off if I jumped on a bike without clips. Of course, you need to choose a cleat system that you can walk on securely. 

Most of our riding is on the flat, but yes I'm a bit concerned about this, I've been riding clipped for years. Issue is getting unclipped quickly enough if we need to stop, or if my son leans the wrong way, have had a couple of moments already where I've almost not got out in time.

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SingleSpeed | 7 years ago
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Just buy M540's marginally heavier than XTR work just the same one third the price.

I used to own eggbeater 4Ti's they were hugely expensive and arguably the best performing pedal I've ever owned but Crank Bro's require so much maintenence I gave up on them

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missionsystem replied to SingleSpeed | 7 years ago
1 like

SingleSpeed wrote:

Just buy M540's...

But they're not flats.

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missionsystem | 7 years ago
1 like

Nukeproof Electron Evo is a good choice and under £30 - they have a nylon body, which you may or may not like, but I reckon they great.

Nukeproof do some alloy bodied one too, of course.

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kev-s | 7 years ago
3 likes

If you want decent flat pedals with lots of grip from a well known brand that are easily servicable and spares are cheap then you cant get any better than DMR

Bearings, axles and replcement pins are easily sourced

 

Ive run them on all my mtb's & bmx's for over 10 years, i even have a set with titainuim axles that are now over 10 years old and still going strong

 

Generally  you can get them for around the prices below

£25 for the V8's (loose ball bearings)

£35 for the V12's (sealed bearing)

 

(maybe cheaper elsewhere)

https://www.tredz.co.uk/dmr-platform-pedals/xsrt/priceasc

 

 

 

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Yorkshire wallet | 7 years ago
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Got some decent flats from Evans for £25. Not the lightest things ever but about the same weight as M520s. I've just put them back on for winter as I prefer to quickly get my feet down if needed than go down like a sack of crap again.

Flats also show up any pedalling problems you didn't noticed clipped in.

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I am a human | 7 years ago
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I've got a pair of these on my commuting road bike, and I'm happy with them.  Sturdy and not super light, but comfortable and grippy enough.

https://www.evanscycles.com/fwe-flat-alloy-pedals-EV180198

I've also got these on my mountain bike and they're lovely, and great at this price.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dmr-v8-flat-pedals/

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DoctorFish | 7 years ago
1 like

Quick look, seem to me that you can get them from about £15 on wiggle.  Makes them look like a bargain compared to £528 for speedplay zero titanium nanogram pedals.  Guess it depends on how you want to make price comparisons 3

 

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