Best flat pedals 2024 — ideal for commuting, off-road exploring and pootling

The DMR Flat 4 pedals are an excellent choice for a variety of needs, from commuting to gravel riding. These pedals offer impressive grip thanks to the raised bars and textured pads, which create a gentle concavity combined with four long pins in the centre. This design makes sure even your regular trainers will stay on the pedal securely. 

The pedals are robustly built with a die-cast aluminium body and chromoly axles, which means they are durable and easy to service. In our review, we found that despite the slightly higher profile and weight compared to some other models, these pedals’ versatility and performance make them a great choice – whether you are a casual or a more serious cyclist.

The DMR V12 pedals are flat pedals ideal for everyday riding. These robust pedals feature a large platform with ten tunable grip studs per side, so you can expect excellent shoe traction. They’re again not the lightest, though there is a lighter magnesium version available too.

The V12s are very solidly built, with a one-piece forged alloy platform running on a chromoly axle and two sealed cartridge bearings. The axle is well-sealed and fully rebuildable, should the need arise; DMR offer an axle kit that has everything you need to replace it. The bearings are smooth and there’s no hint of play in the pedals at all, according to Dave who reviewed these at road.cc. 

Also available at Amazon.com from $52.50

The Look Geo City Grip pedals are an excellent upgrade for urban cyclists who want a grippy but soft(ish) pedal. These Look pedals offer a larger, grippy platform with Vibram rubber for superior traction and comfort. On top of that, you can customise them to be funky as the rubber platform comes in various colours.

That chonkier platform does come with a little weight penalty, but at the same time, the Geo City Grip pedals excel in grip and stability, particularly in wet conditions – and those are a lot more important features on pedals than weight. Hollis, who reviewed these pedals, said “Another advantage of the entirely flat platform on the Geo City is that pressure from your foot is evenly distributed across the pedal when you press down, though you might not notice the difference so much if your shoes have very chunky soles. If, like me, you usually wear Converse-style sneakers with a relatively thin sole, it’s a lot more comfortable when you don’t have jagged bits of plastic and metal stabbing the underside of your feet.”

So, if you rather have a soft nice platform for your feet, then these pedals are a great option. You can also get them with integrated lights that add safety to your late evening and early morning rides. Those Look Geo City Grip Vision pedals are featured just below. 

Also available at Amazon.com from $72.95

The Look Geo City Grip Vision pedals are another set of pedals in this guide with integrated lights. Like their non-light-equipped version above, they offer a great, large grippy platform for urban cyclists. The pedals have a composite base with a Vibram rubber top. The pedals then include four integrated LEDs for enhanced visibility. They are easy to install and use; there’s a motion detector inside each to conserve battery life and a straightforward charging process via micro USB.

The port covers are a bit flimsy and the operation button is small – and at £115.00 these are significantly more expensive than the non-LED version. But at the same time, with these pedals you will always have lights with you and having them on your moving pedals is perhaps the best way to be seen on the roads.

Also available at Amazon from $124

If you already ride SPD-SL pedals but would occasionally like to rock flat shoes and pedals, then these Pedal Plate adaptors are a great and quite inexpensive way to alter your pedals. The simple plates offer a simple yet practical way to convert Shimano SPD-SL or Look Keo three-bolt cleat pedals into a flat, grippy surface suitable for any flat-soled shoes. Or even bare feet… though we’d not recommend that really. 

How do these work then? The Pedal Plates snap into the pedal mechanism where the cleat would normally go, making it a flat surface for pedalling. This feature is particularly useful for short trips or situations where cycling shoes are impractical – say you’re commuting to town on your road bike. If you’re worried about durability, the Pedal Plates are backed by a lifetime warranty against breakage and a three-year warranty against wear and tear. They are compact enough to fit in a pocket or saddlebag, adding minimal weight to your gear – a great way to convert your pedals to flats! 

If you find yourself frequently venturing off-road and want your pedals to be grippy for those steep descents and punchy climbs, the Race Face Chester Flat Pedals are an excellent choice. They’re pedals which strike a balance between value, grip, comfort, and style. They come with a lightweight nylon composite body, paired with a chromoly axle and a fully sealed bearing and bushing system that make sure they can take a bit of a soaking before they need servicing. 

The Chester pedals are equipped with eight steel hex pins on each side, which should keep your feet well-planted on the pedals. These pins are also adjustable, which means you can customise the level of traction (and also how much it hurts when your foot slips and the pins hit the shin..), which is particularly useful for everyday riding and light off-road use. The platform area you get is a generous 110x101mm, meaning it’s easy to get a good footing on the pedal and the raised central section and a concave platform add to that secure feeling. 

Looks aren’t everything when it comes to pedals, but the Chesters come in nine colours which means you can match them to your bike or add a little pop of colour.

Also available at Amazon.com from $27.50

The Redshift Arclight Bike Pedals are rather unique, but also a premium pedal option. Their main selling point is the four COB LED units – integrated neatly into the pedal – that provide red or white illumination depending on their orientation. This means that your pedals will massively enhance your safety with a noticeable glow. The LEDs are bright, have a long battery life, and come with an automatic on/off switch function.

The Arclights are constructed from durable aluminium alloy with a steel axle and sealed bearings which means they have a long life ahead of them. The generous, 95mm platform has raised tabs for grip – though we did find that they can be a bit slippery in wet conditions. 

These are not cheap pedals, but they are an excellent choice for regular nighttime riders who value increased visibility and also, a rather innovative design. If you’re short of topics to chat about with strangers at the traffic lights, these pedals certainly are a good one to cover…

Also available at Amazon.com from $140

If you want flat pedals one day and clipless the other, then the Shimano XT PD-T8000 trekking pedals are an excellent choice. That’s because these pedals feature a dual design: one side for SPD cleats and the other with a flat surface and (optional) grip pins. The flat side is generously sized and designed for good grip, while the SPD mechanism offers secure clipping in and adjustable tension. This combination means the pedals are good for a whole host of riding styles, from easy commutes to the shops to bikepacking. Not to mention these kinds of pedals are great when you’re learning to clip in as you have the flat surface to land your foot on in case you miss the clip-in. 

The XT PD-T8000 is built with a forged alloy body and sealed bearings, making sure you get smooth performance and easy maintenance in one package. These are not the lightest or cheapest pedals out there, but at the same time, you kind of get two in one!

Also available at Amazon.com from $91.46