Non-flat flat pedals

I’m hearing that some flat pedals are concave.  What’s the idea behind that?  Is it a good thing?  Worth an upgrade?

Most of them are, it’s so your foot sits ‘in’ them, not on them.

whether this is a good thing is open for debate

Aye, well worth it, keep your foot planted a lot better. IME actual flat pedals feel like there’s a rise in the middle.

Burgtec penthouse mk4 are a class above most.

Original back in the eighties BMX flat pedals were all sharks teeth to provide grip like these –

But then Shimano figured out with the original DX flat pedal that having a concave surface gave better grip and feel without massive pins

In the mid nineties DMR resurrected this style with their V12 and concave pedals have been the way forward ever since IMO. I’ve tried pedals with no concavity (spank spike), even convex pedals (Canfield Crampon) and although they feel “okay”, I’ve always gone back to a concave platform. Currently on the new V12’s, a set of Straitline Defactos. and a set  of Easton Cullys.

Ah.. V12s are what I have.  Guess I didn’t notice the concavity.  No need to upgrade then 🙂

You can put longer pins on the corner positions to exaggerate the concave-effect.

Superstar provide two lengths of pin with their nano pedals and you fit them yourself, I do mine as above.

Just to buck the trend, these OneUp Components aluminium pedals are convex 

Must be dreadful then 😀

The OneUp pedals work great for me despite their convexity but I think the pins are over the top, I’m going to stick some shorter ones in.  Prefer them to my Nano X though the Nanos couldn’t really be called concave once the axle bulge is taken into account.