Plastic Flat pedals

My current HT flat pedals are wrecked, and with the tools to change the bushings being $$$$$ I’m looking to replace. I’m interested in some of these new fangled plastic flats. What are the best ones out there? I see Nuke proof ones are well rated. I also like the look of the Raceface ones. Any experiences?
Cheers
Chris

I think most arw happy with the nukeproof, and the Superstar El Plastique are the same.

They skid off rocks better and are suprisingly hard wearing and light.

Issue i had is that when i did need to replace the pins, the plastic around the nuts on the pins was soft and wouldnt grip the nut properly.

What’s the grip like? In my mind they’re going to be slippier than alloy pedals.

Work well, the spikes decide the grip IME.

And seem to take rocks etc well, plus lighter and cheaper than alloy ones.

Grips more than good enough. In fact they were grippier than my Nano X. Though they are still grippy enough.

I’ve got Nuke proofs on both my bikes. I have cracked a pedal clanging onto a rock at full tilt but tbf an alloy one would havexpect suffered I that impact as well. Grip hasn’t been an issuerror.

I thought I’d try a pair, as they are light and cheap, and it turns out, really good too!

Thanks all. Sounds like the Nukeproofs are a contender then. No one tried the Raceface Chesters?

I’ve got some DMR V6 plastic flats on the fat bike. Seem fine – but then anything would feel “fine” through a pair of Scarpa mountaineering boots 🙄

Nukeproofs been spot on for me, can’t notice any grip difference over my Nanos. Could even be better.

The Nukeproof Horizon has been very good for me. Apparently the plastic pins on the outside are a bit delicate but I’ve not broken any yet (there’s a fix for it anyway). Other’n that they’re very like my trusty nanos, except cheaper and lighter.

The older Nukeproofs weren’t that good imo- the axle stood too proud and took a lot of weight off the pins. I relegated mine to the commuter after just a few rides. They did change the design to reduce that a bit but it didn’t make enough of a difference unless you also fitted longer pins, not worth the hassle.

Nukeproof horizon, Awesome.
Don’t think I’ll be going back to alloy pedals

I’ve just got a pair of the exotic ones. Very happy & cheap

The electrons are better than the horizons imho.

The horizons are a tiny bit wider, but nearly twice as thick and despite having 1 less part, they cost more.

Oh and mine failed on me today. 🙁

These?

Had Nukeproof (electrons?) on the fat bike for four years. Despite a lot of sand and salt water, bearings are still good and grip is great. As others said, the pins give the grip not the body. Slide better on rock strikes than alloy ones which tend to grip and grind.

Ooh those look decent

I fancy the metal ones whilst they’re on pre order for £37.

Those will do, there’s a huge range of plastic and metal pedals with slightly different (but often the same) bodies under brands, but they all share the same axles, bearings and bushes – it’s one of those sets.

Thanks all. Sounds like the Nukeproofs are a contender then. No one tried the Raceface Chesters?

Yes, I have them. They’re great.

Hi. Just taken a set of electrons off one of me bikes.i found that once I put longer pins in them they were good pedals, plenty of grip,seem to take a beating okay. Only thing I don’t like about them and all the ones i’ve looked at is they all have some plastic pins on them and they don’t sit properly in flats soles, I cut a couple off of mine helped a bit ,but still not how should be. I got FIREEYE pj-acr which are excellent 56 pins massive amount of grip, under £50,easily serviced, pins are dirt cheap.

Exotic – £23

P-Jay – Member

The horizons are a tiny bit wider, but nearly twice as thick

They’re really not.

I have Electrons which are pretty good to be honest.

Those Exotics look good value though if they last well?

I have had 4+ pairs of the electrons for ages and all still going strong. I pair of a commenscal version, all good.
Last year got a two pairs in the sale of the superstar El plastique for a new build and a winter bike which look identical to the electrons but the build quality was very poor. Lost all the pins off one pair and 50% out of the second before I noticed, plus they both developed play witin a couple of rides as the inner cap/nut worked loose. Could/should have checked before fitting but hadn’t needed to with the electrons which have been fit and forget whilst bombproof.

Can you put proper, metal pins in the horizons?

I’ve been toying with the idea of getting some, my Vaults are a rattling mess again and i’m bored of paying stupid money for rebuild kits.

@northwind

Electron on the left, Horizon on the right.

I was mistaken the electron is actually a few mm wider than the horizon, the horizon is a few mm longer, but much thicker.

They both use the same axles, bearings and bushes – the horizon uses 1 cover/nut the electron uses 2.

I’ve no idea why the Horizon costs more and is seen at the higher spec pedal, I guess Nukeproof paid for it’s design, the metal ones are tagged ‘Sam Hill’ I think, whereas the Electron is generic.

The pins in the Horizon ARE metal

P-Jay – Member

I’ve no idea why the Horizon costs more and is seen at the higher spec pedal

Because concavity is better for a pedal. If you can get on OK with the protruding, convex axle then the Electron is probably great but it’s the thing that turns people right off it. The reason the Horizon is fatter is purely to give it shape, you don’t stand on the axle bulge with it.

Like i say, I own both but the electrons got retired to the commuter very quickly. They’re a near miss, for me.

Hob Nob – Member

Can you put proper, metal pins in the horizons?

All but the outer pins are metal. It’d be fairly easy to drill them out if you really want to but I’ve not bothered. (might weaken the cage too I suppose)

Love my electrons. Now fitted to 3 bikes (including road bike)…..grippiest ive ever ridden with (added bonus: the colours don’t chip and scrape off, so don’t look scruffy after a few rides)

Just to come back to this – I found somewhere doing the Horizon Comps for £28 delivered. So, I ordered a pair.

Well, i’m impressed. They are light out of the box. Rumour has it they take the same axle as the old SS Nano/NP etc – of which I just so happen to have some Ti axles for. Hey presto, as set of crazy light 240g pedals.

Grip is good, on a par with the Vault, platform is massive – not overly thin but that’s not a big issue for me, they would only me 1-2mm thinner anyway.

Be interesting to see how long they last – the test begins. 🙂

There’s no reason why they should last any longer or shorter than the metal equivalent, the axle, bearings and bushes are all the same.

If you’re a bit heavy handed you can wreck the threads in the bodies, I’ve done that, but it’s more a user error thing in my book.

just get DMR V6’s and run em into the ground

I bought a set of the race face chesters and am really impressed. Very very grippy, nice size and seem to stand up well to pedal strikes and a weekend of riding through very wet trails in wales. Thumbs up from me.

I’ve been wondering about plastic pedals regarding hard wearing and reliability.
I have some wellgo B25 pedals on my Fatbike, only because that’s what I had spare. They weigh nearly half a kg.

I should be able to save half a pound here, not that I’m a weight weenie.

Anybody used the xpeedo may pedals? Are they any more softer/harder than the plastics?

Finally knocked the plastic pins off the outside of the Nukeproofs, like everyone says will happen. Thing is, I didn’t notice til I had the bike in the garage- the metal pins seem to be doing all the work. I originally thought I might drill the cage for metal pins but now I guess I won’t bother

I’ve always got on with the old style electron and have them on 2 bikes.

I’ve just bought some horizon comps for my newest bike so will look forward to seeing how I get on with them.

Nukeproofs for me too here, have Nanos on one bike and can’t really tell the difference.

Pic of Nukeproof plastic pedal at Antur Stiniog today.
Rider had a trip to A and E with a badly cut shin.

Warning! A bit graphic! http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=1h6wpw&s=9#.WOp-q6K1vIU

😮