What flat pedals are you running?

Ok, so I’ve got V8s which feel great and grip like a really grippy thing. I can’t help but be curious about this thin pedal malarkey. Improved clearance is always a plus, but how different is it to have your shoe closer to the axle? I found Wellgo mags to be light and grippy, but they’re thick. SlimJims were too short in the pin (I’ve since learned that they do upgrades but the pedals are long gone now). V8s are a pedal I’ve come back to as they work well and look ok.

I’m curious about: Vaults, Nanos, Octane One Statics and NSbikes Aerials.

Nanos and very happy .

HTH

Nano aka Kona wah wah aka carbon cycles aka HT aka nukeproof very much the current favorite. Choose your colour, price and prefered label. I have wah wahs from absolute cycles via eBay for about 28 quid.

Actually prefer my easton flatboys but they are twice the weight and twice the price. Possibly the concave shape but feel more secure. Had dmr v12 and hated them.

Not sure about the fashion for thin-the wah wahs are thinner than the fatboys.

Nanos (especially the Carboncycles.cc £33 version) are brilliant value. That said, I sold mine, because I didn’t quite get on with the shape of them, and replaced with DMR Vaults, which are the best flats I’ve ever used. They spin easily, they’re light, they grip like mad, they’re a concave shape, and the platrorm is huge. Someone will be along to say they break easily – the original ones did. I spoke with the distributor, they changed the design after those first failures, beefed it up where the cracks happened, so you should have no issues there.

I have Point One Podiums on another bike, they’re good too, but I wouldn’t recommend them over the Vaults, even if the price was the same.

Straitline Pedals are bloody lovely so much more grip than any other flat that I have used. My brother has V8s and they feel slippy in comparison and CB 50/50s are just crap. That said the straitlines are bloody agressive things and after about 2 years I’m starting to need some new shoes as the pedals have torn the sole to bits.

None, Just gone back to SPD’s from Straitlines…

Dunno why, just never really got on with flats.

Hmm, that reminds me, must put them over there——>

I found the nanos a fair bit better than V8 and V12s.
Now on Point1 podiums (bought 2nd hand!)

Spank Spikes, lovely silly thin pedals that are cheaper than Point Ones. Best grip I’ve ever had from flats as well.

I_Ache – Member
Straitline Pedals are bloody lovely so much more grip than any other flat that I have used. My brother has V8s and they feel slippy in comparison and CB 50/50s are just crap. That said the straitlines are bloody agressive things and after about 2 years I’m starting to need some new shoes as the pedals have torn the sole to bits.

Vaults are every bit as big and grippy as the Straitlines – the issue with the Straitlines is that they don’t spin – fine for DH, but if you’re pedalling, not so good. Heavier and more expensive than Vaults too.

Mine spin fine. I swap between these and DX SPDs for all sorts of riding. One of my straitlines went stiff once so I took it apart (takes about 1 min) cleaned it up and put a bit of chain lube on the bushes. It has been great since.

Ok, lots there.

Can anyone give me some explanation on why thin is good/better? Can you tell or is it just a coincidence with better design?

Cant go rong with the vaults I’ve had mine for about 10 month now with no falt!! solid all round only thing I’d say is the pins can come undone but a bit of Picktight sorts that out good colour range and big platform think it’s 115×115 also easy to service to!! Check out ed oxleys website (great rock tv) he’s done a reviue on them with videos!!

point1racing podium pedals, their thin, grippy and have a large platform and come in raw alloy which looks sweet.

Herman Shake – Member
Ok, lots there.

Can anyone give me some explanation on why thin is good/better? Can you tell or is it just a coincidence with better design?

Theory is that a thin pedal moves you closer to the pedal axle, supposedly minimising dead spots in the pedal stroke, or somesuch. Also a lower centre of gravity (by a few mm), and more ground clearance. (again, a few mm)

If you can notice any of these effects, then I tip my hat.

MG1’s here, only flats I’ve used to be honest and they’ve been going 3 years. I’ll try something else when I finally wear them out, probably nano’s or similar.

Can anyone give me some explanation on why thin is good/better? Can you tell or is it just a coincidence with better design?

Just found the nanos much grippier and more comfortable. I had the HT components ones.

DMR v12s – 10/10
Easton Flatboys – 8/10 bit big
Shimano MX30 – 5/10 pins too small

All getting old now, V12’s are a classic, might try Vaults next, love the look of podiums but price is bonkers.

Straitline on my five and I love them. Super grippy, easy to maintantain and takes chunks out of my shins 😉

Azonic A-frames, had them for about 3 years and I bought them off a guy who raced DH. I’ll run them till they full on die and then get Nano’s I think. They’re the same platform size and have pins in the same places so I think I’ll get on with them!

Nukeproof Neutron which are basically Nano’s.

Atomlab Aircorps – most concave platform i have had the pleasure of using. Sadly I’ve run them with knackered bushes for too long and worn away the pedal where the axle goes through causing new bushes to be ineffective. They still spin nice and I now have a little bit of float built into my flats. WIN!

Got a set of Straitlines waiting for me to fit but I cant bring myself to change from such a reliable Aircorp

Wellgo V12 copies as I have always used. They’re unsealed and rattle like a bitch when they have no weight on them, but they’ve lasted me years. When they die I’ll probably just replace them with the same again, though I wouldn’t mind something similar but with a slightly bigger platform.

I had a quick ride on a bike with the nano-style pedals and hated the feel – the axle is like a big lump sticking into in the middle of your foot.

Nano tech – was very pleased with them but needed new bearings/bushes after less than a year. Not sure if this was average, but then found out (they were a present) they are the titanium axle version so not sure if less robust than the standard version.

Kona Jack shit Primos (white)

atomlab aircorps on the DH and kona wah wah on the xc.

dmr v12 non mag are heavier than v8’s and only have one cart. bearing, the outer one is a bush. get v8s.
dmr v12 mag are lighter than v8, have same bearing arrangement. mine seized on the bush.
v8 have loose ball bearings, and have a grease port. have two pairs that are really old and they are fine.
i have dmr vaults now, and they seem ok so far, but only 2 months use. thinner than v8/v12 and lighter. thinner is good because you get less pedal strikes.

Wellgo MG1s here. Had them about 6 months and I think theyre really good. Really grippy and good size.

Ive heard some people say they arent very strong and that the pins come out but ive given mine some abuse and are still fine, just a little bit of the paint coming off which is no big deal.

I used to swear by v8’s and v12’s since changing to wider flatter pedals I’ve used v8’s once since and hate them they’re horrid horrid pedals.
not enough platform and hurt my feet

started with V8’s, then went to Crank Brothers 50/50, which looked the mutts knackers and were really thin, but they wore out pretty quickley – style over substance i think.. so i now have Azonic X pedals which are amazing, i really don’t think i have had a gripper pair of pedals, and they have lasted a couple of years and still going strong they also look pretty cool – word of warning if they hit your shin you will get a scar and blood will be drawn – but hey – what’s a bike ride with no blood?

Vaults and Nanos.

Vaults, extremely grippy and low profile, not terribly well sealed but easy to service and regrease.

Nanos, 95% as grippy and super cheap.

Get the vaults if you want to spend the money, with a pair of 5.10s it feels like you’re clipped in in the right directions.

bwaarp – Member

Spank Spikes, lovely silly thin pedals that are cheaper than Point Ones. Best grip I’ve ever had from flats as well.
what he said

and here’s what they look like after a basque winter:

DMR Vaults for me. I found a pair of old style thickness pedals had me flipping them all the time which did nowt for the confidence. The Vaults have been excellent – I’m sure the thinness and the sheer platform size helps.

Them Spank Spikes look very nice.. although hell would have to freeze over before I’d pay £90 for a pair of pedals.

V12 Mags all the way, had them for about 6 years and they’ve never missed a beat.

I like Easton Cullys
http://www.rideon.co.uk/shop/ViewProduct.aspx?productId=1066

Spank Spikes get my vote.

I thought the Funn Soljams were a good improvement over my old A-frames, but the Spikes are way better. I didn’t think a thinner pedal would make that much difference, but after an impulse purchase on holiday, I hate riding the Funn’s now, even though the Funn’s have just as much grip.
Plus they’re still holding up well after 6 months abuse on the hardtail, which is a bonus after my NukeProof plastic things fell apart in under a month.

I’m currently trying to justify the £90 outlay for another set for the big bouncy bike :-\

i use the superstar nano!!they have been on my bike for 18 months now and havent even looked at them. they still run as smooth as the day i bought them and i ride through rivers etc a couple of times a month.
they are nice and slimline which i must say makes a big difference, as i clip my pedals alot less now.

Them Spank Spikes look very nice.. although hell would have to freeze over before I’d pay £90 for a pair of pedals.

I agree, thats a lot of moolah for a set of pedals, but we all spend silly money on group sets, frames,brakes, forks etc…Why skimp out on prob the main contact point on your bike?

Do the spank spikes feel/have a concave bed? Also does anyone know the size of them?
I have tried nano’s and they felt too flat, I do like the feel of V8/V12 but a bit too thick?

MG 1’s on both bikes. One set must be three years old now.

They are light and some folk say they are weak when whacked into rocks.

I agree they are light but having whacked them off many rocks, I beg to differ regarding their strength issues.

I’d buy another set tomorrow if I needed a new set that is.