Flat Pedals

T he Race Face Chester composite pedal was always good value, but the original version was held back by its design. A bit too small and lacking effective concavity due to the presence of a prominent bulge over the axle, it never really provided that locked-in feel that we cherish in a flat pedal. The all-new version being reviewed here today addresses these points with a ground-up redesign that has made the Chester a much better pedal. Keep reading to learn more! Strengths Weaknesses Affordable, great value Very good grip Generous dimensions, two sizes to match rider foot size Composite body...

I f you’ve been around the sport for a while, you might remember the Gamut Podium flat pedal. If you’ve been around forever, you’ll also remember the Point One Podium which was the OG of this pedal shape way back when. Gamut acquired Point One in 2014, and released their version of the Podium pedal in 2016. It was extremely thin, with a shape that still worked well for generating grip, although the small-ish platform and the large inboard bearing bulge were not to everyone’s liking. Gamut stopped making the Podium pedal after just a few years, but fast forward to 2024 and Praxis is releasing...

D eity’s TMAC pedal has been around for quite a few years by now, and in that time it has become widely recognized as one of the leading options on the market. Case in point, it has been holding down a podium position in our long-standing flat pedal face off ever since it was first published in 2016. Building on the legacy of such a successful product is always a daunting task, but that didn’t deter Deity from looking for ways to make it even better. The result is called the Supervillain, and it hits the shelves today (along with the Flat Trak, the thinnest pedal that Deity has ever made). We...

Legendary moto aftermarket tuning company Yoshimura entered the MTB market four years ago now, with their Chilao flat pedal. There was a lot to like about that pedal, although our review noted a couple of small points of potential improvement at the time. Fast forward to present day, and Yoshimura is releasing a new version of the Chilao, dubbed the Chilao SS. The “SS” stands for Static Spring, which refers to a clever preload system designed to keep sideloads away from the bearings and help the pedal to feel fresh and free of any bearing slop (Yoshimura has been granted a patent pending...

Yep, you read that right. Renthal is now making a flat pedal for mountain biking. After 14 years of supplying parts for the cockpit, they felt the time was right to turn their attention to the other crucial MTB contact point – your feet. What were their goals in doing so? What will allow their pedals to stand out in a sea of other options? What do we think of the performance after about 1.5 months on the trail? Keep reading to find out! Strengths Weaknesses High levels of grip Compact shape that maximizes usable real estate Adjustable pin system Robust construction Fully serviceable and...

How do you make something very light yet very strong? In the Star Wars universe, it’s simple: use Mandalorian beskar, a super-tough alloy that can even resist direct lightsaber hits for some time. In the real world, most of us don’t need our stuff to be lightsaber-resistant, so Newmen settled for a regular Earthly aluminum body with a titanium spindle for their first foray into the flat pedal galaxy. To check their work, we laid our hands on a sample pair and put it to the test under our resident, clumsy old Stormtrooper’s size 12 battle boots. Keep reading to find out how it went! Strengths...