By Alex Evans

Published: Sunday, 20 March 2022 at 12:00 am

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Pedals have a difficult job. For starters, they’re one of the three contact points where your body and your bike meet, so have to provide a suitable interface as well as an element of control.

They’re also the means by which you transmit the power in your legs into the bike’s drivetrain to propel you along the trail, and are often subjected to the general rough and tumble of mountain biking.

As a result, pedals are a crucial part of any mountain bike, but they come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and styles. What’s right for you will depend on where you ride and how you ride, but the first decision you need to make is whether you want flats or clipless.

We’ve covered the basics below but have a separate guide to flat vs clipless pedals if you want to delve deeper into the pros and cons of each. Otherwise, our round-up of the best mountain bike pedals should help you to decide exactly what to fit to your bike. Every set of pedals here has been tried and tested by the BikeRadar team.

If you’re upgrading from an old set, you can read our guide on how to change bike pedals, while we’ve also got a buyer’s guide to the best mountain bike shoes – once again with options for both clipless and flat MTB pedals.

Flat or clipless pedals?

This buyer’s guide contains our pick of the best flat and clipless mountain bike pedals. Use the links below to jump straight to the relevant section.

• Best flat mountain bike pedals
• Best clipless mountain bike pedals

Flat mountain bike pedals

Flat pedals are essentially just a platform for each foot. They’re double-sided, so it doesn’t matter which way up they are and there’s usually some extra grip provided by strategically placed pins.

The bigger the pedal’s face or platform, the greater the area you have to plant your foot and the greater the contact between you and your bike.

Flat pedals let you move your feet about as you please and, as a result, are preferred by some riders on technical terrain.

Clipless mountain bike pedals

Clipless or SPD pedals, on the other hand, are a bit of a misnomer since they clip onto special cleats mounted on the soles of your shoes.

The confusion with the name boils down to the fact that when this sort of pedal first appeared, its main selling point was how it enabled riders to discard the uncomfortable toe clips and straps they’d been using up until then.

Clipless mountain bike pedals are also double-sided, unlike single-sided road bike pedals, and since they rely on a mechanical attachment, rather than the surface area and pins to keep rider and bike connected, they’re typically a lot smaller than flats.

Some riders prefer cycling with cleats thanks to the feeling of improved pedalling efficiency and security of clipless pedals. Firstly, there’s the confidence gained from knowing your feet are going to stay exactly where you want them through rough terrain. Then there’s that connection to the bike, which makes hopping obstacles or going light over roots that bit easier.

If you are using clipless pedals, pay close attention to cleat position, to maximise comfort and control on the bike.

What about clipless pedals with a cage?

Don’t worry if you can’t decide one way or another because caged ‘trail’ pedals provide a halfway house between clipless and flat-platform models. They marry a mechanical cleat-attachment device with a large pedal body for a ‘best of both worlds’ option.

Any time you’re not using rigid-soled XC or gravel bike shoes, we’d recommend using clipless pedals like these.

For downhill, enduro and aggressive trail riding where you want the feel of a softer shoe while still being clipped in, the cage ensures there’s still plenty of foot support and the bigger platform makes the mechanism easier to locate after a dab or foot-out turn.

The best mountain bike pedals in 2022

Deity TMAC

5.0 out of 5 star rating

Ian Linton / Our Media

• £140 / $170 / AU$285 / €170 as tested
• Clever platform design
• No-slip surface
• Low weight-to-size ratio

Deity’s TMAC flat pedals’ concave form and well-positioned, pointy pins create unrivalled grip and stability.

Designed with input from freerider Tyler McCaul, the TMACs are big and square, measuring 110(L)x105(W)mm. Deity says they are its largest pedal, but their aluminium body keeps weight to 454g.

Fourteen adjustable and replaceable grub screw-style pins are dotted around each pedal platform edge. These and the concave platform maintain traction between the foot and pedal, including when hitting rocks.

Our tester didn’t experience much foot clawing, which reduced tiredness and enhanced control. He was so impressed he picked a pair to continue riding.

• Read our full Deity TMAC flat pedals review