Five Best Mountain Bike Pedals

In this review we are going to be looking at the best mountain bike pedals. I am already assuming that you have a pair of mountain bike shoes already and are wearing them. You may well be asking yourself why does a rider need to have different pedals, the short answer is that when a mountain biker is going as fast as he possibly can, pedalling out of the saddle up hill in a competition racing against the clock, the biker needs to have confidence in his/her equipment that they are not going to slip off their pedals and loose time or speed. One slip basically can rule you out the competition. For this reason always choose the best mountain bike pedals you can afford.

Consider a rider going 40 mph down hill at the Nevis Range competition track in Fort William Scotland, hurtling down hill holding his mountain bike bar ends like his life depended on it and he slips off the pedals. The difference between a pair of the best mountain bike pedals and a lesser priced pair can be finishing the race in good time or ending up off the track and being hurt.

If you watch cyclists in the Tour DE France or in any mountain biking competition you will notice that the cyclists hardly ever stop pedalling. They may on down hill sections ease up occasionally but they know time is ticking by and the more they pedal the shorter their finishing time will be. This is the name of the game at the top level. The mountain bike pedals and shoes combination can make all the difference between being on the podium or finishing well down the field.

There are 3 basic types of mountain bike pedals, Clipless, Platform and Cage.

The article on the best mountain bike pedals concentrates on the clip-less type but I have included one platform type as these have some merit over the caged type. The cage or toe clip type are really what cheap bike manufactures put on their bikes to try and help sell them. They do help you put pressure on the pedal on the lift as well as on the down stroke but they can be awkward to access and sometimes dangerous to get your foot out of in an emergency fall.

Shimano, a name we are all familiar with is a world wide company that makes excellent bike components. SPD mountain bike pedals ( Shimano Pedalling Dynamics) are one of the best. The pedal and shoe lock together and this makes for better cycling efficiency.

There is a cleat in the bottom of the shoe that fits exactly on to the pedal. All the rider has to do to remove their foot is twist the heel outwards to release one from the other. The  second impressive feature of this type is that your shoe fits on both sides of the pedal, so you don't have to mess around finding the right side. On the M770 Deore XT you can adjust the tension of the cleat to release more or less easily. The bearings are all internally sealed on the pedals and mud is easily dispersed by the open construction of the pedal.

Another Shimano this time it's the M540. This model superseded the M520 and since its arrival cyclists have been giving it rave reviews. Slightly lighter than its predecessor and it also a little smaller.

Made from alloy steel,these pedals have sealed bearing for smooth operation and have adjustable cleat tensioning. The open frame stops these pedals from getting caked in mud and the total weight for the pair is only 352 gms.

The riders ability to clip straight into the pedal is a bonus in both speed and power.  It also makes the rider more efficient because you are using the the riders momentum of up motion of your legs as well as the down. These pedals will no compromise your performance and the price is excellent.  I strongly recommend these pedals for the price, minimum weight and there functionality.

The Wellgo clip-less mountain bike pedal is one I have included as it has a clip-less feature on one side of the pedal only and a normal a flat platform on the other.This is the type I have on my mountain bike, so it must be good.

This type of pedal is popular with mountain bikers because they can utilise the pedal using their shoes and the cleat for when they go up hill or on the level, and switch to to plain platform side when they are on a twisting down hill track. This enables the rider to put there foot down on each twist as they decent should they need to.

Again this pair bis very light weight at only 352 gms. They are made from steel alloy and has cartridge bearings fitted. The Shimano matched cleat is 98A or 51 cleat compatibility.

I can recommend this pedal at this price has it represents excellent value for the mountain biker.

One of the top companies in mountain biking components, and one of the top pedals available. If you tell your mates your thinking of buying some new clip-less pedals, it will take them 30 seconds to ask you if your going to buy mountain bike pedals with Candy C egg beater spindles attached.

Once again these are two sided pedals so there is no need to look down to get the right side of the pedal. These have a four way option for releasing them which makes it even simpler to take your foot out of the cleat. Move your foot 15° one way or 20° the other to escape the cleat.

There is one pair of standard egg beater cleats included. The kick plates are made from stainless steel and the platform is made from fiber composite. On the Candy C model you get a platform to rest your foot on as opposed to some eggbeater models you just get the spindle.

The weight of these is second to none at 154gms per pedal.

I said in the introduction that I would only include one pair of platform pedals and these are the best platform mountain bikes pedals available. When you choose the pedals you want for your bike, you have to make a certain amount of assumptions. But if your a bit of an all rounder and don't get too deeply involved on major courses then choosing a flat or platform pedal may suit you and has plenty to recommend it

They offer a quick and uninterrupted way to put your foot down on the ground. They are ideal for beginners and for people who want to be stopping regularly. Platform mountain bike pedal prices are way below that of the clip-less and this may sway you in your decision.

The Diamondback Sound pedal has a slightly concave platform for resting your foot on. Additionally there are small moulded pins (lugs) to keep your foot from slipping. Made from steel alloy these are a really strong and robust pair of pedals, ideal for down hill mountain biking or even BMX biking.

There is everything to gain from having a pair of the best mountain bike pedals and when your safety is involved nothing is too good. Keeping your foot attached at all times is imperative to increase your speed and the clip-less types offer that. Traditionally flat or platform types have always been sold with bikes and they still have a place in today's market. Buy any from this review with confidence.