Flat pedals win medals’, or so the saying goes. While mountain bike flat pedals aren’t for everyone, they are incredibly popular with a lot of mountain bikers and for good reason; you can put your foot down when you need to, reposition your foot on the pedal, and not being attached to the bike is a definite plus when things start getting sketchy. They also force you to learn correct technique when it comes to bunny-hopping, pumping, and even pedalling, as you can’t be lazy and rely on an attachment between your foot and the pedal. What to look for in the best mountain bike flat pedals: What is the best platform shape for a mountain bike flat pedal? Cross-country riders with stiff shoes won’t need the support and weight of a platform, and will likely prefer a compact SPD pedal as a result, but in the context of gravity or aggressive trail riding, a platform provides foot support for softer shoes that have more pedal feel. Any time you’re not using rigid-soled XC or gravel bike shoes, we’d recommend using clipless pedals like these. These pedals are so cheap in comparison to similar products that it doesn’t really matter that Fooker doesn’t appear to offer service kits. When you’d need them, you can just as well buy a complete new pair of pedals.

The Chester's are great, but they aren't perfect. With only eight pins per side and none along the axle, they do not have the strongest grip and can feel a little slippery in wet conditions. The moderately-sized platform also may not be ideal for those with larger feet. Beyond that, they are a good option for those who value a little foot mobility and riders on a budget. The platform is what differentiates the V11 from more ‘normal’ flats in that the centre supporting beam is concave. That just means it’s not flat and dips in by 3mm in total compared to the external width of the pedal. You can see the dip quite clearly in this next image. The outer width of the pedal is 19mm which dips to 16mm at the centre giving a 1.5mm dip on each side. Don’t worry, it’s meant to look like that.

There are a full set of spare parts available from DMR and the pin kits include a tool for the Moto pins that can’t be adjusted with a standard hex key. Reasons to buy: Decent grip and foot stability. Durable and serviceable. Well made. Multiple colour options. 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. Platform size This top-performing pedal has excellent grip, and a well-rounded performance and is a great choice for a variety of terrain these budget pedals are great performers. They offer up as much grip as much more expensive pedals thanks to that clever concave central area and those pointy Moto pins and despite their price tag the ease of maintenance and availability of spares means these should last a good long time. Oh, and there’s enough colour choices to suit even the most garish of tastes. All the DMR V11 spares

HT's PA03A pedals might not have the snappiest of names, but when it comes to getting boatloads of grip from a durable and comfortable platform at a bargain price, it's worth remembering it as they're the ones to beat. If you wish to return your bike to us please keep it in the box it arrived in and call us on 01772 644340 and we will arrange a collection. 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.You should always keep proof of postage and we advise you to use a ‘signed for service’ when returning goods.