Advice for flat pedals for new bike.

[Sloth]

I have a 2022 Giant Fastroad Advanced 1 on order.
It’s basically a flat bar road bike and will be used for country lanes, B roads in a fitness focussed riding usage. A few potholes and some mud etc. but I’ll not be off-roading, or road racing and will mainly be on my own.

The bike may come with some very cheap and nasty plastic pedals and plastic foot cage, which I’ll not be wanting to keep.
I may try clip-ins at some point but not yet.
So I need some advice on a decent set of flat but grippy pedals suited for how I’ll be riding, cheap if possible but not poor quality.
I’d say no more than £40 including discount.

Giant do some (Giant ‘Original’ MTB pedals) for under £30 and Rock Bros do some, however I know next to nothing about pedals really so advice is appreciated.
What do I need to be uncompromising on, and what should I be open about?
Is weight really an issue, some are under 300g and others nearer 500g?
I understand I need to make sure they have sealed bearings and not bushes?
Is aluminium better than composite/nylon? Is magnesium a great option or an over priced gimmick?
Will most fit the 105 crank set on the bike?

Thanks 🙏

 

[cougie uk]

I would just stick with what comes free with them tbh. Why spend £30 when you're planning on going clipless ?

FWIW I much prefer to be clipped in on my pedals - I've had more incidents with feet slipping off pedals than I have with feet getting stuck on pedals.

 

[Cycleops]

I should wait until you get the bike, the supplied ones will have ball bearings although the body will be plastic and be serviceable. You will then have to decide if you want clipless and with what shoes, if indeed you want to go that route. Majority of shoes you won't be able to walk very well in. Otherwise I can see this running to another six pages

If you decide to replace them and are fitting them make sure you get them the right way around. Might be easier to see what flats the shop has you're buying the bike from and get them to do it.

 

[MichaelW2]

Some plastic pedals are merely placeholders, others have proper ball bearings and are reasonably durable.
If you want some good value metal pedals, look at MKS. I use Sylvian Touring model but they do other styles. All are durable with easy to maintain balll bearings.
Note that the left hand pedal/crank has a reversed direction thread. Shimano cranks have standard threads to fit any pedal. Beware that crossing a thread will damage the expensive ceank not the cheap pedal. Grease the thread and turn by hand in reverse direction until threads click to engage, then screw in by hand before tightening with wrench

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Wellgo do decent pedals at not much money. One of my bikes came equipped with these (LU 950) and I've never felt the need to swap them for something else, they're perfect.
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/wellgo-lu-950-alloy-flat-pedals

DMR's V8 and V12 are also very good flat pedals, I've got V8s on two of the bikes in my garage.

 

[Dirtyhanz2]

I have just fitted a pair of look geo city grip
They very comfortable great for commuting I would highly recommend them

 

[Sloth]

I should wait until you get the bike, the supplied ones will have ball bearings although the body will be plastic and be serviceable. You will then have to decide if you want clipless and with what shoes, if indeed you want to go that route. Majority of shoes you won't be able to walk very well in. Otherwise I can see this running to another six pages

If you decide to replace them and are fitting them make sure you get them the right way around. Might be easier to see what flats the shop has you're buying the bike from and get them to do it.

Thanks, yes I will see what comes on the bike but I don't anticipate anything decent.
Oh, and don't worry this will not be a long thread......

I would just stick with what comes free with them tbh. Why spend £30 when you're planning on going clipless ?

FWIW I much prefer to be clipped in on my pedals - I've had more incidents with feet slipping off pedals than I have with feet getting stuck on pedals.

I'm not sure I will ever go for clip in's. I just don't see the benefit for what I plan on doing? Never say never of course, but it certainly wouldn't be for a fair while, a year or more at least.

 

[Sloth]

These look OK...
https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Bo...QmB1F5l2CFisZkLdqAUaArevEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Sloth]

As do these, although they may be a little heavier than the others, but is 100g here or there an issue?
https://www.bikebargains.co.uk/gian...iant Original Flat MTB,″ axle, and weigh 440g.

 

[Cycleops]

You can always take the loose change or phone out of your pocket. Or give up the cooked breakfasts.

 

[Grant Fondo]

As do these, although they may be a little heavier than the others, but is 100g here or there an issue?
https://www.bikebargains.co.uk/giant-original-mtb-pedals/#:~:text=The Giant Original Flat MTB,″ axle, and weigh 440g.

V12's are 430g, and cool the way it will match the new bike

 

[cougie uk]

As do these, although they may be a little heavier than the others, but is 100g here or there an issue?
https://www.bikebargains.co.uk/giant-original-mtb-pedals/#:~:text=The Giant Original Flat MTB,″ axle, and weigh 440g.

I hope you're weighing your socks and shoes too ?

 

[Sloth]

Play nicely chaps 👍

 

[Petrichorwheels]

Some plastic pedals are merely placeholders, others have proper ball bearings and are reasonably durable.
If you want some good value metal pedals, look at MKS. I use Sylvian Touring model but they do other styles. All are durable with easy to maintain balll bearings.
Note that the left hand pedal/crank has a reversed direction thread. Shimano cranks have standard threads to fit any pedal. Beware that crossing a thread will damage the expensive ceank not the cheap pedal. Grease the thread and turn by hand in reverse direction until threads click to engage, then screw in by hand before tightening with wrench

plus one plus two for Sylvan touring.
With proper ball bearings.
With proper maintenance they will last a lifetime.
You do need to get the special spanner for taking the end cap off - usually pretty cheap if you hunt around.
I have long used clips but touring and quite often around town I now prefer flats.
Clipped in I reserve for long day rides.
Flats don't really sacrifice much if anything as far as I can see/tell.
I can't help but feel that all that stuff about gaining from the upstroke/pull is just so much guff.
Important to match shoes to pedals of course.
SOME flats, or the flat side of some combi pedals can be an issue in the wet,
But not Sylvan Touring in my experience.

I also have a kind of clone Sylvan Touring I picked up cheap secondhand - also not bad.
Sod cartridge bearings, stick to good old ball bearings OP.

 

[presta]

I have a pair of MKS MT Lite (they're not light) which have sealed bearings, and I don't like them because the friction is unbelievably low, so that when I flick them to put my foot in the toeclip, they oscillate and keep moving around so that I fumble like a novice, and take several attempts. I've never had so much bother in over 50 years of using toeclips. (If I perch them with the toeclip at top dead centre and let it topple, the pedal will continue to oscillate for 15 seconds.)

I prefer cup & cone. I can remove the end cap, press a bung with a grease nipple in, and pump grease until it fills the pedal and comes out of the other end. The viscosity of the grease is just right for damping any oscillations, and I can get my feet in first time every time then.

I had two pairs of SystemEX EX331 which were ok to use, but the bearings were made of cheese, and didn't last very long. I had a pair of Wellgo LU939, but they got sacrificed nearly new when I had to cut them off, so I don't know how they would have fared. The Union pedals that came with the bike went this way:

My favourite were a cheap pair of Sakae pedals with a plastic spider and steel cage, from Halfords about 30 years ago, they did everything I wanted, and lasted for ages.