# toughest pedals



## EDizzleVR6 (Oct 4, 2007)

looking for the best bombproof set of pedals. had a pair of crank bros 5050x and ive found out to trust the reviews on that 1, theyre crappy. just got a set of cheap oddessy pedals now but theyve got the plastic pins, and I want sharp metal...
i had wellgos on my old bike, and am considering buying a set them again, anything else that will stay true with metal grip


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## his dudeness (May 9, 2007)

It all just depends on how much you want to spend really. There's some out there that are really grippy and cheap but they usually last a short time. I've been running the Deity pedals for a wee bit and like them a lot. I've also used Easton dh flats, Dark Cycles Arachnid's, Azonic's, 1664 beaver traps. They've all been pretty good for me.


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## Orange-Goblin (Jan 27, 2008)

Just ordered a set of the new Deity Decoys, (Essentially just Kona WahWah's but nicer looking!)

My DMR v12's are just too thick and look like **** with all the P/Coat come off.


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## specializedbeta18 (Jul 31, 2008)

I use a pair of Easterns on my Demo. Ive had them since last summer and they have proven to be a superior set of pedals. They are decently light and extremely strong. You mentioned a problem with the spikes on another pair...These pins are LONG compared to other pedals, but not to the point that they cause problems. I also picked them up for $35. they come in a variety of colors to match any theme you've got going. they come in a magnesium version too, being 5 oz. lighter. As far as i've experienced, they are bomb proof.

Here's a link... http://www.easternbikes.com/part/41/


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## dh_drew (Sep 9, 2008)

I've been running the same cheap $20 Mosh pedals for the past year and have had no problems, and all the pins are still in.


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## jcaino (May 26, 2007)

I am some Sun Zu Zu pedals that have taken a beating...really like em.


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## Uncle Cliffy (Jul 7, 2006)

Bombproof pedals? Try super-nova proof...










Too bad they weigh more than some forks out there... Any Syncros pedal rocks really. The Mag and alloy models are light enough and haven't failed me except once when I bent an axel. I e-mailed Malcolm and he sent me a new axel F.O.C.


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## Djponee (Dec 20, 2006)

my well-go b-37s have benn beaten in rocks at northstar for almost two years and they are still in good working order.


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## Raptordude (Mar 30, 2004)

Just get a couple of cheap ones (Wellgo's). I ride 50/50's and I've beat the hell out of them and they're fine, but obviously they vary from rider to rider.


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## XCkiller (Aug 26, 2007)

azonic pookies are pretty bombproof (IMO)


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## daisycutter (Sep 18, 2005)

*burgtec penthouse flats*

burgtec penthouse flats they are not cheap but they are tough

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=17136


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## chromejesus (Jan 23, 2008)

I am running straitlines and like them better than any other pedal I have had.


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## oli h (Dec 15, 2006)

XCkiller said:


> azonic pookies are pretty bombproof (IMO)


Very grippy too! The only problem is that they might be a bit small/narrow for some people and there not exactly lightweight.


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## rollertoaster (Jun 11, 2007)

The sunline v1's are very tough. my friend runs them on his sunday, and I've seen lots of sparks fly off of them in the rocks and very minimal damage was done to the pedals. 

I run the atomlab trailpimps, or whatever they are called. because they are so thin, like the decoy, wah wah's, they don't make contact with the ground very often. I ride a Chumba F5 with lots of sag so if they were gonna break they would have by now.


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## kntr (Jan 25, 2004)

Sycnros Mental Stainless Steel. Toughest pedals out there.


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

If you want pedals that can be smashed into just about anything, check out the Syncros Mental SS pedals. They are heavy though.


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## EDizzleVR6 (Oct 4, 2007)

the only dif between the atomlab trailking/trailpimp and the general issue is the width? how thick they are? and im sure weight, but the general issue seems good enough,


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## Uncle Cliffy (Jul 7, 2006)

EDizzleVR6 said:


> the only dif between the atomlab trailking/trailpimp and the general issue is the width? how thick they are? and im sure weight, but the general issue seems good enough,


General issue pedals are more of a cast body where the Trailpimps are CNC. General issue pedals are available with bearings and bushings though...


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## Iggz (Nov 22, 2006)

Sunline V-1 are pretty damn bombproof.


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## EastBay_Slim (Jan 4, 2007)

speedplay drilliums are proving themselves well.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

XCkiller said:


> azonic pookies are pretty bombproof (IMO)


really you just need something good.....these pedals last

pookies 
http://www.azonicusa.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=52_32&products_id=209

a-frames
http://www.azonicusa.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=52_32&products_id=98

my favorites 420
http://www.azonicusa.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=52_32&products_id=387


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## xterrain (May 6, 2008)

Everyone here that has spoken, has forgot what they meant to say and just written jibberish.

TRANSITION STEPDOWNS...all you need and more.


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## ammarhio (Jul 26, 2006)

I'm still using my Syncros Mental's. 

They have brutal grip and are as tough as Chuck Norris


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## frisky_zissou (Jun 4, 2006)

syncros truely are the strongest. but anything from brooklyn machine works will probably come close.


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## zahgurim (Aug 12, 2005)

Another vote for the Syncros Mental SS. Can't go wrong with the lifetime warranty...

The local terrain chews up alu pedals and kills mags ridiculously fast, but is scarred up by the stainless.

As posted above, took an axle out on a very fast/hard exposed granite outcropping hit, but Syncros sent me new one halfway around the world for free.


Some pedals are grippy, few pedals are reliably strong. 
The Mentals are both.


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## ammarhio (Jul 26, 2006)

Yah, i have the raw, powdered finish Mentals, and they have not given me any poroblems so far. I used them all last season on the Diablo trails, and had a few bad spills, as well as smashing them dead onto some rocks on BMW. Spindle is strait and stiff, no flex at all, grease is not a problem, they are oh so smooth, and the grip makes you want to hit that new drop without even giving it a once over


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## xterrain (May 6, 2008)

Stepdowns are about half as heavy and have replacable pins [compared to Synchros]


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## ammarhio (Jul 26, 2006)

xterrain, 

that deff. holds true about the weight, but I think the Syncros have a much thinner profile...and the new ones have replaceable pins.... don't quote me


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## tailwind105 (Sep 5, 2007)

Check out the Straitline blog. They have one of their pedals getting run over by a steamroller.

http://straitline.blogspot.com/2009/01/wnt-to-see-pedal-get-smashed.html


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

The Mental SS, alloy, and mag has always had replaceable pins. The cromo model is the one with molded pins. Yes, it is heavy (Magnesium/427g, Alloy/503g, SS/800g, CrMo/813g), but it is strong. Much stronger than the Transitions. The Transitions are not the end all to pedals. There are stronger. There are lighter. There are grippier. There are thinner profiles.

At 540g, there are far lighter pedals than the Transition.

I'd rather have the Deity over the Mental... but to be honest... the Mental is probably still stronger. The Deity does have a better feel to it. And Eric and Sadie really stand behind their products. It weighs in at 430g. It's a nice thin profile. Great shape. Smart pin design.

The pedals that have the pins that screw in from the bottom (like Twenty6)... you need to be careful with pin removal or you can damage the threads. On top of that, the screws are heavier. bullcrew seems to have the right idea, replacing them with grub screws.


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## daisycutter (Sep 18, 2005)

no question they are way better


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## daisycutter (Sep 18, 2005)

*deity issue*

The problem with the deity pedal is the pin should screw in from underneath the pedal. Instead they screw in on top of the pedal which makes them a pain to deal with when they get bent when you hit rocks against them. I like most deity products not the pedals. I would take the kona wa wa pedals over them.


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## xterrain (May 6, 2008)

I checked out those Straight;line products...look preety sweet. I contacted them for their new limited edition Lenosky pedals coming out.


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## ammarhio (Jul 26, 2006)

Syncros Pwns in this catagory, Period.


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## RM7 (May 6, 2004)

I've used the Crupi pro, round pedals for years on almost every bike I ride. bmx,trails,freeride, and DH.....zero problems and they look nice also, and no pins. these with the 5.10 shoes are outstanding...just my opinion.


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## derekr (Mar 21, 2008)

I use easton flatboys and they work well but i do have my eye on these altho i duno how strong/reliable they are?


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## sodak (Oct 10, 2006)

I vote for the Straitlines. They are super smooth and pretty indestructable. I only feel they are better then the Syncros because they have more options for colors, the anodized finish on them is beautiful, and they are much lighter than the Syncros. The one thing Syncros has on the Straitlines is the grip. The Straitlines grip better than any pedal I have tried, other than the Syncros. The Syncros Mentals are essentially meat grinders placed on an axel.


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## stretch169 (Jul 23, 2006)

derekr said:


> I use easton flatboys and they work well but i do have my eye on these altho i duno how strong/reliable they are?
> 
> Aircorps have been great for me, very light and thin but seem plenty strong.
> 
> Dave


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## Orange-Goblin (Jan 27, 2008)

xterrain said:


> I checked out those Straight;line products...look preety sweet. I contacted them for their new limited edition Lenosky pedals coming out.


They've been out for around a year now. Available from most online retailers....
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=26387


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

daisycutter said:


> The problem with the deity pedal is the pin should screw in from underneath the pedal. Instead they screw in on top of the pedal which makes them a pain to deal with when they get bent when you hit rocks against them. I like most deity products not the pedals. I would take the kona wa wa pedals over them.


If it screws in from the bottom and you bend the pin then you have to cut if flush and then remove it. Otherwise it will destroy the threads. It is lighter if it screws in from the top and it is less likely to damage the body.

The Wah Wah pedals are a good chunk heavier.


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## EDizzleVR6 (Oct 4, 2007)

narrowed it down, to the 
easton flatboys (found for $60), sunline v1s (found for $100), and the shimano mx30 (found for $75)









I like shimano products, and these pedals look sweet, plus i always see them on pro-riders bikes
went to the lbs and checked out the syncros inperson, looked bombproof, but heavy as no other, also they dont have replacable pins unless i spend another $100 to get them magnessium race or whatever.
the lbs, told me to stay away from the sunlines, and he recommended the eastons...
I like the eastons, but they only have 8 pins per side, even though im sure they stick, 
can anyone comment on the shimano pd-mx30??????
personally, i like the shimano and the sunlines, basing it on other product experience.
the eastons are made by bell, and ive heard bad things about their customer service.


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

The Syncros Mental Cromo does not have replaceable pins. The Syncros Mental SS, Alloy, and Mag all have replaceable pins.

The flatboys and the Shimano are both great pedals... but if you're looking to spend that much, I'd rather toss in a few more bucks and get the Deity.


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## Orange-Goblin (Jan 27, 2008)

I wouldn't get the Shimano's personally. Really thick, pins are small and quite ineffective.

They've been superceded by many new designs now, not as good as they once were comparatively. Not a fan of the other either, but that personal preference, Sunline make good stuff, my 1.5" DH stem rules!


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## EDizzleVR6 (Oct 4, 2007)

heh, ya i looked at the 3d view of the shimano pedals, i like them, but those pins barely come out of the pedal!!! well now its down to the sunlines-eastons-i suppose the deitys. but im gona buy the sunlines as soon as i find a website w/ the cheapest price


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

The pins on the Shimano can always be replaced with longer ones. But I agree... there are newer and better designs.


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## Orange-Goblin (Jan 27, 2008)

Yeah, set of the Deitys winging their way to me now. My V12 Mags are ok, but man they are chunky on a low BB like the Intense SS. They look like crap after a week of riding too, powdercoat is such a dumb idea for pedals. Roll on Deitys' Black Anodizing!
Also, now i've got Bombers on my feet, don't need such long pins, man those shoes make more difference than any pedal ever did!!!!!!!!


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## jhazard (Aug 16, 2004)

Another vote for Synchros. Started out on my single speed, then moved them to my Reign.
I have the Chromo version - pins are not replaceable. Been riding them over a year, and not much wear to show for it. IMO, best pedals since my old school Shimano DX's. A friend has the newer DX pedals, and was losing pins within the first three months.

I wouldn't call the DX's "tough"... but they do look pretty


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## J. Random Psycho (Apr 20, 2008)

I have had the new style Shimano MX30 for half a year now. I went for these because I needed serviceable pedals that last, especially in the bearing department. MX30 are rumored to be particularly reliable in this regard. And, my experience with Shimano M959 clipless pedals is very positive, so I decided in favor of MX30 over the other brands.

Much to my disappointment, I have discovered yesterday that both pedals have developed play. I took them apart, adjusted the bearings (the locknuts were properly tight against cones, so it must have been wear going on), put new grease in the bodies and assembled them back, thus pressing the grease through the bearings and to the outside. The operation was easy to perform - it took only an adjustable spanner, 10 mm and 7 mm spanners and grease.

They are back no normal now, but I have lost trust in them. It's like they are corrupt at the core while looking good from the outside.

The grease that came out was dark and opaque from contamination - maybe it was that which contributed to wear. But I expected the seals to keep it away; it's been only half a year riding after all.

I'm looking now for a truly reliable set of pedals - that which the MX30 promised to be. These are the features I'm after:

1. Aluminum body.
2. Chromoly axle.
3. Setscrew type pins (the ones you thread from the outside). Commonly available metric setscrew compatibility is preferred, then proprietary pin kits.
4. Grip.
5. Weight at around 500 g or less.
6. Most importantly, reliable and serviceable bearing system.

The bearing system point needs elaboration. It means either that you can adjust and regrease cone bearings, like with MX30 (but longer service intervals), or that you can replace bearings once they wear out. From the second option, I would prefer the cartridge bearing types commonly available from bearing stores. Proprietary bushings are OK only if 2 conditions hold:

1. The rebuild kits are easy to come by,
2. The interval between rebuilds is comparatively long, in usage metric. That is, the seals perform comparatively good.

I do understand that it is the bushing based design that lends low profile to pedals.


These are the options I have discovered so far:

1. Tioga Surefoot MX Pro.
2. Deity Decoy.
3. the upcoming Nuke Proof Proton or Neutron. Neutron looks very much like the Deity, by the way.
4. Straitline SC.


So, what do you guys think?


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## loamranger (Oct 26, 2006)

JRP, Deity, Superstar, Nuke Proof etc.are branded versions of the same pedal. Also suggest checking out NC-17 and Burgtec. Burgtec and Straitline probably are the best made but are heavier than the others.


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## tacubaya (Jan 27, 2006)

If you wanna spend the money definately get the Straitlines, if not... get the Deitys


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## lalocotequinta (Mar 28, 2007)

One more for the Straitline, got one pair last year for my FR bike and I'm getting anotha one for my DH rig.:thumbsup:


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## dementedfatty (Apr 15, 2006)

+1 for straitlines again. Just bought a white pair for my Session and they are amazing.


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## brillantesdv (Oct 24, 2007)

the new Nuke Proof pedals look appealing. yea they re branded versions of a generic pedal, but the Ti option is very enticing. claimed 268g.


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

The Deity pedal is not a catalog pedal with some decals. Deity does use a similar design, but with further refinement.


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## J. Random Psycho (Apr 20, 2008)

ryates, so the rebuild kits are the same for Deity Decoy, Nuke Proof Neutron and the like? I'm just being a bit paranoid that there may be slight variations in pedal internals introduced deliberately just to make them incompatible.

I think that Straitline are heavier because of the pins, whereas Burgtec are entirely different design. I ruled them out because of cost vs. weight vs. pin type combination..

I also have looked at NC-17 models, especially the Sudpin series. Somehow I don't feel like going for these: the cone type Sudpin Pro don't offer advantages over MX30; the bushing type Sudpin S-Pro are more like it, however.

tacubaya, I just want the ones with longest lasting internals. ) Right now I'm tempted to go with the likes of Deity...

XSL_WiLL, that's useful hint, thanks! Do you happen to know what the refinements are, do they concern pedal internals?


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## Toasted BLT (Feb 16, 2008)

daisycutter said:


> The problem with the deity pedal is the pin should screw in from underneath the pedal. Instead they screw in on top of the pedal which makes them a pain to deal with when they get bent when you hit rocks against them. I like most deity products not the pedals. I would take the kona wa wa pedals over them.


In my experience, if you mushroom a pin or damage the threads on a rock, it can be a lot more difficult to unscrew the whole pin through the bottom of pedal surface vs just having to back it out from the top.

I ride the Deity, Transition Step-Downs, and Easton Flatboys. I like all three a lot, but if I had to choose one, it would be the Transitiono Step-Downs.

Good luck


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## Nick_M2R (Oct 18, 2008)

ok im gonna say it

Kona Wah Wah's !

cheap, extremely burly, pins dont fall out, and light. Ive bit the living christ outta mine for over a year, have not look after them one bit, and they still spin like they did back on day one

If not them, i say straitline's, can beat em, check out the vids on there website, they show you how strong they are by running over them in a steam roller


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## J. Random Psycho (Apr 20, 2008)

I ended up buying Nuke Proof Neutrons, CrMo axle, Aluminum body. Weight is 448 g for the pair. Lots of platform, diabolical grip with 5-10 shoes, and all the spare parts are available. Also, I don't seem to clip them against stuff as often as I did with Shimanos.

These are just like the Deity, Superstar, etc model. The pins insert from the outside, and the axles have both wrench flats and hex key holes. The seal looks impressively big. )

One strange thing, there are 2 identical shaped, tall, hex holed metal caps (8 g total weight) in each pedal, threaded in one after the other to cover the locking nut. I found this strange in comparison to my Eggbeaters, which have very compact caps, one per pedal.

I'm also going to get some hex socket type pins instead of the default grub screw type ones.


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## Reign rider (Oct 30, 2008)

If you want bomb proof, insane grip and cool looks look no further than the NYC glory holes. You could place them on a rock then place a rock on top of it. Then break that rock with a sledge hammer and not cause any damage. 

The only down side is the price 145 is a little pricy but I think they come with a unconditional lifetime warrenty.


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## Chumba15 (Jul 3, 2009)

This was posted in the rider down/injuries section. He was using Shimano halfies. Spd/Cages. these must take the cake lol. His leg caught the pedals when he went OTB i think.


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