The best mountain bike pedals will give you a secure connection to your bike. The best options will provide maximum power transfer and a secure bike-to-rider connection thanks to the 'clipless' clip-in mechanism built into the pedal body. That said, the type of riding you enjoy will dictate which style of the best mountain bike pedals is best suited to you.
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For most riders, the latest evolution of the original Shimano SPD design still sets the standard to beat in terms of cost-effective reliability. Nukeproof’s Horizon and Ritchey’s WCS offer interesting twists on the Shimano template if you’re after a tough trail pedal or a featherweight foot connection. Crankbrothers’ Mallet and Time’s ATAC show it’s worth setting foot outside the world of Shimano if you’re after a different, potentially more knee-friendly feel, too.
That’s just a select handful from the shoe-grabbing selection you’ll find when seraching for the best option So how do you work out which gives the best foothold for your budget and your style of riding, and which should you avoid?
If you prefer to ride without clipping in, our guide to the best MTB flat pedals is worth a browse. Alternatively, you can skip to the bottom if you want to know how to pick the best mountain bike pedals.
Best mountain bike pedals: XC / trail
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Shimano’s entry-level M520 can be bought ridiculously cheap and is as near to indestructible as you’ll find. It might not have the fancy coatings or lighter materials of posher Shimano SPDs, but the actual on-trail operation is indistinguishable. From experience, they often last longer than their more sophisticated siblings too, and the bearings are fully serviceable if they do start to develop play. The axles are heavier than the 8mm Allen key shafts on 540 and above but it means you can fit and remove them with a garage spanner if you don’t have an 8mm.
The ‘toe-in’ engagement is easy once learned and connection and release are clearly communicated. Spring tension is adjustable, they shrug off rock strikes very well and Shimano cleats last longer than any others, too. The ‘Multi-Release’ cleats let you pull out upwards as well as sideways if you’re scared of being trapped but premature ejection means we generally stick with the standard cleats.
It’s the relentless reliability and price of the 520 that makes it the ‘no brainer’ cost-effective choice though and means there are about a dozen pairs of these roaming free in the northern Bike Perfect workshop as the default pedal for any test trail bikes that come in.
Crankbrothers makes three versions of its Candy pedal and the 3 sits right in the middle, offering a full range of tuning features in a relatively wide one-piece, three-color-option body design. The mechanism is the classic X-Wing Eggbeater design which rotates freely in the center of the shoe to give all angle release and engagement whatever filth is on your shoe. While the medium spring tension is fixed, float and release angle can be altered by switching cleats left to right or choosing from premium, standard or easy-release options that give 0-10 degrees of float and 10-20 degrees release angles.
Clearance between shoe and pedal can be tuned with shims under the cleat and the Candy 3 also comes with clip-on ‘traction pads’ for the body. That means with a bit of fettling you can get just the right amount of foot support and connection for your riding tastes. The extra body support also reduces shoe wear from the stainless steel wings compared to the skeletal Eggbeater design. Protection is improved too but they are 75g heavier than a pair of Eggbeater 3s.
As well as having the traction pads included as standard the 3s get a Hex key end cap and double seal system protecting the Enduro cartridge bearings and Igus bushings inside. Reliability of recent pedals has been excellent too and they’re covered by a five-year warranty if you do have problems.
This makes them a great trail option for riders who want a softer release feel and more tuneable support than Shimano with a similar level of reliability and weight.
The 540 takes the 520 body and ‘upgrades’ it with a lighter, sculpted axle to save 11g of weight from each pedal. That’s not a massive amount considering they generally sell for around £10 more. While the 8mm Allen key axle looks slick you can’t use a 15mm spanner to fit/remove the pedals either. You do get a metal bearing collar rather than the plastic one on the 520s though which means you don’t need the matching collar removal tool.
If it seizes in place (which they can do) there’s no option to melt it out and fit a new one like there is on 520s. Otherwise, the bearings are the same user-serviceable, relentlessly reliable arrangement. Despite having used far more of them we’ve definitely had fewer issues with 520 and 540 pedals over the years than pricier XTR units so, in comparative terms, they’re still a total bargain.
As the mechanism sits on top of the body rather than embedded, there’s more sideways wobble and play between shoe and pedal than larger platform options. The mechanism is also more exposed and there are fewer cleat options than some competition as the ‘multi-release’ is a lot less predictable than a simple increased float design.
Ritchey has a reputation for lightweight racer friendly components and even its entry-level Comp pedals are significantly lighter than most. The gram shaving mostly comes from the minimalist cold-forged body with a bolted-on front catch. There’s still enough side support for stiffer shoes though but with no shim system the tightness of that connection varies on shoe tread design/depth. There is a ‘trail’ version with extended front and rear cage if you want more cage under your midfoot though.
It’s worth noting that they normally come with tension set to minimum. That’s a nice touch for beginners but you’ll need to add some clicks if you don’t want your feet to fly off too easily.
Ball bearings inboard and outboard give a decent run life and they can be regreased and serviced if they do start to get dry or wobbly. The WCS version uses needle bearings, bushings and a cartridge bearing to drop another 35g. If weight isn’t an issue for you though they both look expensive compared to the indestructible Shimano competition.
Time has been using its twin-loop ATAC mechanism for years, gaining foul-weather fans from the fact the forward hoop forces out muck as it engages. They float easily and disengage very smoothly, too, so they’ve always been a favorite of riders with knees that don’t like a fixed foot position or a hard click-in or out. All those things hold true in the latest range of Time mountain bike clipless pedals which covers every use from DH and Enduro to XC.
It’s in the lightweight XC realm where Time really excels though with the mud-shedding design, low weight and high-mileage durability giving them a cult following particularly among racers and cross riders. The XC6 uses a tough but lightweight composite body to add relatively wide side support and protect the mechanism. The XC6 is also one of the few ATAC pedals to come with adjustable spring tension. A hollow cro-mo steel axle keeps it competitive in weight terms with less protected and supportive ‘skeleton’ pedals.
While the unslotted design means no sideways adjustment in the shoe, the broad hoops mean your foot can slide from side-to-side anyway. That’s either a big plus or a minus depending on your personal pedaling taste but it can definitely make disengagement slightly less consistent than other pedals. It’s so smooth and mobile you can’t always tell whether you’re clipped in or not either. The fact the tall, short body tends to roll forwards or backwards can also complicate connection.
Look's take on an SPD-compatible pedal carries over the brand's expertise in road bike pedals. So there's a robust build and the bearings are rock-solid, even after thousands of miles of use in the usual muddy/dusty/wet mix of conditions. The black anodizing on the standard pedals tend to wear over time, but the metal bodies cope well with bashes and abuse.
The platform is a bit wider than more minimalist pedals like the Ritchey's and the Shimano models, so there's decent shoe support from the gridded side areas. That does mean that there's a bit more tendency to clogging though, although it's not any worse than other designs.
Like other SPD pedals, there's easy adjustment of release tension. and the open springs continue to work well. Look supplies its own cleats, which are durable and give six degrees of float and there's an easy release version available with multiple release directions, rather than just the side-to-side of the standard cleats.
The more substantial design means that the Look X-Track pedals are a bit heavier than some XC/trail pedals, although you can shave a bit off by opting for the pricier carbon bodied and titanium spindle models.
Best mountain bike pedals: enduro
Hope has been CNC machining mountain bike parts for a long time, yet the Union pedal range is the first clipless pedal range that the brand has offered. This isn't completely new territory though, Hope already has its F20 flat pedal which is well proven on a durability front. The Unior pedal uses the same heat-treated and plated cro-mo steel axles and triple cartridge bearing, single Igus bushing internals.
What is completely new is the clip-in system, rather than use Shimano's SPD format Hope has developed its own which uses proprietary cleats, of which two are included in the box. The double-sided cleat retention mechanism can be stamped into with a flat foot rather than a forward hooking motion. The clip action is light but positive and the pedal provides a broad platform for a really planted and secure feel.
Find out more about the Hope Union TR pedal in our detailed review.
The 530 takes the same bombproof mechanism and axle system as the 520 and imbeds it into a mid-sized platform cage. Because the mechanism is actually inset into the body not perched on top that also means proper ‘grounded’ shoe support on either side. The cage drops away front and rear so there’s no toe/midfoot support but it still makes it easier to flip kick round to engage. It also provides a bit of impact protection in front of the mechanism. This all makes the M530 more suited to aggressive trail use with flatter soled trail/DH shoes than the 520 but they are significantly heavier as a result. Engagement and release are potentially slightly tighter and 3D ‘float’ reduced as well depending on the shoe you’re using - but it’s always a positive click-in and out when it happens.
Otherwise, the 6mm Allen Key/15mm wrench axle and serviceable bearings hidden behind the plastic axle collar are as relentlessly reliable and user-friendly as ever. The adjustable mechanism is utterly consistent in use as long as you don’t let your cleats wear too much and they work just as well in mud as the 520/540s. Cleat/float options are limited though and aggressive/dynamic riders likely to be drawn to the bigger body should definitely stick with the default four-degree cleat rather than the less predictable easy-pop-out ‘multi-release’ option.
Nukeproof’s Horizon CS is the smaller platform Enduro/Trail version of its big, 100g heavier CL DH pedal. You still get a decent amount of sideways and mid-foot shoe support as well as two grip pins front and rear (the CL has three each end). The pins are adjustable to suit different tread/soles and they’re well placed to offer extra twist input when you’re clipped in, unclipped grip if you want it or screw out of the way if you don’t.
The double-sprung SPD design works in the same ‘toe-in, twist-out’ way as a genuine SPD. The slightly raised mechanism makes hitting the target easier than most pedals though, without impacting the level of support on several flatter-soled trail shoes (Icon, 5:10, Specialized and Giro) we tried them with. There are 4- and 8-degree float cleats available to tune feel and release and it’s a clean ejection when you get to the right angle. The raw and anodized design is available in several colors and they’ve proved impressively durable when battered through rocks. The bearings have held up well on all the samples we’ve used. Add keen pricing and they’re an outstanding option if you want an SPD feel with more connection/support adjustability than average.
After issues with early versions of the Candy, the Mallet helped save Crankbrothers' pedal reputation by becoming the gravity footholder of choice for a ton of high-profile riders. The Mallet E uses a slightly smaller platform but all the same adjustable pin and shim features to create an outstanding, fully tuneable lightweight Enduro/hardcore trail pedal.
As with all Crankbrothers pedals, the mechanism at the center is the brilliantly simple and effective stainless steel X-Wing Eggbeater design. That means easy, soft clip-in at all angles, no matter the amount of dirt on your foot. Spring tension is fixed but choosing different cleats or switching them left to right gives between 0-10 degrees of float and 10-20 degrees release angles making them (and other CB pedals) the most adjustable around. Shoe-to-pedal clearance can be tuned with shims under the cleat or changeable ‘traction pads’ slotted into the two-tone anodized body (four colors are available) alongside the mechanism. Foot connection when clipped or unclipped can be further modified by screwing the six steel grip screws in or out of the body. This means you can have your feet locked down or skating around as you want but still get great impact and pedaling support at a reasonable weight. The LS (Long Shaft) axle gives a 57mm (rather than 2mm) extension for more leverage and crank clearance if you’re duck-footed.
The reliability of recent Crankbrothers pedals has been excellent and they’re covered by a five-year warranty. With eight different versions of Mallet from the entry-level E11 to the limited-edition ‘Super Bruni’ DH World Champion version there’s an option for most wallets and preferences.
HT’s T1 looks very similar to Shimano’s XT 8020 pedal but actually works very differently and that’s obvious in the on-trail feel. The first difference is that they use a specific cleat design with a broad rear shelf and won’t work with SPD-compatible cleats. While the toe-down step-in feels similar to SPD both front bar and rear jaw are spring-loaded with a very firm and clear click into place. While tension is adjustable, the overall range is much higher than average, with the medium being similar to tightest on Shimano and tightest on HT being almost immovable.
The release feel is very different, too, with increasing spring resistance right through the float, rather than nothing and then a quick clip out as normal. That can be scary at first and they’re not best suited to novices but our more aggressive testers really liked the progressive release once they’d adjusted to the feel.
The 68mm wide cage gives decent side and some mid-foot support and they come in 11 different anodized colors. Reliability from the mix of bushings and needle bearings is not too bad and there’s a Ti axle version that reduces the low weight even further.
When DMR introduced a clipless system to its legendary flat-pedal line-up, clip-in DH fans everywhere started salivating. The V-Twin has some great contact and connection features but durability hasn’t matched up to DMR’s previous bombproof reputation. The chunky alloy cage offers reasonable side support and comes with plastic bumpers at either end that can be shimmed higher to tune foot gap. They also have seven (four front, three rear) grip pins that can be screwed in/out for more bite whether you’re clipped in or not. The central ‘SPD’ style mechanism pivots within the body so toe-in engagement is easy. Float and clean release are comparable to Shimano (presuming you’ve not locked your shoe down with the pins) and they work fine with SPD cleats.
We’ve smashed the front ‘hook’ of two sets of V-Twins on rocks in relatively quick succession. Our third set has survived better but the body is now slightly loose inside the cage and the bearings need to be adjusted regularly to combat looseness.
How to pick the best mountain bike pedals
There are a few questions you need to ask yourself before buying clipless mountain bike pedals but they’re all pretty straightforward. What isn’t so predictable are the answers.
What size pedal should I use?
The larger the pedal, the easier it is to find with your foot. Bigger pedals like the DMR V-Twin, Nukeproof Horizon CL, Crankbrothers Mallet DH, HT X2 and old Shimano DX also give more support under your shoe. Adjustable grip pins screwed into the platforms increase foot security whether you’re clipped in or not. Bigger pedals are heavier though, so really big platforms are generally just used by gravity riders.
That’s led to the development of the latest category of medium or ‘enduro’ sized platform pedals like the Crankbrothers Mallet E, HT T1, Shimano 9120 XTR/8100 XT and Nukeproof Horizon CS. These use a smaller, lighter platform but often keep grip pins so they’re still useable unclipped.
Small platform pedals - like Crankbrothers Candy and Shimano 530 - offer a bit more contact area and mechanism protection than a trail pedal but without the extra front and rear support of a caged option.
Trail pedals - Shimano M525, Time ATAC, H2 M1 and Ritchey - have enough body to give some support under your shoe on either side and protect the clipless mechanism from impacts.
Finally 'skeleton’ mechanism-only pedals like Crankbrothers Eggbeaters are super light and basically impervious to mud clogging. With no support platform or protection around the mechanism though they’re best suited to very stiff shoes and more careful riders.
How much can I expect to pay?
How much you’ve got to spend is always a significant factor, but with pedals the gains aren’t always in line with the investment. Spending more does get you more choice. The cheapest pedals are all minimal platform ‘trail’ platforms and then price tends to increase as pedals get bigger.
Features like adjustable pins also cost more and some pedal systems use different coatings on mechanisms to potentially improve performance.
Changes in axle material - better quality steel or titanium on really fancy pedals - and more sculpted bodies reduce weight but push the price up further.
However, as with many components more expensive/complex doesn’t always mean more reliable. The prime example here is Shimano’s SPD (Shimano Pedalling Dynamics) range. XTR (and to a lesser extent XT) are built from fancier materials and treated to smarter coatings than entry-level pedals to reduce weight and improve performance. You’d be hard-pressed to notice any difference between them and the basic £36.99 M520 model under your feet though. More importantly, Shimano’s cheapest pedals outlast pretty much any pedal from anyone, despite sometimes being sold for less than a spare pair of cleats (that they come with as standard).
Which clipless system should I use?
As well as weight, platform size and price, the ‘feel’ and operation of some pedals can make them particularly suitable for some riders. All the Shimano-compatible designs feel broadly similar and have adjustable release-spring tension. Those tension ranges and clip-in/out action can vary though and there’s no way to adjust shoe-to-pedal spacing. Time and Crankbrothers pedals use hoop-based mechanisms that give a very smooth, quiet, mud-proof engagement and disengagement. In contrast, H2 pedals come from a BMX background and use double-sprung mechanisms with a very obvious and secure feel.
Crankbrothers pedals don’t have spring-tension adjustment but use pedal and cleat shims to tune the gap - and therefore connection/movement - between your shoe and the pedal. DMR uses different pedal shims and rubber bumper heights to do the same job. While some riders like a fixed foot connection, more rotational movement before the cleat unclips from the shoe (float) can reduce strain on your knees. Float varies between pedal designs but it can also be altered from 0 to 20 degrees by using different shapes of cleat or switching the cleats from left to right. Crankbrothers currently offers the widest range of options.
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