When you think of plastic platform pedals, you might associate them with the cheap ones that come stock with your bike straight from the shop - the kind that you throw away immediately to fit some 'proper' pedals.
Not all plastic pedals fall into this category though, and these nylon Squamish III pedals from Syncros not only look the real deal, they're priced as such as well.
Syncros is a Scott Sports brand with 30 years of heritage under its belt, and it produces all manner of accessories from wheels and handlebars, to saddles and pedals.
The Squamish IIIs are the brand's most affordable — in other words, plastic — MTB flat pedal offering, so named after the mountain biking mecca in British Columbia, and we've been putting them through their paces around our local trails to see if plastic pedals can still perform as well as their metal competitors.
Having spent a decent amount of hands-on time with them, we outline below whether they're worth the investment and a place on our list of the best mountain bike pedals.
- Best MTB flat pedals: the best MTB flat pedals for trail, enduro and downhill
- Best MTB flat pedal shoes: grippy shoes for all riding disciplines
On-trail performance
The Squamish III pedals use exactly the same shape and ten-pin layout as the full metal Squamish II pedals. The IIIs use a one-piece molded nylon construction — including broad flat-topped grip pins — rather than an alloy body with replaceable metal pins.
The result is a lightweight pedal that spins well, thanks to a sealed cartridge bearing on each side. The body is broad enough for plenty of support, and if you wear grippy shoes then the connection is decent on smoother trails.
As an added bonus, the broad plastic pins don’t gouge gaping wounds in your shins given half the chance, and combined with the array of colors on offer, these could be a decent choice to pair with one of the best mountain bikes for beginners.
However, grip can be an issue. While wearing harder flat MTB shoes, we found that the broader pin shape, plastic pins, and lack of convex contouring, had us slipping and bouncing off them as soon as the trail got rowdy. We snapped one pin clean off and noticeably scuffed some of the edges on relatively tame rock strikes within a minute of attacking the first Squamish-style trail.
- Best gravel bike pedals: light yet tough pedals for getting the power down off-road
- Best bikepacking pedals: the perfect options for long days on a loaded bike
Verdict
Syncros’ plastic pedals look cute and, as the name suggests, they’re rad Canadian riding proof. Broad pegs that lack grip and snap very easily mean they’re definitely more SUV than MTB though, and they’re expensive for their category too. We suggest forking out a little more and going with something that offers some extra protection and hardiness for a better connection and longer-lasting pedal.
Tech Specs: Syncros Squamish III pedals
- Price: $39.64 / £30.99
- Weight: 334g (pair)
- Colours: Purple (tested) green, blue, red, orange
