How to pick the perfect bicycle pedals
Tired of slipping a pedal or getting a major shinner? Stacked gives you the low down on everything you need to know about pedals from what part grips your shoe to which ones fit your bike. We have the most inexpensive prices and you will relieve tons of stress when you watch our explained & reviewed videos. It will make showing up to our storefront or snagging something online much easier. We understand the significance of reliable and high-performance pedals for your BMX bike. That's why we offer a diverse range of BMX bike pedals to enhance your riding experience.
In this explained and review of bicycle pedals I will let you discover everything you have ever wanted to know about pedals. At the end of this you will know what the grippiest pedals are to the strongest. If you have any questions that I did not cover leave a comment below and I will answer it and update the info here.
The pedals are what supports your whole body weight when jumping or taking hard impacts. It is crucial to select the correct pedals to grip your shoe to the bike or take a huge drop. Pedals come in many thicknesses and widths to change the performance or geometry of your bike. Thicker pedals tend to be more durable as thinner pedals make your foot placement more stable. Pedals range from $9.95 - $499.95 and is based on materials. For freestyle BMX you want to stay on the lower priced spectrum.
Price & weight: Price and weight are always a balancing act. The heavy pedals are usually at a lower cost and the lighter weight is always at a higher price. This is usually because of the material or manufacturing cost. Plastic or PC pedals are very affordable and moderately lightweight. Alloy are moderately priced but can get very high due to material cost and manufacturing time. Check out the bearings and axle below to see why the investment is higher.
Axle & Sizing: If we are talking about sizing your pedals to your bike you need to know there are two sizes and each side of the pedals have a different tread direction. One piece cranks are similar to a solid bent bar that goes through your frame and has 1/2" pedal threads. Three-piece or two-piece cranks have a heavy duty arm with a axle that run through your frame. They usually have bolts on one or two sides of the crank arms. These cranks have a 9/16" pedal axle thread. Bike pedals have different thread directions on each pedal. The right side pedal has standard thread direction and the left pedal has opposite threads.
Axles come in different qualities as well. Basic ones are unsealed, steel and the higher end ones are sealed and heat treated chromoly. As the axle has to be machined more and heat treated to strengthen it the cost goes up. As a beginner it is great to start with an unsealed pedal set and work your way to the higher end ones.
Colors: Colors vary from pedal model and come in many shades and combinations. PC pedals are usually vibrant and hold pigment for a very long time. Alloy pedals can have a painted color which will keep the cost down while other can be anodized, polished, or chrome can be on the opposite spectrum. These coating are very eye appealing and have a great glow.
Platform: The platform is how wide or how thin the pedal is and they come in tons of sizes. The Thicker the platform helps with strength and standing higher on your bike. The thinner pedals are lighter weight and stable. Wider pedals help with traction and stability. Thinner pedals are lighter weight and avoid rocks.
Pins: Pins can vary from plastic ones built in the body or aluminum ones threaded in the body. Plastic ones are lighter weight are cost effective allowing these to be replace very easily. Pressed in steel or chromoly come in aluminum pedals and give tons of grip. These pins work amazing and are not replaceable. Some pedals have chromoly all thread pins that work great and are less likely to get ripped out. They are replaceable if you do lose a few. The Alloy ones thread in just like the all threads but can be finished to give your pedals a showroom shine. There is something for everyone.
Bearings: Bearings is what your pedals spin on and are the biggest factor on how smooth your bike rides. Unsealed bearings have steel cups that the steel bearings sit in and the axle and axle nuts keep it tight. This type of pedal is affordable and relatively strong. Sealed bearing are precision machined to have tight tolerances. The axle is machined to fit the bearings and allow the pedals to spin super smooth.
Questions
Q: Do they come with both pedals?
A: Yes, a left one & right one. Read below to know how each one is different.
Q: Which pedal goes on what side?
A: With the bike upright the right pedal has a "R" on it and the left have an "L" on it.
Q: Which size axle do I need?
A: One piece cranks use a 1/2" axle and 3 piece cranks use a 9/16". Easiest way to know which one you have is if the cranks look like a metal bar that looks like a snake.
Q: Which pedal has normal thread?
A: The right pedal is normal thread & the left side is reverse thread.
Pedals I reccomend
Plastic
Alloy
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