Metal Vs composite pedals

I'm a convert. There's no downsides. They're cheaper, they don't make horrible grinding noises on rocks, they look better for longer and, tell me if I'm just imagining this, but they're not as cold on your feet when it's really freezing outside!

Nukeproof Neutron here, composite with metal pins. They work, end of really, and as above I don't think they are as cold as full metal ones.

I use metal - just can't bring myself to buy plastic bits for my bikes. Still scarred by the plastic covered steel groupsets of the early 90's!

I have plastic DMR V11s on one bike and Nukeproof Horizons on the others.

No real difference in ride experience, but there was no way I was going to put plastic pedals on my beautiful Starling.

Maybe they look fine in black, but the light blue colour I have looks VERY plastic.

Deity Deftraps. Love them.
Originally bought to try and keep my feet warmer. Seems to have worked. Also more durable, look fresher. Also have some plastic Burgtecs, not a fan, but I think that's more due to the size and crap bearing/bush assembly. Will be replacing with Deftraps

Another nukeproof neutron user. Just bought my third set.
I use them because they work and are cheap enough to not worry about mashing on rocks etc. And they last well. Don’t care what they look like, can’t see them when I’m riding my bike.

Ive had metal saints, dmrs and some cheap specialized jobs, none stuck to my shoes as well, probably nowt to do with being made of metal more to do with the shape of the pedal and length and placement of pins etc

Plastic are cheaper, lighter and just as good. Metal for the bling.

HT PA03 are brilliant for the money.

I’m a convert. There’s no downsides. They’re cheaper, they don’t make horrible grinding noises on rocks, they look better for longer and, tell me if I’m just imagining this, but they’re not as cold on your feet when it’s really freezing outside!

100%. It is the 'correct' material for the application, it just took a long time for people to realise that.

There are zero downsides. Cheap. Light. Strong. Lots of colours.

Funny, how composite frames as seen as superior to alloy ones hey...

I've used DMR cheapies, Nukeproof Neutrons, and my faves are the One-up composites.

Composites on both bikes now. Look fresher longer and stand up to plenty of abuse. Once the pins are mushed beyond belief its cheap enough to pick up another pair.

Deity Deftraps as well, so impressed with them

One of those rare components that is cheaper, lighter and better. All my bikes have composite pedals now

Plastic, sorry composite all the way for me. Can there be another bike part where the cheaper version is better?*

*better as in do the job better, shiny metal pedals are subjectivity nicer looking

I originally bought the Bugtec's out of curiousity when they were really cheap in Go Outdoors and they replaced my Vaults which I've been using for over 10 years. Got some DMR V11 in the post for the new bike.

I'm glad other people have noticed the temperature difference! I thought I'd get shot down on that one.

Is there such a thing as composite pedal that doesn't use bushes? I destroy bushes in short order so need a
all bearing pedals which means alloy. That and ripping pins out of composite though not as much of a show stopper.

Deity Deftraps here, bought them as none of the local shops would let me try T-macs before I bought them.

3 years on they have been faultless but the colour has faded a bit.

HT PA03 are brilliant for the money.

+1

I've used composite pedals for years, for me it's how they seem to 'slide' better when they catch rocks vs metal ones.

I had a set of composite oneup pedals on my second bike. Got alloy ones on my main bike.
Next time, I'll just buy the composites, I prefer them.

Composite for me.. I've always run Nukeproof Neutron, but lately i've been trying DMR V11s and i really like these too.

I've had a few that felt too raised in the middle/axle and didn't get on with... but i'm happy with either of these pairs.

Mixture of Nukeproof Neutron and Composite Burgtec here.

Decision based purely on price at first but won't be going back now I doubt.

Metal here - my burgtec penthouse pedals feel like they would survive the end of the world - early days on my crank brothers mallet e pedals but they seem sturdy enough.

dmr vaults on two bikes, dmr v6 on my yeti :0)
the vaults are definately better looking when new, or for riders who do not ride rocks , mine are absolutely battered.
i prefer the vaults stability wise

tell me if I’m just imagining this, but they’re not as cold on your feet when it’s really freezing outside!

you are not imagining it. composite pedals are popular with fat bikers for this reason.

i went to buy some composite wha wha but they were out of stock, so i bought some XT instead. i was looking for a big pedal.

the xt seem so sturdy that i don’t think i’ll ever get to try composite pedals.

as said above, cheap, light, strong, slide over rocks, etc. it is a good material for pedals.

I don’t think I’m bothered either way particularly in terms of use. Have some cheap composite ones on the bmx (with metal pins) and they grip fine.

Prefer the nano x metal ones on both my mtbs as they look nicer and have a bigger platform. I bought them both for £40 or less per pair in sales though - looking at the rrp now I’d be very tempted to go composite instead.

I can post you a pair mate. Just ping me a colour you'd like

I've used both Nukeproof and Deity composite pedals for years.

Light weight, great grip, nice low profile, pretty bomb proof and so cheap when on offer I keep a shelf full in stock so if end of life it's a simple swap out without wallet war £ pain.

Composites for me Kona Wah Wah II  - Love the name, very Kona and go just great with the Hei Hei.

Thing is, metal can be better but most metal pedals don't do any of the things that would make metal better- it's stronger by volume so you can make them thinner basically. But as soon as you're up to a typical flat pedal size it doesn't really matter. The only other thing is that metal hold threads better, which has an effect on pins but it's not a deal breaker unless you're an absolute rocksmasher.

All plastic on mine, they're ace and they're cheaper too. Not quite as strong, but I've slightly broken one Nukeproof Horizon in all the years since they came out so, meh, who cares. Strong enough.

If they still sold the bloody Horizon Comp then this'd be an even easier thread, but they had to discontinue those because they wanted to sell mag ones for 4 times the cost that weren't as good.

Another vote for plastic. Nukeproof Electron, now Neutron, on 3 bikes + my partner's. One Up on the full-sus for the longer platform.

TBH it was mainly a cost thing, and also a bit of aesthetics - I like pedals that match a highlight colour on the frame/other bits, and they stay that way even when bashed up.

I was very tempted to spring for some alloy ones for the full-sus in the hope they'd be more durable (not that the plastic ones seem fragile) and "better" but couldn't stomach the price. Glad I didn't given the comments on here, though I was surprised at how few people advocate for alloy pedals.

Have tried loads of different pedals over the years and latest ones are Supacaz Smash Pedals which are/were on offer at Merlin. Never seen anyone mention this make but they have lasted longer than any pedal I have had. Really good.

I’ve got nothing against them (as long as they have proper pins and the internals are decent), but I really liked my Mk1 Burgtec Penthouse Flats, Easton Cullys and newer Mk5 Burgtecs. I’m sure if I got a second bike I’d consider them as a cost saving and will probably get a pretty coloured pair for my road bike now I can’t comfortably fit in reasonably priced SPD shoes.

Couldn’t care less myself. Got Burgtec composites which I like but also managed to get some unite alloy ones at the bird factory sale for £54 which I really like as well. Unless there’s another great deal on unite/Burgtec alloy ones I’d just get Burgtec composites again.

Also got a set of oneup alloy pedals, hate them but that’s down to to the shape and bearing placement.

Burgtec comps on the full suss and Burgtec Alloy on the HT (penthouse I think?) Much prefer the comps in feel and looks. Had no bother with them either, cheaper too!

Deity Deftraps here too, they're great. Had the same set of pedals for almost 2 years now and only just starting to show a little bit of resistance in one of them. I might open them up and see if I can service them but I can't find anything online about doing that, anyone serviced a pair of deftraps before?

My first plastic pedals lasted one ride. I hit a step and a pin went sideways, gouging through the plastic. There was nothing left to stick a replacement pin and nut in.

My second choice has had metal pins bent or ground down and not gone through the plastic.

Riding my current trail bike I do seem to get more pedal and heel strikes than my other bikes. I have to remember to buy more replacement pins for it.

Swapped from my composite burgtecs on Wednesday for the deighty deftraps in my other bike, night and day better in every way the deighty!

The platform is the perfect size for my feet!

Just tried some crank brothers plastic pedals I got on sale, nice big platform but no where near as grippy as the SS nano they replaced. The only reason I swapped is the colour, I’m not that vain but couldn’t stand blue pedals on a red and yellow bike.

Nano’s half price at the mo so…

https://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/nano-x-evo-2-pedals.htm

PSA: CRC have certain colors of the Nukeproof Neutrons down to £18.99 a pair

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/nukeproof-neutron-evo-flat-pedals/rp-prod122950

This thread convinced me to stick some HT PA-03 composite pedals on my bike in place of some DMR vaults. I like the Vaults but I think these plastic pedal is are better in everyway. I can't see me going back to metal now.

I just built a new Banshee Rune & swapped from composite Burgtecs to metal.

Yeah, I ain't going back. They just feel better.

On what way? Not a fan of burgtec composite pedals myself

They just feel a bit more rigid. The longer pins help too.

These are good for £21

https://www.evanscycles.com/brand/fwe/thermoplastic-flat-pedal-932428#colcode=93242803

Im happy with plastic. Cheaper, lighter and perform just as well (in my experience).

Have to agree with everyone and i dont feel the difference myself.

I have Nukeproof Horizons on both bikes its just ones metal  the other composite and i honestly cant tell the difference when riding. Each as good as the other.

Never had any issues with either of them and when the metal ones die theyll be replaced with cheaper composite ones.

IME Burgtecs regardless of material are just a bit not that good. They're reliable etc and they work but they almost reminded me of my ancient wellgo mg1s in terms of shape and feel.

Anything that looks like a Nukeproof Neutron is going to divide opinion, you either can deal with the centre bulge (for whatever reason- shoe choice, foot position, personal taste) or you can't and if you can't they're rubbish. Which is fine if you like them, but, there are other pedals that don't have that either/or thing so that's a recommendation for something else imo.

I'm on these now, I still kinda hesitate to recommend anything that costs £20 off aliexpress (I paid £22 for 2 pairs) but I've used them for a while now and they haven't died. The shape is very very close to the horizon comp, the design is a little different. No doubt someone'll be selling them with a UK "brand" sooner or later and you'll be able to buy em for £60 at which point STW will like them 😉

On what?