New bikes tend to come with basic, low-quality pedals that manufacturers expect you'll upgrade. For road bikes, many riders opt for clipless systems that attach their shoe to the pedals. Of course, this doesn't suit every rider's taste, and a set of the best flat pedals for road bikes is a popular alternative, particularly if using a road bike for commuting.
Most of the best road bike pedals and gravel pedals are clipless and designed to aid power delivery with a focus on overall weight, stack height, and platform size. But not everyone needs ultimate efficiency, and the ideal choice comes down to your individual needs and preferences as a rider.
If you're a commuter or urban rider, running flat pedals on your road bike is a great way to get you from A to B without the faff of clipping in and out at every set of traffic lights. If that is you, it's also worth checking out our guide to the best commuter cycling shoes, so you can get the most out of your ride to work.
With that in mind, I've picked the ten best flat pedals for road bikes I've tested, which should cover all bases. Many are mountain bike pedals, but that doesn't mean you can't use them on the road. Others feature lights or are easily removable if you have a folding bike. As ever, I've tried to answer any burning questions that may arise at the bottom of the page if you need a little direction.
Best flat pedals for road bikes
Best flat pedal for road bikes overall
HT's PA03-A strikes the perfect balance: it's large without being cumbersome and lightweight without sacrificing durability. The slim, 18mm glass-reinforced nylon composite body material makes these pedals durable and lightweight, featuring two in-mould grip pins and eight replaceable steel pins so you can fine-tune the grip.
The HT's run two sealed bearings paired with a single DU bushing on a CNC-machined chromoly steel axle. The bearings are smooth-feeling, and it will likely be a while before you need to service or replace them.
If you're looking for a wallet-friendly, jack-of-all-trades pedal to see you through road, gravel, commuting and MTB, then these should be at the top of your list. The pedal shape is good and concave too, which is my preference, as it locks your feet in place.
Best flat pedals for road bikes that are kind on shoes
Flat pedals, especially MTB pedals, aren't always kind to your shoes. Pins provide excellent grip to keep your feet secure on bumpy terrain, but they can quickly shred the soles of your shoes if you're not wearing appropriate footwear.
The Ride pedal from Race Face takes its standard MTB body shape but replaces the pins with nine SHCS hex rectangular blocks on each pedal. This tweak slightly reduces grip but significantly extends the life of your shoes or sneakers. This also makes them a great option for novice riders and kids too, as the less aggressive tread is less painful on the shins if you should slip a pedal.
We think the Race Face Rides are a great option for those looking for a solid, long-lasting pedal that doesn't destroy the soles of your shoes.
Best budget flat pedals for road bikes
If you're simply looking for an affordable option with tons of grip, then this is it. The DMR V6 has been the go-to budget pedal for years, and the design has been more or less unchanged. While it shares the same body as the more premium V8 and V12, the build here is a durable nylon plastic, including the non-replaceable pins.
At 97mm x 102mm, the platform size is a tad smaller than the HT option above, and the bearings are not quite as smooth or durable either. That said, if price is your number one priority, then these DMR pedals are a great option.
Best low profile flat pedals for road bikes
The Stamp range is massive, available in both composite and aluminium, with two size options which should cover most foot sizes. There are enough colour options to keep everyone happy.
The Stamp features ten widely spaced pins to keep your foot secure. It's a staple whenever I need a reliable flat pedal, and I've been very happy using both the entry-level Stamp 1 and the premium Stamp 7 models. What really stands out to me is their low profile.
Clipless pedal systems talk about getting a low stack height, and the same benefits (claimed improvements in pedalling efficiency and stability) can be had with a low-profile (aka thin) flat pedal such as the Stamp. For general use, I'd suggest the entry-level, nylon composite Stamp 1 is more than enough, unless you have a particular desire for an alloy body.
Best dual-sided Shimano flat pedals for road bikes
Featured in our guide to the best gravel pedals, this option is ideal if you want the versatility of using cleats sometimes and normal shoes the rest of the time. In my testing, the internals are excellent - almost bombproof - and given the widespread use of the Shimano SPD system, it's likely the choice you'll make if you're already using cleats on your other bikes. The similar Crankbrothers system, the Double Shot, does have a slightly larger platform, but there's not a great deal in it.
All in all, these are user-friendly, durable and fairly priced dual-platform pedals that will stand up to hard riding. They provide great grip and are beginner-friendly for those new to clipless pedals.
Best dual-sided Crankbrothers pedals for road bikes
Conceptually, these are identical to the Shimano option. These pedals feature a dual-sided design: a flat platform on one side and a Crankbrothers cleat on the other. You can pick your performance level, with the '1' being all plastic, '2' being half metal, and the '3' (seen here) adding replaceable pins.
While you do get a bigger platform than the Shimano system, the trade-off is that the cleat system is less commonly used and therefore less compatible. However, if you're starting from scratch, that's not really a problem and with three release angles they are easier on the knees than the Shimano's so well suited to those new to clipless pedals.
Best small flat pedals for road bikes
In the flat pedal world, an arms race has emerged as brands continually design larger pedals to deliver more grip and greater stability. This is all well and good, but it has resulted in pedals that are cumbersome for riders with smaller feet.
Fortunately, OneUp Components has considered this and released their Composite pedals with a 'small' version suitable for foot sizes up to UK 5.5, EU 38. There are 7 pins per side, which are broader to minimise wear and tear on your shoes and offer a good level of grip. My only qualm is the convex shape (the body slopes downwards away from the centre), but that's just a personal preference.
Best road bike flat pedal for nighttime visibility
If you're looking to upgrade your commuter bike pedals, then the Redshift Arclight could be for you. While they're on the heavier side and the grip won't rival top MTB options, they offer game-changing visibility for commuters.
The Arclight Pedals claim to amplify your biological motion, making you up to 57% more visible than standard bike lights. Instead of traditional amber reflectors, Redshift uses a pair of modular lighting bars that automatically switch from white to red depending on the pedal's orientation, and conveniently, the lighting bars are removable for recharging in a dock.
We think these are a fantastic option for commuters cycling home after dark.
Best flat pedals for folding bikes
If you've ever ridden a Brompton (or any folding bike), it's likely that the pedals are pretty terrible. The fact that one side folds away and has a different Q-factor than the other has always bugged me.
Thankfully, the Compact Ezy from Japanese brand MKS offers a pedal that's a little better than the standard Brompton offering, but with a tool-free removable body. Simply clip the pedals off the axles when it is time to fold your bike away and pop them in the included drawstring bag. No more Q-factor annoyances, and smoother bearings too - MKS are some of the best in the business.
Best premium flat pedals for road bikes
The Hope F22 is very similar in shape to the body of the DMR V6, except it sits at the other end of the commercial spectrum. The F22 has one of the higher RRPs in this guide, but the quality of the machining is beautiful.
The pins can be easily adjusted using a bag of included wasters to adjust the height—I'd suggest setting them low, as the taller setting is a little vicious. They're a little chunky compared to the Stamps, and you do have to install all the pins yourself, but they have the most 'built to last' feel of any on this list.
How to choose the best flat pedals for road bikes
Still unsure? Fear not. We've done our best to answer frequently asked questions surrounding flat pedals on road bikes.
If you're more focused on commuting than chasing top performance, any of the pedals above will serve you well. However, if you're looking to maximise speed without committing to clipless pedals, you'll need to choose more carefully.
What size pedals do I need?
Put simply, bigger pedals provide a bigger platform and therefore offer increased stability and grip. If you have small feet, bigger pedals can feel cumbersome—consider the small sized Crankbrothers Stamp or the OneUp Composite pedals instead.
On the flip side, if you've got very large feet, look for something in the bigger size, a size large Stamp or the Stamp Evo for example. But i you're bang average like me, then most flat pedals will be roughly the right size.
Is it OK to use flat pedals on a road bike?
Absolutely, though it's not necessarily the norm. Road cyclists tend to clip into their bikes for greater efficiency, and the ability to pull up on the pedals on tricky climbs offers an advantage. But those systems aren't for everyone. They mean you have to wear dedicated shoes every time you ride, unless you have a double-sided set like some of those above.
What type of shoes should I use with flat pedals?
The simple answer is flat shoes - this just means shoes that are not compatible with cycling cleats. Your pedalling will be more efficient and more comfortable if you have shoes designed for cycling, as they will have firmer soles (although mountain bike brands often use different levels of firmness depending on the type of riding you're doing).
The best commuter cycling shoes will fit the bill, although you could also consider lightweight mountain bike shoes. You can choose between flat or cleat compatible soles, and if you pick the latter, some have a cover for the cleat bolts which you can just leave in place when riding with flat pedals.
Lightweight mountain bike shoes that use a two-bolt cleat option also open the opportunity to convert to clipping into double-sided pedals in future. These aren't as hard to use as single-sided road bike clipless pedals, and the shoes are much easier to walk in, even with cleats fitted.
Are flat pedals slower?
It's not so much a case of being slower, but rather the standard claim is that clipless systems are around 30% more efficient. This received wisdom isn't necessarily totally true, but there is a reason you don't see any pro road riders using flat pedals (a number of pro gravity MTB racers use flats though). That being said, if you're not hunting KOM/QOMs and want some added versatility, then the moderate sacrifice in efficiency may well be a small price to pay for a more usable bike and easier walking.
What are flat pedals good for?
While clipping in has advantages, flat pedals allow you to put your foot down more easily, adjust your foot placement, and wear all kinds of different (not cycling-specific) footwear. They're also much more handy if you regularly get off and walk, as standard shoes are much better for walking than stiff-soled cycling shoes with cleats.
How we tested flat road bike pedals?
I have used and thoroughly tested all 10 of these pedals on my road bike and urban bikes. For the purposes of this guide, I chose to test these pedals cycling around the city with different shoes and on different commuter bikes.
Nothing tests out a flat pedal's grip like a rainy ride without mudguards! To find out more about the testing process of the tech department at Cyclingnews, head over to our how we test page.
