While plastic mountain bike pedals tend to be lighter and cheaper than their aluminum counterparts, they certainly don't last as long. Canadian company Squidworx has set out to combine the best features of both, with its Modular Flat Pedal.
At the heart of each pedal is a sealed steel axle, contained within a central 6061-aluminum body. Attached horizontally to either side of that body are a pair of nylon composite "cages," which form the pedal's foot platform. When a cage wears out, it can simply be detached from the body and replaced with a $5 new one – certainly a less expensive approach than buying a whole new set of nylon pedals.
Each pedal also features 14 stainless steel traction pins per side. Instead of being threaded directly into the pedal, they're threaded into cylindrical aluminum inserts that run vertically through the cages.
This means that if one of the pins should get whacked against an unyielding object (such as a rock), it will only strip the threads of its insert, as opposed to stripping threads that are integrated into the pedal. As a result, once the damaged insert is pulled out and replaced, everything is as good as new.
The pedals also feature an oversize bushing and double bearing design – those internals are only accessible from one end of the pedal body, minimizing the chances of water and dirt getting inside.
Should you be interested, the Modular Flat Pedal can be purchased now via the link below for CAD$160 a pair (about US$121), which includes one spare cage. They tip the scales at a claimed 400 to 420 grams (15 oz) a set, depending on the build. And not only are extra cages available, but so are replacement bodies, internals, pins and inserts.
Source: Squidworx
