Cheap bike pedals: affordable pedals for mountain biking, road and casual riding

Every bike needs pedals and thankfully they don’t have to cost the earth. Here we’ve chosen a selection of cheap bike pedals for those on a budget.

We’ve included cheap road bike pedals as well as cheap pedals for mountain biking, and affordable flat pedal options for almost everything else.

Although the best road bike pedals and the best mountain bike pedals cost up to £180, there are bargains to be had around the £30 mark.

Cheap bike pedals: our favourites for 2022

HT PA03Am flat pedals

• Use: Mountain biking, commuting, leisure riding
• £35 / $69 / AU$70 as tested

HT’s PA03A pedals might have a silly name, but they prove perfectly that you need not spend a fortune to get some top-performing pedals. They’re cheap, strong, light and reliable with superb levels of grip.

• Read our full review of HT PA03A pedals

Shimano M520 SPD pedals

• Use: Mountain biking, gravel riding, commuting, leisure riding, cyclocross, touring
• £36.99 / $45 / AU$65.99 as tested

Shimano’s legendary M520 SPD pedals are as tough as they are cheap.

Their double-sided entry and resistance to clog with mud means they’re immensely versatile too and plenty of folk in this office have used them for everything from commuting and gravel riding to cyclocross and mountain biking.

• Read our full review of Shimano M520 SPD pedals

Nukeproof Neutron Evo (Electron) flat pedals

• Use: Mountain biking, commuting, leisure riding
• £35 / $58 as tested

Another top quality pair of affordable plastic-bodied flats is the Neutron Evo (formerly the Electron) pedals from Nukeproof. Their generous platforms and smooth-running bearings were enough for us to score them 4.5/5 back in 2011.

• Read our full review of Nukeproof Electron pedals

Shimano M530 SPD pedals

• Use: Mountain biking, commuting, touring
• £40 / $55 / AU$65

For trail riders who want a little more support than that offered by the cageless M520s shown above, here is the M530 SPD from Shimano. Apart from a touch more weight they still remain super dependable with an engagement that feels great and plenty of reliability.

• Read our full review of Shimano M530 SPD pedals

Look Keo Classic 3 pedals

• Use: Road cycling, commuting
• £59.99 / $119.95 as tested

Look’s entry-level Keos offer impressive performance with no real gripes. They’re also easy to use and remain relatively light due to their composite construction. Be sure not to forget to buy a set of dedicated cleats to pair with these because they aren’t the same as Shimano’s SPD-SL variety.

• Read our review of Look Keo Classic 3 pedals