Spank Spoon DC Flat Pedal Review

SPANK SPOON DC FLAT PEDAL REVIEW

Words by Drew Rohde | Photos by Sean Leicht

Spank Industries’ new Spoon DC pedals were designed to “deliver an alloy pedal at the price of a plastic pedal.” The goal was to use as many of the same technologies and manufacturing techniques found on their higher end pedals but with more affordable materials to bring the features of their more expensive pedals down to a value-conscious level. While that sounds like a great concept, savings may not matter to some if the products don’t work well. So, let’s see if the Spank Spoon DC pedals can blend performance and budget.

THE LAB
The Spoon DC pedals utilize a 100x105mm platform with a concave profile.  Spank Industries uses cold forged chromoly steel spindle that hasn’t given us any problems during our review period. A shot-peened finish adds to durability and is available in eight different colors from mild to wild. It’s a cool looking finish in some colors and has a flat, glossless appearance that draws your eye to further examine the product.

Traction is created by twelve steel and eight alloy pins. The steel pins are located at the front and back of the pedals while the alloy pins sit on either side of the axle on the inboard and outboard side of the pedal. We had some initial issues with comfort and traction on the factory installed low pins, but after installing the taller pins, we forgot about our earlier concerns.

Spank Spoon DC Flat Pedal Review

THE DIRT
Spank designed the pedals to be budget-focused and they kind of look it. Some colors show it more, but the Grunge Blue color made them look a bit ambiguous. We had a hard time telling if they were plastic or alloy at first glance. That’s not totally a bad thing as we love composite pedals, but the shape is also a bit dated and just doesn’t ooze cutting edge, so the combination of the blue color and shape had us a bit unsure at first. The more we looked at the pedals the more the textured look and matte finish grew on us. Other colors seem to look a bit cooler and compliment the shot-peened treatment better.

We began testing the new pedals right away and noticed that the pedal’s shape and platform was a bit polarizing. The outer edge of the pedal, just above the spindle feels noticeably taller than the rest of the pedal and created a bit of a hot spot for some of our testers. To add to the high point of the pedal, the alloy pins found at that point didn’t offer the same amount of grip as the steel pins at the front and back of the pedals.

After some not-so-enthused rides on the new Spoon DC pedals we passed them around to a few other riders to see if personal bias was to blame. After a couple other riders came back with similar feedback we reached out to Spank. It seems that our pedals didn’t ship with the taller pins and they suggested we give them a try. After about five minutes twirling the Allen wrench our pedals had a much-needed facelift and we were excited to give them some more miles.

Instantly our feet were much happier. The traction was a night and day difference as our shoes stayed in place over rough terrain and while in the air. We also lost the sensation of the pressure from the high spot on the outside of the pedal frame, which was greatly appreciated. It was actually pretty incredible to see how much of a difference pins could make to a pedal that we were ready to retire.

The Wolf’s Last Word

With the right pins installed, the Spank Spoon DC pedals could be a solid option for riders looking to get a basic platform pedal at a reasonable price. Spank offers the pedals in a variety of colors with lots of cool grips to match. It’s a quick and easy way to give your bike a little facelift and also improve your ride on the bike. Fresh pedals are always a nice upgrade, so long as they grip right, and these pedals will do that as long as you install the long traction pins. We were glad to take these pedals off the retired list and give them a fresh breath of life and keep them in the rotation thanks to a simple pin swap. While these pedals don’t exactly look like they’re on the cutting edge of pedal design, they do their job of holding feet in place for less than $100.

Price: $79.90
Website:
Spank-ind.com

We Dig

Affordability
Grip Well With Tall Pins
Lots of Colors

We Don’t

Poor Grip w/ Short Pins
90’s Styling
Some Colors Look Cheap

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