NUKEPROOF HORIZON PRO
SAM HILL ENDURO PEDAL REVIEW

Words by Robert Johnston // @robert_johnston
Photography by Adam Lievesley // @adamlievesleybmx

Flat pedals and Sam Hill; Sam Hill and flat pedals. Few pairings are so iconic, and so it only makes sense for the man himself to have a set of pedals that proudly sport his name. Long term sponsor Nukeproof agreed with this and developed two flat pedals that they considered worthy of sporting that legendary “Sam Hill” name. As a devout flat pedal rider myself, I was intrigued to discover exactly how a pedal designed in conjunction with such a connoisseur would perform, and thankfully Nukeproof were happy to send me a set of their Horizon Pro Sam Hill Enduro pedals to find out.

THE LAB
The Horizon Pro Sam Hill Enduro pedals are Nukeproof’s second “Sam Hill” edition pedal, following on from the initial Downhill version. Identifying the needs of the Enduro and Downhill rider’s pedals to be slightly different led to Nukeproof working with Sam Hill and his long-time mechanic Jacy Schumilak to produce this slimmed down, heavily chamfered offering that aims to increase clearance for pedaling through the jankiest terrain.

The body is a 6061-T6 aluminum alloy that is forged and machined to minimize excess weight and promote mud clearing, featuring a slightly concave platform area of 111x99mm with a thickness of 18mm. The bodies spin each spin around a Chromoly steel axle with a pair of Z989 cartridge bearings and a DU bushing in each pedal, with a pair weighing in at 407g (claimed). These spinning parts are fully serviceable, with Nukeproof offering instructions and rebuild kits for when the time comes to give them a new lease of life. The all-important grip is provided by 10 chunky pins per side: three on the leading and trailing ends that thread through from the back side; and 4 in the center using standard grub screws that thread in from the top. All these pins come stock at a grabby 5mm length from the body, but the through-threading pins can be increased to an even scarier 6mm length by removing the washer fitted from stock. The pedals retail for $119.99 (£89.99) and are available in a range of six colors to match your ride.

THE DIRT
At first sight it is evident that there is going to be a lot of grip on offer from the Nukeproof Horizon Pro Sam Hill Enduro pedals, with the menacing pins protruding proudly from the body. Out of the box, the axle spins smoothly and more freely than others, removing that initial ride or two of increased drag as you pedal. What this usually indicates is a looser bushing tolerance that will inevitably lead to wear and “play” within a short number of miles, after their initial 400km of abuse they are feeling as good as new.

The platform is a reasonable size, with the pins sitting very close to the extremities to maximize their effective grip-zone underfoot, but it does fall narrower than the likes of the Deity T-Mac and DMR Vault. This can lead to the occasional “oh shit” moment if you hastily stamp back on the pedals after a dab and leave the outside of your foot hanging off the edge, but it is infrequent enough that the trade-off of increased trail clearance can be quite welcome. The concavity is also a little less than some of the competition, but they are not exactly uncomfortable nor nerve-inducing, with my US12 foot sitting happily on them for all-day adventures and bike park laps alike.

As supplied, with all 10 pins fitted to each side, I found my ankles wanted to “roll-out”, away from the crank arm slightly. Removing the 2 innermost pins took all this feeling away, and instantly improved the comfort for my fussy feet without losing any perceivable grip. Not a criticism of the pedals as such, but something that may be worth experimenting with to gain the ultimate feel.

Although the pins are thicker than some others, there is still plenty of bite into the sole of any decent mountain bike flat pedal shoe, or your shin for that matter, and their increased cross section allows them to shrug off impacts with trail obstacles better than anything I’ve yet to try. Add to this the heavily shaped and chamfered body, and they rank amongst the hardiest of pedals I have had the pleasure of abusing, showing limited signs of damage, and often narrowly avoiding catching an object that I am expecting to hurl me over the bars. These pins did shake loose after several rides, however after a quick cinch up they did not come loose again. Some thread-lock may be worth applying for peace of mind, but it is not a big issue.

The $119 (£89.99) price tag puts the Sam Hill Enduro pedals below many of the top-shelf options from the likes of Chromag or Deity’s $170 T-Mac pedals, so whilst they are not cheap by any means, the initial indications of their longevity may indicate they are good value for those looking for a long-term flat pedal option.

The Wolf’s Last Word

Grippy, tough and designed with Sam Hill, the Nukeproof Horizon Pro Sam Hill Enduro pedals are as good to ride as their name is long. You could always wish for lighter, but their weight is reasonable and worth the performance they bring to the table.

Price: £89.99 /$119
Weight: 417 grams (with some mud)
Website: nukeproof.com