PNW LOAM FLAT PEDAL REVIEW

Review by Dusten Ryen

Truth be told, a bike is only as useful as the contact points you’ve got on it. You may not be too worried about what hunks of metal (or plastic) you’ve got supporting your feet, but it sure does make a difference when you have a good platform to carry you on down the trail. PNW tells us “bikes are better with pedals, so we did just that”, and here we have the Loam flat pedal from PNW, a pedal to make bikes better?

THE LAB
While many flat pedals look roughly the same, considering them as such means you are far from understanding why there are so many options on the market. The Loam flat pedal is a low profile, rebuildable, alloy pedal targeted at the flat pedal trail riders. With a slightly convex overall platform but a concave pin arrangement, it lets your shoe settle in for a secure grip, while letting you release and pop your foot off in sketchy terrain. This platform measures in at 105mm wide by 115mm long, with a heavy taper towards the outside edge to improve trail clearance. Although the sealed cartridge and roller bearings are designed to last, the elements and abuse always find a way of taking their toll. So PWN ensured that with just two tools you can easily replace the bearings, to keep them fresh as you log your miles. Moreover having the 11 steel pins per side easily replaceable, whilst being almost industry standard at this point, lets you keep your feet secure as the pins wear down on pedal strikes and general wear. At 445g for the pair, the forged and CNC’d alloy pedal is sturdy without carrying much excess weight. PNW offers the Loam flat pedals in a choice of three colors, with a reasonable retail price of $99, and their exceptional lifetime warranty backing.

THE DIRT
Jumping back and forth between clipless and flat pedals between different bikes, having blown out flat pedals adds an unnecessary excitement to trail riding I do not look forward to. I’ve always been a fan of the Crankbrothers Stamp large platform pedals for more aggressive riding, but slapping them on a trail bike leaves me hanging up on roots and rocks left and right – there’s just too much pedal platform for everyday trail riding and a size 10.5 shoe. The Loam flat pedal maintains an adequate platform size to give good foot support, but tapers away where the pedal is most susceptible to damage.

The convex platform with concave pins design lets your shoe settle in and those pins keep it locked. Well and truly locked in. In the first week of riding them I had a handful of times where dropping my foot on some failed climbing sections I almost had to put my knee down to catch myself. The pins do their job, giving almost too much grip at times, but not to the extent that it’s overkill. Over the test period they’ve seen enough miles for me to feel confident in the durability of the bearings, which have yet to present any play or hint at any roughness.

The Wolf’s Last Word

PNW has become a name we can trust and their components are found left and right, from manufacturer spec to personal upgrades, and the new Loam flat pedal fits right in. With a Lifetime Warranty, serviceability, and of course three colorways to style with your bike, the Loam pedal is a great option for trail riders and shows that not all pedals are created equal.

PRICE: $99
WEBSITE: PNWcomponents.com

Disclosure: Our team selects all of the products we review and do so with honesty and objectivity in mind. Some of the products we receive come directly from Competitive Cyclist, who also value our readers and have offered them a 15% discount (exclusions apply) on their first purchase by using LOAMWOLF15. Through this program we may also receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support, TLW.