WE DIG
WE DON’T
ABOUT THE PINND CS2 FLAT PEDAL
The PINND CS2 flat pedals are designed for downhill, enduro, and trail riding. They have a 110 x 105mm footprint and a whopping 9mm concave profile. The 7075-T6 aluminum platform measures 108mm wide and 95mm long, with a 22mm height at the front and rear and 18mm height around the axle. With 13 fully adjustable pins per side, there’s plenty of grip to go around. These pins are custom made from 303 stainless steel to offer extreme toughness.
On the inside, the pedal features oil-sealed bearings, which PINND says gives exceptional all-weather performance and long service intervals. With an oil seal on the inner edge keeping oil in and the elements out, PINND hopes to survive the toughest conditions better than the competition. The CS2’s also use a needle bearing instead of a plastic bush, which should put an end to the axial play common to other designs. Paired with a dual cartridge bearing arrangement, these should spin smooth for the long haul.
When the time comes, PINND promises its pedals are fully serviceable, with full service instructions and spares available on the website. The CS2’s are also backed by a five-year limited warranty, and come with a half-price crash replacement promise.
Retailing for $163 / £145 / €168.95, the PINND CS2 pedals are a decidedly premium option, with the manufacturing quality to match.
THE DIRT
There’s a lot of personal preference involved when it comes to flat pedals. With such a wide spectrum of sizes and shapes available – from totally flat profiles to highly concave examples like the PINND CS2 – the choices can be overwhelming at times. PINND went to the extreme from a concavity perspective, but the overall design lands on the slightly shorter and thicker side than many.
The shorter platform length proved to be a bit of an issue for me. On all but the stiffest shoe soles, I suffered with foot pain on extended descents. With less real estate to spread the load across, there was a larger concentration of pressure on my foot, which had more of a tendency to wrap around the front edge. There were a handful of instances where the CS2 would “flip” under my foot, too, especially when placing the foot back on the pedal following a foot-out, flat-out moment. For my US11.5 / UK 10.5 / EU45 feet, I’d prefer an extra 10mm or more of usable fore-aft platform. Smaller-footed riders may not share the same complaint.
The idea behind a concave profile is that your foot is able to sink into the platform, giving extra purchase on the pins and therefore more grip. As a result, there was no lack of traction on the CS2 pedals, even though the pins weren’t the most aggressive and grippy out there. I ran the centre pins out to emphasise the concavity for the majority of testing, but spent some time with them in to try and alleviate my foot pain struggles, with limited success.
As one of the thicker flat pedals on the market, those who struggle with pedal clearance aren’t going to enjoy the extra material below the axles. Some riders may begin to struggle with clearance if coming off a thinner alternative. Your saddle will have to go a touch higher too, pushing your center of gravity higher both up and down the hill.
Where the thickness comes into its own though – in addition to the concavity – is the space created for the internals. The PINND CS2 pedals arrived with a satisfying – but not extreme – level of resistance, indicating the quality of the sealing. Through the duration of the test, they continued to spin smoothly and free of any play on the axle, having being subjected to some seriously wet rides through to some rare Scottish dust. Pulling them off the axle for inspection confirmed the seals were doing their job amicably, remaining almost perfectly clean inside. The body and axle feel like they’d survive a nuke, and the stainless steel pins shrugged off some big impacts against rocks and roots without flinching.
The Wolf’s Last Word
Combining their burly design and the quality sealing, I would expect the PINND CS2 flat pedals to outlast the vast majority of pedals on the market. So if their shape suits your preferences, then they could prove to be a solid high-quality investment for the long run. 
Price: $163 / £145 / €168.95
Website: Pinnd.co.uk
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ABOUT THE WOLF
Robert’s habitat is the Tweed Valley, Scotland, which is renowned for its root-littered enduro mountain bike trails. Robert has been developing his bike handling skills for the last 16 years. Since he was a pup, he’s been riding everything from BMX through to enduro and downhill bikes. Combining a playful style with occasional speed-focused aggression, he favors supportive bikes, and does his best to push them hard.
Rank: European Tech Editor
Size: 6’2” / 189cm | 220lbs / 100kg
Social: @robert_johnston
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