Canyon Performance flat pedals review

Canyon says its Performance flat pedals have taken two years to develop and are offered in two platform sizes in a bid to get them feeling just right, no matter how big or small your feet are.

With a broad concave platform profile and 10 sharp pins per side, the German bike brand certainly seems to have got some of the fundamentals right, on paper at least.

These details translate well on the trail, with plenty of support for your feet when you need it most and impressive levels of traction, even when hammering over bumpy terrain.

Canyon Performance flat pedals details and specifications

In a bid to ensure everyone gets a pedal to suit their needs, Canyon offers the Performance flat pedals in two sizes, both of which use an aluminium platform.

While the smaller pedal caters for those with shoe sizes from EU36-42, the larger platform is designed for sizes EU43-48.

Both pedals are essentially identical, though the larger pedal fastens into the crank with a 6mm Allen key, while the smaller pedal uses an 8mm key.

Because I flit between size EU42 and EU43 shoes, I opted for the larger of the two platforms.

The bigger pedals offer a massive platform for your feet, measuring 109x110mm. This is bigger than Deity’s TMAC and Nukeproof’s Horizon Pro Sam Hill Enduro pedals, both of which scored a full five stars in our reviews.

The outer edges have a depth of just over 17mm, and both the leading and trailing edges are chamfered in a bid to help the platforms glance off rocks rather than stop dead when they come into contact with them.

Each side of the platform gets 10 pins. While the four pins that sit either side of the axle are grub screws, the other six are rear-loading, skinny and quite sharp.

Alongside the pins, it’s the platform profile that helps increase traction.

In the case of the Performance flat pedals, there’s a reasonable amount of concavity, which is designed to help cup your feet and keep them feeling more secure.

Large cutaways help to shed mud quickly and maximise grip when the conditions turn.

The platforms spin on what Canyon describes as a “virtually indestructible” chromoly axle, using Canyon’s DU bushing system, which is said to resist wear without the need for oily grease.

All in, the large pedals tip the scales at 442g.

Of course, Canyon isn’t the first bike brand to offer flat pedals. Who can forget the impressive Horizon Pro Enduro Sam Hill pedals from Nukeproof, which always do well in tests. But how do they compare?

Canyon Performance flat pedals performance

Fitting the Canyon Performance flat pedals is very straightforward, requiring a 6mm Allen key (on the large version, only). There are no spanner flats on the axle, so fitting these is an Allen key job.

I’d prefer to use an 8mm Allen key to fit these, because 8mm keys are generally longer and stiffer, which adds to the leverage. But I’m being picky here.

As soon as you stamp your foot onto the pedals, it’s the massive platform that’s noticeable first. The broad width means there’s masses of room to place your feet, which, coupled with the pins and concave platform profiling, makes for a very stable footing.

The size also means you don’t need to be too careful where you place your feet back onto the pedal once you’ve dabbed through a turn.

Because the target is so big, you can slap your foot back in place without having to worry about correcting its position instantly to ensure it keeps on gripping.

That platform size also means there’s enough real estate to avoid having your feet too close to the edge of the pedals.

This helps prevent your foot rolling outwards, which can feel really unnerving and is something common with smaller-platform pedals.

Despite outright bite and traction not feeling quite as impressive as some of the best flat pedals, I never struggled with keeping my feet where they needed to be while bashing my way down the trail.

Those two years of development, including some careful pin placement, have clearly paid off.

Even with muddy shoes, when tackling rough sections of track, my feet stayed well-positioned on the pedals. This was really noticeable when wearing the latest Shimano GF8 shoes.

This is an important point because the GF8s aren’t as grippy as Five Ten’s Impact shoes, which use the brand's famed Stealth rubber, showing the traction and stability the Canyon Performance flat pedals offer adds up in use.

After plenty of wet rides and some heavy hose action, my pedals are still spinning smoothly.

Price-wise, the Performance flats come in slightly cheaper than the Nukeproof Horizon Pro, but aren’t quite as grippy or light.

They’re not far off, though, and certainly worth considering the next time you’re looking to replace your pedals.

Canyon Performance flat pedals bottom line

The Canyon Performance flat pedals offer masses of foot stability and impressive levels of grip at a competitive price.

Thanks to the well-considered design, they work well on the trail, ensuring there’s plenty of traction beneath your feet when you need it most.

The sizeable, well-shaped platform and spiky pins support, cup and securely attach to the soles of the shoes, meaning you can hit rugged, rough sections of trail with confidence, which counts for a lot.