HT ME03 flat pedals review

HT’s ME03 flat pedals are made from extruded magnesium that’s CNC machined to give them their shape.

They use the brand’s EVO+ System bearings that combine a needle roller bearing with an IGUS bushing to rotate on the chromoly axle.

A titanium spindle is also available for extra cost to shave some more weight.

HT ME03 details and specifications

The ME03’s platform is 93(L)x101(W)mm at its largest point, and its front and rear stepped and chamfered edges are 11mm deep.

The central axle spindle is 12mm deep at its thinnest point and 17mm thick at its largest, where there’s a bearing bulge next to the platform’s inner edge.

Its stock 7mm pins extend 3mm above its surface, giving the pedal a virtually flat profile, and 20 spare pins are included with the pedals.

Each pedal has 10 pins per side, with eight around the perimeter and two in the centre. The pins are removed from the back side using a 2.5mm Allen key.

The needle bearing and bushing are claimed to have low spinning resistance and long life. My pair of ME03 pedals weighed 262g.

HT ME03 performance

I had high hopes for the ME03 pedals given their super-slim profile and light weight, but the wedge-shaped platform and inner-bearing bulge scuppered grip, focusing my foot’s pressure away from the grippy, sharp pins.

The platform’s shape also canted my foot outwards slightly and pressured my arches, which felt unnatural until I’d got used to it.

The two central pins helped improve grip, but couldn’t totally mitigate the platform’s shape.

I found the perfect foot position was further forwards on my toes compared to other pedals, and once my feet weren’t on this sweet spot, they tended to slip forwards, with the pedals getting closer to my heels.

This reduced stability significantly and meant I had to work hard to keep my feet in the ideal spot. Foot-placement adjustment was simple, though, thanks to the aforementioned axle bulge.

Their slim profile meant rock and ground strikes were few and far between, and the pedals proved to be robust during the test period. Their low weight will appeal to plenty of riders out there, too.

HT ME03 bottom line

The wedge-shaped platform is an inherently flawed design for a flat pedal that both canted my feet outwards at an angle and focused pressure away from the pins, reducing grip and stability.

The ME03 is impressively light and thin, but I’d rather trade these qualities for more grip.