HT Components are probably best known for their downhill pedals under the feet of Aaron Gwin.
Their X1 and X2 offerings were very well received by our testers Pete and Ollie in previous tests.
Ben Plenge has been putting one of their plastic flat pedal, the PA03A, to the test.
Need to know:
- £34.99
- Nylon-reinforced composite body.
- CNC chromo axle.
- Dual sealed bearing with DU bush.
- 107 x 105 x 18mm.
- 341g
- Available in 10 colours
- HT-components.com
Buy online: Buy the HT Components PA03A online at High on Bikes for £31.49
The latest budget offering from pedal specialist, HT Components is called the PA03A which probably goes down as one of the worst product names I have ever heard. Then again, if C3PO and R2D2 can be global mega-stars then maybe the PA03A can be a star on my bike, despite its name?
The PA03A has a large, nylon reinforced composite body, meaning in layman’s terms that it is plastic, rather than metal like most other pedals. It spins on dual sealed bearings and a single DU bushing with a chromo steel axle.
Each side of the pedal has 8 replaceable pins providing the majority of the grip, with a slight concave shape and some low plastic lugs providing the rest.
Wet, winter abuse
The bright yellow pair on test have seen a few months of wet, winter abuse on a couple of different 150-160mm travel bikes and the good news is that that they are still running smoothly without any play.
The pedal bodies are showing a few gouges and scratches from rock strikes, but there are no signs of cracks or damage that would effect the performance of the pedal.
On the trails, the large platform gives a supportive feel with the 8 pins providing a good level of grip. These pedals do not grab the sole of your shoe, gluing it down like some others out there, but what it does mean is that small adjustments in foot position are possible without having to lift your foot right off the pedal.
This also means that you can have a bit more movement of the foot and lower leg to control the bike through twisty and awkward sections of trail, rather than being locked in to a very rigid position.
So far so good?
In the wet, we had best results with soft, Stealth Rubber-soled 5.10 shoes that hooked up nicely with the HTs. Shoes with firmer soles, like the Specialized 2FO did struggle a bit for grip in the wet and had you wishing for more pins instead of the low plastic lugs found here.
Overall, these are great pedals for the money, that should last a long time and are totally serviceable too.
If you are looking for the maximum grip possible then you will need to look elsewhere, but for a nice blend of grip and ‘float’ the HT PA03A is bang on.
We like:
- The price
- Tough but serviceable when they need some love
- A nice blend of grip and float
- Pins are easy to remove, even when damaged
Could be better:
- There are grippier pedals available
Buy online: Buy the HT Components PA03A online at High on Bikes for £31.49
