User reports €24 pedal pins rusting in two weeks

Bearings or ball bearings: the detail that determines if a cheap pedal lasts

The flash sale on pedals circulating these days has peine a recurring discussion among participants: whether it's worth betting on the economical option, which according to repeated warnings should have bearings and not ball bearings, or paying more for one that lasts for years. The detail they point out is not the price, but the rotation system: bearings versus traditional ball bearings.

Bearings or ball bearings? What changes in a pedal

The most repeated warning is that a pedal should rotate on bearings and not on ball bearings. The recommendation is to look at the axle before buying: if it doesn't have bearings, it's not worth it.

Crankbrothers Stamp: €90 on sale versus €140 list price

The most cited counterexample is the Crankbrothers magnesium Stamp pedals. A pair bought on sale for €90, when their reference price was around €140, has accumulated four years of use without a single incident, according to the testimony of the buyer. Not a single rusted pin, which is precisely the fault most criticized in cheap models.

The €24 pedal with three bearings: cheap today, expensive later

At €24 and with three bearings, the appeal is evident. The testimony of those who tried them points to rusted pins within two weeks, grease leaking from the bearings, and paint peeling off shortly after. They remain functional and grip well, but are not ideal. Another drawback is the size: one participant finds the platform too small, at 73 millimeters. And some, with a comparable three-bearing model, replaced the outer part of the left pedal after 8,500 kilometers.

Aesthetics, status, and the unseen price

There is a current that dismisses the cheap model not for its mechanics but for its appearance. The shiny finish is associated with the economical and matte black with the serious; one participant ironically suggests they should come with a power meter to fit in, and another dismisses shiny pedals by associating them with a public they disdain. These are opinions from the thread, not mechanical arguments.

The comparison posed by the thread is simple: €24 now or €90 once. The question of how long a €24 pedal with three bearings truly lasts remains open: there are no measurements, only personal experiences.