Race Face Chester Pedal Review: The Budget Friendly Flat Pedal [Video]

The Race Face Chester is among a new class of nylon composite flat pedals that leave enough money in your back pocket for all the other upgrades on your bike. The Chester is a thin, lightweight,  large platform pedal that will get the job done!

Overview

• Weight: 340g
• Nylon composite body
• Fully sealed serviceable bearings and bushings
• Chromoly Steel spindle
• 8 bottom loading steel traction pins
• 7 radical colors to choose from

Riding and Performance

Pros

The best part about these pedals is that they cost around $50! That is next level cheap from a reputable brand like RaceFace. Throughout this review, I rode the Chester pedals with the Five Ten Impact VXI flat pedal shoes. In my opinion, the stealth rubber used on the soles of these shoes provide the most grip over any other flat shoes on the market. I was confident that the Chester pedals paired with these Five Ten Impacts would do the trick. After riding plenty of days at both Bailey Mountain Bike Park and Winrock Bike Park, the Chester pedals were still in one piece. The thin profile was nice to keep pedals off of any rocks. My feet did move around a little on the Chesters but that made it easier to readjust your feet when taking them off in a turn. The Chester pedals were great for shedding mud with their open design. A traction pin replacement kit is also available for the Chester pedals, so if you do manage to shear a few of the pins off, no problem just throw new ones in.  

Cons

While the Chester pedals do a great job for the price, they don’t provide as much traction as some other pedals on the market. Other pedals that have a concave profile may provide more grip but just like anything else, it all comes down to personal preference. Just like how some people prefer specific clipless pedals because of the float they provide, the same point can be made with flat pedals. In terms of grip, the Chester pedals fall in the middle of the road. Some riders may like that because it allows them to readjust their feet on the pedals. Personally, I like my feet glued to the pedal.

What’s the Bottom Line?

The Race Face Chester is a killer pedal for the price. For those riders looking for a pedal they can use on their dirt jumper, trail bike, and downhill bike, the Chester can get the job done. The Chesters are lightweight, have a thin profile and are plenty strong. For those riders looking for absolute maximum grip out of their flat pedals, the Chester may not be for you. Their playful style allows you to move your foot around on pedal.

Click here to check out all of the other products from RaceFace.

About Me

Max Morgan is 24 years old, and lives in Brevard, North Carolina. Max grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and started racing downhill at the age of 15. He has now been racing professionally for the last 6 years, competing in the U.S. Pro GRT series and UCI World Cup series. Find me on Instagram @mxmorgan77.