Nukeproof Horizon Sam Hill 2016
Reviews / Pedals
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At A Glance
As the name would suggest, these pedals have been designed with the rider who is undoubtedly the king of flats; Sam Hill. This is a man who knows a thing or two about riding flats, and as such these platforms from Nukeproof have been put together to create the best possible pedal.
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More than just a signature on the pedal, they mean business and feature DU bushings, two sealed cartridge bearings and decent seals to keep muck out and the pedal spinning for longer and smoother. The pins are threaded all the way to provide grip and are adjustable in length with washers, whilst the pedal body has been machined to 'aid deflection' and merely glance off rocks rather than square edges to catch on boulders. The body is wide and solid providing plenty of space for big feet, and the axles are available in Cro-Mo or Titanium.
Also available in the range are the more stealthy finished 'Pro' model and the composite bodied 'Comp' model.
On The Trail
Initial testing of the pedal found them to live up to the hype, and their namesake's reputation. The grip levels are superb, and as such are one of the grippiest pedals I have ever used, having tried them on many different shoes, they maximise the performance of any sole. The threaded pins are one part of the magic grip, as they bite into any surface and don't easily round off, so there is always edge to the pins. This might sound pretty aggressive, but it serves to give excellent hold on your foot. The other great feature is the distribution of the ten pins on each side, spaced around the edge of the large platform, they give fantastic stability and prevent foot rotation. The pedal body is wide, which is great for big feet, and is thin enough to prevent the pedal rolling over in the rough.
These pedals have followed me around all year, and have been my go-to pedal for all-out grip, which has meant I have used them almost exclusively. From local rides to races in the Alps, they have been smashed into rocks again and again, each time continuing to spin along happily every time.
The bearings have performed really well, things are still spinning smooth after nearly a year, although there is a bit of play in the bushings. The pins have served less well, with a couple of losses and couple of bends, mostly on the outer edge of the pedal. As the pins only thread through a relatively thin piece of metal, and being quite long, the leverage was all too much for a couple of them. That said, they can be replaced easily providing the threads are still ok in the pedal.
At 430g they are a good weight for such a solid and large platformed pedal, but the weight can be dropped to 362g with a Titanium axle if you want to spend some more cash.
Overall
One of the grippiest pedals out there, and at a pretty good price (£79.99 in the UK), they are still running smooth and have most of their pins after a year of abuse. My favourite pedals of this year, and still going strong, the Sam Hills are a great companion providing superb grip, reliability and value.
For more information visit Nukeproof Related
By Ewen Turner
Ewen Turner is a self-confessed bike geek from Kendal in the Lake District of England. He runs a coaching and guiding business up there and has a plethora of knowledge about bikes with an analytical approach to testing. His passion for bicycles is infectious, and he’s a ripper on the trails who prefers to fit his working life around his time on the bike.
