Best Folding Bike Pedals – Our Top 3 Picks and Buyers Guide

Folding pedals are pretty cool and certainly can make your life much easier. They are an excellent option for many people and can save many scratches and smacked shins when walking around or storing your bike at home or work. 

In this article, we have selected some of the best folding pedals as well as a guide to folding pedals which includes everything you need to know about them. 

There is a lot of information in here, so use this Table of Contents to navigate to what you need. 

Best Folding Pedals

Here is a selection of the best folding pedals on the market where each pedal will suit a different kind of person.

MKS FD7 Folding Pedal Review (Our Pick)

The MKS FD7 is by far the most durable and sturdy folding pedal. For folding pedals, these are most peoples go to and feature everything you would need in a folding pedal.

They are an alloy pedal and weigh in at 487 grams. The alloy body and platform means that these pedals will last longer and ultimately provide a better, more stable ride than other cheaper pairs. 

The alloy platform also features semi-aggressive grooved grips. These provide plenty of grip on the pedal without shredding your shoes.

Folding this pedal up is super easy and only requires a simple push of a button and then fold the pedal up or down until it clicks into place. It’s as easy as that.

Sunlite Folding Pedal Review

Sunlite folding pedals are a combination of an alloy carrier with a composite pedal platform. They are cheaper than the MKS pedals due to the composite body, which means they won’t have the same durability and sturdy feel that the MKS do.

Nonetheless, they are still a good option for those that don’t ride super long distances or try and break any speed records.

The composite platform results in a slightly lighter pedal weighing in at 436 grams.

The composite platform features protruding blocks along the edge of the pedal for grip when pedalling. They definitely won’t shred your shoes, but they also don’t provide as much grip as the MKS would. When it gets wet the composite platform will become slippery and so care should be taken when riding in the wet. 

Again the folding mechanism is super simple and is simply a pinch mechanism at the end of the pedal which releases the pedal to be folded away. The folding mechanism is very stiff when first purchased, however, it loosens over time with use. 

Dr Bike Folding Pedal Review

The Dr Bike folding pedals are the cheapest on the list but are a great value pedal. The pedal body is made entirely of composite materials and so they may not last as long as the MKS but they are considerably cheaper and solidly built for the price. 

The weight of the pedals is pretty standard weighing in at 448 grams, which is acceptable considering their price.

As with the Sunlite folding pedals, there is little in the way of grip on the composite pedal platform which is fine in the dry, but they will become slippery in the wet.

As with all the pedals, the folding mechanism is super easy and simply requires pulling the lever in the middle of the pedal and folding it away.

Overall they are a great budget pedal, they won’t be as durable or stable as the MKS but will be sufficient for shorter commutes or the occasional cruise around town. 

What are Folding Pedals?

Folding pedals are a pretty crazy idea, but they certainly have their place within the cycling world. The main idea of them essentially is to save space in storage and to make them easier to transport. 

They are typically made of two pieces. The first is the body which is attached to the shaft which screws into the crank. This is the fixed piece of the pedal and represents the width that the pedal will have when folded up.

The second is the platform, this is the outer part of the pedal and is the piece that folds up and down and is where your foot will be placed.  

Two common materials are used in folding pedals, the first being aluminium which is typically found on the higher end pedals as it is more durable than the composite counterparts.

I gave it away before but the second material is a composite pedal, these are typically found on the cheaper pedals and are often not as sturdy or durable. 

What are the Benefits of Folding Pedals?

I am sure you can see the obvious benefits that come with having a folding pedal such as saving room when in storage. Not having a pedal that sticks out in your shed or garage can be much more of a benefit if you walk past regularly as smashing your shin on a bike pedal is never fun. Thankfully you will be much less likely to do this with a folded up pedal.

They also have the added benefit of being less likely to scratch things in the garage, such as your car or walls. 

Another great benefit of a folding pedal is it makes it much easier to load a bike into the back of a car. We’ve all been there where you get the bike halfway in the car and the pedal sticking out catches on something making it impossible to push the bike in. Well, a much cheaper option than a bike rack is to purchase a set of folding pedals, they are much less likely to catch which is awesome!

Folding pedals are definitely targeted at the commuter as being able to fold your pedals when you get to work makes it much easier to push your bike around the office without taking out all the door frames on your way through. 

What are the Issues with Folding Pedals?

As with all good things, there are a few downsides to owning a pair of folding pedals. It is up to you as to whether the benefits of folding pedals outweigh the negatives and whether purchasing a pair is right for you. 

First is that they are a bit heavier than standard pedals, in saying that, they are not outrageously heavy and most people won’t notice the extra weight. 

The second is that the cheaper models of folding pedals are not as durable as the equivalently priced standard pedals. Cheaper models also tend to have a bit of play in the folding mechanism and are not completely solid like a standard pedal. This is somewhat expected as they are designed to fold and do so on a budget, however, more expensive models will last longer and have a much sturdier feel to them.

Although the majority of the pedal folds up, it doesn’t fold up from the crank of the pedal. Therefore, there is still a small amount of the pedal that does stick out from the crank. However, it is a third of the size and I’m sure that will stop many scratches on cars and smacked shins which is a win.

If you want a pedal that completely folds away then detachable pedals might be a better option for you.

Who do Folding Pedals Suit?

So fold up pedals definitely aren’t for everyone, but they certainly are a great option for many people. They are designed for a commuter with limited storage space both at work and at home in the apartment or garage. If you are a commuter, then folding pedals are a great option and certainly worth considering.

Another group of people that would suit folding pedals are those that just like to cycle around the neighbourhood and aren’t looking to break and speed records. They are an excellent option for just cruising around.

If you intend to ride offroad on mountain bike trails regularly then folding pedals are definitely not the way to go. They are just not built for those kinds of forces through them and will likely break rather quickly which can be very dangerous. 

If you are looking at going offroad, I would check out our article on dual-platform pedals or the best clipless mountain bike pedals for beginners. 

Conclusion

So there you have it, are folding pedals for you? Well if you are a commuter and not going to be shredding out on the mountain bike trails, then they are probably a great option. They can definitely save many scratched cars and walls as well as those dreaded smacked shins when walking around.

If you think they will fit well into your life we recommend the MKS FD7 as they are sturdy and durable so you won’t need to worry about constantly having to replace them.