UK-based Carder makes top quality machined alloy pedals that are up there with the best mountain bike flat pedals on sale. The Carder TenFour is based on the company’s current TwoTwelve pedal and uses the same CNC machined aluminium construction, which is actually reminiscent of the Hope pedal. It even has the same rippled surface, the difference is it’s more open and features a much bigger, squarer platform.

This pedal is slightly larger than the Nukeproof Horizon Pro and slightly thinner (15mm) at its lowest point but has some built-in concavity. It’s chamfered on the front edge to allow the pedal to deflect during a rock strike, but should you bang it square-on, the platform is supported by a super strong heat-treated and plated steel axle. To reduce play, this bad boy runs on two sealed mini cartridge bearings and two high-quality Igus bushes, the latter are protected by a meaty dust seal.

There are nine stainless steel pins per side, which are removable from beneath, so if you snap one you can still access the bolt head with a hex key. The pins are similar in construction to the Pembree D2A design, but they are way grippier and have a ton of bite into soft and medium-soled shoes. In fact, the overall level of grip and stability is pretty close to the Nukeproof Horizon, and most testers would easily swap between both pedals without issue. The concave shape and perimeter pin placement means your foot remains really well centred, and even with a foot half on-half off there’s still a ton of purchase.