Nukeproof Horizon Pro Sam Hill – Put to the test in our big pedal shootout 2023
Flat pedals and Sam Hill belong together like Australia and poisonous creatures. It is no wonder that Nukeproof have made the multiple downhill and enduro world champion his own pedals. They look beefy, yet classy, and are the enduro versions of the award-winning Horizon Pro downhill pedals.
Pin diameter 4 mm | Number of pins 10 | Pin insertion above and below | Manufacturer’s website
The Horizon Pro Sam Hill pedals from the Northern Irish company feature a classy look with their matte finish on the sides and a high-gloss finish on the top and bottom. Priced at € 117.99, they’re the most affordable aluminium pedals on test and the pair weighs 420 g. Although they seem quite big at first glance, they have the smallest platforms on test. Unlike the downhill versions, the corners of the Enduro models we tested are bevelled, saving some weight, and making it less likely that you’ll get hung up on roots or rocks. However, the concave shape and the arrangement of the 10 pins per side are identical in both models. With a diameter of 4 mm, the pins are thicker than most in the test field. The front and rear pins are screwed into the pedals from below, making them easy to replace if they break off. The pins come with washers installed, so you can increase the length of the pins for even more grip. Unfortunately, the pins at the sides are grub screws that go in from above, which makes replacing them much more difficult.
The Nukeproof Horizon Pro Sam Hill pedals on the trail
The concave platforms of the Horizon Pro pedals make it easy to position your feet correctly. When you’ve positioned your feet, the thick pins hold them in place like hardly any other pedals. And this is in the standard configuration with washers installed so the pins aren’t at their longest. If you remove the spacers, the grip on the pedals is insane. So much so that it’s difficult to shift your feet if you’re not standing on the pedals the way you’d like. The fact that the outer two pins screw in from above is awkward, because those are the parts of the pedals that you’re most likely to smack into rocks – especially since the Nukeproof pedals are amongst the tallest in the test field with a height of 17 mm. Unfortunately, the seals of the bearings also came loose rather easily, allowing dirt to get in. The price is unbeatable for a pair of aluminium pedals that perform as well as the Horizon Pro Sam Hill Enduro models.
The LINK Composite pedals clearly stand out from the crowd in terms of looks. While they’re the most expensive composite pedals on test, they have a lot to offer: the TATZE are easy to disassemble and generate the most grip of all composite pedals in the test field. You don’t feel like your feet are glued down and can reposition them if needed. However, due to the lack of large cut outs, they have poor self-cleaning, and the stance width of the platforms is too narrow for tall riders.
Tops
- fair price
- outstanding grip
Flops
- outer pins are screwed in from above
- seals aren’t the best
You can find out more about at nukeproof.com
Click here for an overview: The best pedals for mountain bikers
all pedals in Review: Acros Clipless Pedal | Crankbrothers Mallet E LS | Hope Union | HT T2 | Shimano XT PD-M8120 | TIME SPECIALE 12 | Chromag Dagga | Crankbrothers Stamp 7 | Hope F22 | Look Trail Fusion | Nukeproof Horizon Pro Sam Hill | OneUp Composite Pedal | Race Face Atlas | Sixpack Kamikaze RA | SQ Lab 50X | Tatze Link Composite |