The Spank Spike is a pedal that has been around for a long time and has been ridden and loved by a ton of riders. Like the VP Vice pedal, the Spank Spike occupies a happy medium as a mid-priced pedal, much cheaper than the top end aluminum pedals, but significantly more expensive than our budget pick, the synthetic OneUp Composite. If an ultra-thin flat pedal that will not break the bank is what you are after, then the Spank Spike might be the best flat mountain bike pedal for you. And for what it is worth, it is a great looking pedal, and I just enjoy saying “Spank Spike.” Give it a try, it’s satisfying, right?

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Grip

The Spank Spike features 10 pins (per side), consisting of a combination of seven larger bottom loading pins and three smaller top-loading pins. With all ten pins installed, the Spank Spike provides excellent traction and control, if not quite the rock-solid feel of the Race Face Atlas. However, removing the three smaller top-loading pins provides a looser feel that makes it much easier to adjust your feet mid-line. This could make the Spank Spike a great option for those who want a single set of pedals that can offer a different feel for big gnarly enduro days and days in the park.

Platform

The platform of the Spank Spike measures 100mm x 100mm. This is on the smaller end of the spectrum for the pedals that we reviewed. Riders with large feet might be better served by looking elsewhere, but riders with average to small sized feet who don’t want to lug any extra pedal around with them might appreciate the smallish outline of the Spank Spike.

The smaller outline of the Spank Spike makes sense when you combine it with its ultrathin profile. At only 12mm thick, the Spank Spike is the thinnest pedal in our review. When taken with its relatively small outline, this provides class-leading clearance and makes the Spank Spike perhaps the best flat mountain bike pedal for those worried about minimizing pedal strikes.

The platform of the Spank Spike is the only platform that we reviewed to be cold forged. While cold forging isn’t the most well-known process in mountain bike circles, it is very highly regarded amongst climbers, who depend on cold forged metals with their lives. This is definitely a mark in the favor of the Spank Spike.

Finally, like the Race Face Atlas, the Spank Spike might not play nice with the boot on your carbon crank. Using a washer or two might be necessary to overcome the Spike’s tight clearance.

Weight

At 420g, the Spank Spike is not going to win any awards for being ultralight. Of course, weight does not tend to be too much of a determining factor for flat mountain bike pedals, since those after optimal efficiency will typically opt for clipless pedals.

Durability and Servicing

We tend to be suspicious of top loading screws, and feel that the Spank Spike might have been better off in the durability category without them. They shouldn’t be a deal breaker, but they could make for a tougher time removing them in the case of a bent head.

There are also reports of the lube that ships on the Spank Spike pedals being some combination of ineffective and insufficient. We would recommend greasing them up yourself before installation if you decide to purchase the Spank Spikes.

The Bottom Line

We feel that the Spank Spike is a solid value at ~$120, but a steal if you can catch it on sale for around $100. While we would still take other pedals over the Spank Spike, depending on what our intended purpose was, the versatile nature of the Spank Spike makes it a great pedal for those who want a pedal that can be run with more grip on some days and less on others.

It is also a great choice for the smallish footed rider who values a thin pedal with reduced surface area and profile, something that I think will become an even larger concern as enduro bikes continue to get lower and lower.

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