Components

Best BMX Bike Pegs Buying Guide

BMX stunt pegs are commonly found on park or street bikes to enable the rider pull off a host of tricks including rail or ledge grinds and flatland manoeuvres. They are steel or alloy cylinders attached to the front or rear axles one on or both sides, so you can run your bike with up to four pegs as desired.

Attaching and detaching pegs is a simple job but you do need the right tools – a socket wrench and deep-well socket is necessary so that you can tighten or unscrew the axle nut inside the peg.

Read on to find out more about the different types of pegs available and which one is right for you.

Which BMX peg is right for you?

The number and type of pegs you choose to use will depend on the type of riding you do and the type of bike you ride. While race and dirt jump BMX bikes will typically come without pegs – in fact, they are prohibited in race events and generally not advisable for dirt jumping – they will be found on most park and street bikes. Pegs enable you to do a host of tricks, primarily rail and ledge grinds as well as a range of flatland stunts. As above, you may choose to run anywhere between one and four pegs on your bike and the configuration is completely a matter of preference – two pegs on the back, two pegs back and front or two on the right or left side only (for grinds on one side only).

When buying or replacing pegs for your bike the main things you need to consider are materials, axle size, length and diameter.

• Materials: While some cheaper pegs are made from chromoly steel for strength and low price, the majority are made from some kind of aluminium alloy to balance strength and light weight. Many modern pegs may also feature a tough, hard-wearing nylon or plastic sleeve which many riders find offers a slicker surface for longer, smoother grinds. These types of pegs will typically still feature alloy inserts for strength, and replacement sleeves can be bought if the original ones wear out. You might also want to consider buying peg wax, which comes in a soap-like bar and can be rubbed onto both pegs and rails/ledge edges to reduce friction for longer grinds.

• Axle size: The vast majority of pegs are designed to fit the 14mm axle standard found on most street and park bikes, which is beefier than the 3/8 inch axle on a race bike and better able to handle the forces exerted by stunt riding. However many pegs will also come with an adapter to enable them to fit the 3/8-inch standard, if you want to try some stunts on your race rig.

• Length: The typical standard length for stunt pegs is around 4” (100mm) but longer versions of up to around 4.4” (110mm) are available for riders with bigger feet or anyone who feels longer pegs offer a better grind. Conversely, ‘micro-pegs’ of just 30mm in length offer the ability to pull off grinds and protect your axles without being as obtrusive for air tricks and jumping as ‘normal’ pegs.

• Diameter: A typical peg diameter is 1.5” (38.5mm) although ‘skinny’ pegs of 35mm or less may be preferred by some riders for lighter weight.

Note: Some BMX pegs feature anti-roll slots to avoid rotation. These pegs will also come with an anti-roll pin – when installing the peg, screw the pin into one of the holes and position it inside the dropout slot before you tighten down the axle nut again. This will keep the peg in place. When you wish to rotate the peg (to avoid one surface becoming overly worn), detach the peg, screw the pin into another of the anti-roll holes and re-attach.

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