Review Race Face Chester Pedal

[Webike]

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Product name: Race Face Chester Pedal
Price paid: $45
Score (out of 10): 7

Review: This posting is neither a review nor a rant but rather an observation of the merits of the Chester pedal. Haven ridden SPD pedal systems for the last 35 years and only recently included 'Flats', I'm no veteran on the species and have only ridden a few types and don't believe I, at my current riding level/skills, require the latest & greatest product.

With that said, I recently purchased a couple of Chester pedal sets, based upon their positive reviews and popularity, and was initially satisfied with the product. Over a period of a few months I was continually cleaning off black grease from the inside pedal axis and had always noticed a tightness to the pedals rotation so the most recent issue of a high pitched squeaking was the final straw and had me wondering about the "bearings". Bearings was the wrong term since a quick search indicated, to my surprise, that the pedal uses only ONE bearing and a BUSHING! Furthermore, on disassembling the pedal I found the rubber seal to be damaged with a portion missing and another section torn. Also, although I'm not a lubricant expert, the grease within the axle cavity was super sticky...perhaps for longevity but not for ease of rotation.

Granted, these pedals are not state of the art but for the axle to ride on a plastic bushing is total crap. I'll try to find new seals but this is an unacceptable product in my mind. Maybe it is a rant.
One man's opinion...

 

[levity]

You might try OneUp Composite flats. Not sure they'll last any longer for you (they also use one sealed bearing and a DU bushing), but I've used them on multiple bikes for over 2 years with no issues. I switched to OneUp from the RF Chesters mainly because the OneUp pedals are slightly wider, have more pins with a better distribution pattern, and seem to both feel and grip better. Price is similar, about $50 US. Good luck.

 

[Webike]

Well, gotta give Kudos to Race Face/Fox for responding quickly and providing complete rebuild kits at no charge for the 2 sets of Chester Pedals with failed seals. I'm still unsure what caused the premature wear riding the relatively mild & dry California conditions but the attached photo shows the new vs old seals side by side on the pedal axle. Note the old seal is worn to a very thin profile which allowed the grease to ooze from the bearing cavity and would have led to premature bushing failure. I'm hoping a lower viscosity grease will alleviate the apparent 'stiction' / friction...we'll see.