Monday 16th Sept Update: Please note Fanatec has been liquidated, we recommend checking all other products as an alternative during this period of acquisition.
Every sim rig has three points of contact between the driver and the car: the wheel, pedals, and seat. Arguably, it can be said that the pedals are what can make some of the biggest differences in driving ability and consistency.
A consistent and precise pedal feel can allow the driver to control the braking performance of the car without second-guessing what the car will do. This improves braking performance and tyre wear and overall car control as pitching and instability can be better controlled.
So, it is clear pedals can make or break a driver’s ability to be consistent and perform at their peak level, making choosing the right pedals key. Here, we have broken down the five best sets of pedals ranging from more budget-friendly options to premium sim racing gear.
What Are Sim Racing Pedals?
Sim racing pedals are a core part of any sim racing rig. They are the very basis of your rig and are essential to any form of racing as they allow you to control the brakes, throttle and often the clutch in your car. The feeling they provide allows for the precision racing that everyone looks for, as it gives you superior control over your car.
Followed by Sim racing seats, they are up there as one of the areas in a rig that allows for the most improvement.
Sim Racing pedals come in multiple forms: potentiometer, load cell and hydraulic:
- At the cheapest end of your budget, you will find pedals that relay information to the game via a potentiometer, giving you the weakest and least accurate feel.
- Load cell pedals are next, and are the best consumer-grade option when it comes to pedals. They are found in the majority of pedals on this list, as they are affordable yet allow for a high level of precision.
- At the top of the range are hydraulic pedals, which are much rarer and more expensive, but allow for the highest form of accuracy – often being found in race cars.
Quick pedal rundown
Product | Style | Price Range | Pros | Cons |
Thrustmaster T-LCM Load Cell Pedals | Load Cell | Budget | – Affordable load cells – Interchangeable springs | – Flex under load |
Fanatec CSL Elite V2 | Load Cell | Budget | – Affordable and great quality | – Build quality |
Fanatec Clubsport V3 Pedals | Load Cell | Mid-Range | – Part of the Fanatec ecosystem – Vibration motors for added immersion | – Brake performance kit not included |
MOZA Racing CRP Pedals | Load Cell | Mid-range | – Part of the MOZA ecosystem – Fully adjustable pedals | – Not console compatible |
Moza Racing CRP2 | Load Cell | Mid-Range | -Upgrade on the CRPs | – PC Only |
Simagic P1000 | Load Cell/Hydraulic | Mid-Range | – Fully adjustable with add-ons | Lacks adjustability |
Simagic P2000-R | Load Cell/Hydraulic | Mid-Range | – Real-life pedal construction – Customisable in Simpro Manager software | – Difficult to set up |
Asetek La Prima | Load Cell | Mid Range | – Top quality for lower cost | – No modifications |
Asetek Forte | Load Cell | High-End | – Fully upgradable and adjustable | – Very stiff pedals |
VRS Pro Pedals | Load Cells | High-End | – Top quality at much cheaper price point | – Top quality at a much cheaper price point |
Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Sprint | Load Cell | High-Range | – Superior build quality – Most accurate load cell | – Occasional mounting issues |
Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Ultimate+ | Hydraulic | High-End | – Superior build quality – Full hydraulic solution | – Occasional mounting issues |
Cube Controls SP-01 | Load Cell | High-End | Superior build quality | – A little fiddly to set up |
Thrustmaster T-LCM Load Cell Pedals
STYLE: Load cell | BRAND: Thrustmaster |
The T-LCM Pedals are Thrustmaster’s first move into the load cell pedal market. However, they still bring their reasonable pricing and high-quality design.
The pedals have a metal material construction for the pedal head and arms which ensures limited flex on the main stress areas of the pedals. There is also a textured metal base plate that can be used to rest your feet while also giving a high-quality look and feel.
In terms of features, the main area of interest is the new addition of the load cell on the brake pedal. The load cell can take up to 100 kilograms of pressure, allowing you to put a huge amount of force through the pedal set just like a real-life brake pedal.
With the load cell, six different springs can also be swapped out to ensure you can get the pedal feel that suits you best and works best for the sim rig the pedals are mounted in.
With this, the throttle and clutch also come with magnetic HallEffect sensors that ensure that the pedals are long-lasting while still maintaining high-resolution input measurements.
One key advantage these pedals have over many others is that, if paired with a wheel from the wide-spanning Thrustmaster ecosystem, then these are compatible with almost all devices ranging from console to PC. So, if you are looking for an entry-level set of pedals while not losing out on the great feel of a load cell then look no further than the T-LCM Pedals.
Fanatec CSL Elite V2 Pedals
Price: €299.95 | STYLE: Load cell | BRAND: Fanatec |
Fanatec’s CSL Elite V2 Pedals takes the classic formula that was the CSL Elite Pedals and updates it with much of the technology that has since become standard in the sim racing industry.
With magnetic hall-effect sensors on the pedals, which are more consistent and effective than old-style potentiometers, these are a great choice for someone looking to invest in the Fanatec ecosystem whilst also being a more cost-effective solution. These pedals still have the same popular aesthetic, with curved pedal faces and removable rubber pads on top meaning that you get an accessible and immersive feeling from the pedals.
Whilst it is an adjustable pedal set, both in terms of inputs that can be changed through your Fanatec software and wheelbase and in terms of physically adjusting the layout of the pedals, this is not a pedal set that is designed to be continually modified and adjusted. However, given that this setup has a load cell brake and is still highly adjustable, it’s a good solution to have if you’re looking to set yourself up for the long run.
Fanatec Clubsport V3 Pedals
STYLE: Load cell | BRAND: Fanatec |
If you are in the Fanatec ecosystem already or are looking for a set of pedals to improve a starter sim racing setup, then the Clubsport V3 pedals are a great choice to consider.
The pedals come with a striking black-coloured metal finish that blends in well with most sim rigs, allowing you to focus on the performance. The metal structure keeps the pedals stiff and secure when racing and is sure to last you for many sim racing sessions.
The set comes with a host of adjustability features giving you the ability to tweak the pedals to your liking. The pedal faces can be adjusted into many configurations too, which allows all different styles of drivers to find what fits them best.
In addition, the load cell brake, capable of handling 90 kilograms, can be adjusted to give you the firm feel of a formula car – such as iRacing’s Dallara F3 – or the progressive feel of a road car pedal. If optioned when purchasing, the pedals also can have a hydraulic damper added to the throttle giving a more realistic feel.
The Fanatec Clubsport V3 pedals are a great choice for those looking for that new next step into the sim gear world. If you already have a Fanatec wheelbase, you can be sure these will be a happy addition.
MOZA Racing CRP Pedals
STYLE: Load Cell | BRAND: MOZA Racing |
An up-and-coming brand in the sim racing market, MOZA Racing’s CRP Pedals are a highly adjustable three-pedal solution that gets you a taste of what the newest Direct Drive wheelbase manufacturer on the scene has to offer.
The CRP Pedals are designed like that of a modern-day supercar or hypercar, which can be felt in the aesthetic choices such as an organ-shaped throttle pedal as well as the technical features of the pedals themselves.
On top of a load cell brake, it boasts a three-stage clutch, which is designed to mimic the feeling of a real-world clutch pedal. After the first stage with low resistance, the second stage features the “bite point” where a car would typically stall. The final stage has a drop-off in the resistance, again designed to mimic how a real clutch would behave on a launch.
In addition to this, each pedal’s resistance can be adjusted using springs and damping blocks included in the purchase. More customisation can be done in the MOZA Pit House App, where you can configure the linearity of each pedal. This means that you can create throttle shapes and curves so that 50% pedal force can mean 25% throttle in-game or 75% throttle in-game at your own leisure.
The CRP Pedals also connect to a PC via USB connectors, meaning that you can try out MOZA’s ecosystem without investing in a new wheel. This can be helpful for someone looking to take the next step from their first wheel but unsure about which brand they want to commit to in the long run.
MOZA Racing CRP2 Pedals
PRICE: €599 | STYLE: Load Cell | BRAND: MOZA Racing |
MOZA’s CRP Pedals were a big part of their arrival on the scene. Now that they’ve established themselves at the front of the sim racing pack, their CRP2 Pedals build on a successful and proven recipe.
The CRP Pedals are designed for all sorts of purposes, with aerospace-grade aluminium and a carbon fibre heel plate showing that this design is built to last. They’re also highly adjustable, proven by the fact that they’re designed to be run as a two-pedal or three-pedal solution..
On top of a load cell brake, it boasts a three-stage clutch, which is designed to mimic the feeling of a real-world clutch pedal. After the first stage with low resistance, the second stage features the “bite point” where a car would typically stall. The final stage has a drop-off in the resistance, again designed to mimic how a real clutch would behave on a launch.
In addition to this, each pedal’s resistance can be adjusted using springs and damping blocks included in the purchase. More customisation can be done in the MOZA Pit House App, where you can configure the linearity of each pedal. This means that you can create throttle shapes and curves so that 50% pedal force can mean 25% throttle in-game or 75% throttle in-game at your own leisure.
The CRP Pedals also connect to a PC via USB connectors, meaning that you can try out MOZA’s ecosystem without investing in a new wheel. This can be helpful for someone looking to take the next step from their first wheel but unsure about which brand they want to commit to in the long run. Add onto this the fact that they’re a highly-adjustable pedal set, with a brake performance kits as well as an “Inversion Kit” that allows the pedals to be mounted from above as you would see in a real-world car, and this might be exactly what you need to take the next step in your sim racing journey.
Simagic P1000
PRICE: €500 | STYLE: Load Cell | BRAND: Simagic |
The Simagic P1000s are a great example of pedals out-of-the-box, which can only get even better when you pick up any of the modular upgrades.
In its most simple form, it comes with hall angle sensors that carry up to a 12-bit resolution, allowing for a good amount of delicate driving and allowing any newcomer the ability to unlock top-end techniques that pro sim racers and racing drivers use to shave those extra tenths of seconds off of their lap times. The load cell is rated up to 100kg, carrying a strong punch whilst also being accessible to all levels of sim racers and not requiring the use of specialist shoes to make the most out of them.
An amazing asset that the P1000 carries is the ability to apply a swathe of modular upgrades. These are all easy to apply and can work in tandem so that you can slowly upgrade as you get more and more serious about your kit. These can be as simple as plates and heel stops, and as complex as sensors, valves, and mounting styles.
The biggest upgrades that you can apply to the P1000 sets are arguably the haptic sensors and the hydraulic brake upgrades. The haptic sensors give you an extra form of feedback, which can be tailored to let you know if you need to shift up because you’re near the car’s redline or if you’re locking up the brakes. The hydraulic system upgrade allows you to have a more realistic-feeling brake, which can be adjusted further by applying different springs and rubber pads to match the recommended settings for various types of cars according to Simagic’s recommendation. These stem from standard sports cars to LMP prototypes, from F4 to GT3, and from TCR to Rally racing.
The P1000 pedal sets are available in multiple different combinations, both two-pedal and three-pedal as well as both hydraulic and load-cell both in a traditional sim racing pedal layout and in an inverted layout much like you would expect in a real-world car.
Simagic P2000-R
STYLE: Hydraulic | BRAND: Simagic |
The Simagic P2000-R is an elegant three-pedal solution that allows its users to get the feeling of real racing with excellent customizability in its software.
The use of pumps, with the brake being derived from the automotive world, gives these pedals a realistic feel. It means that you can expect the sensation generated from the pedals to replicate that which you’d feel in your own car. However, unlike being in a real car, you can do this from the comfort of your own home.
Another thing that these pedals do is build in a 1-millimetre dead zone at the front of the pedals. This is another realistic element that you don’t tend to find in Sim Racing, as rival products tend to be more about pinpoint accuracy than replicating the real-world feel. This slight amount of play means that you can rest your feet on the pedals without worrying about accidentally dragging the brake on a straight.
Perhaps the most unique innovation though is the concave clutch structure. This is designed to mimic the real-world feeling of a bite point in a clutch, something that rival products attempt through two-step or three-step clutch mechanisms.
On top of this, users can get their hands on the Simpro Manager software. This software allows you to fully customise dead zones amongst other factors, with the ability to set different profiles for different games and different vehicles. If you’re set about making yourself the most unique experience, this is a piece of kit that you’ll love.
Asetek Simsports La Prima™ Sim Racing Pedals
PRICE: €418.74 | STYLE: Load cell | BRAND: Fanatec |
Asetek Simsports has been growing steadily in the sim racing market for a number of years now, and in 2024 took a step up to the upper echelons of motorsport by partnering with Haas F1 Team driver Kevin Magnussen. Their La Prima™ bundle boasts the cutting-edge performance that Asetek aims to deliver, with top-line technology as well as adaptability and upgradability.
The standout feature of any Asetek Simsports solution is the Mechanical Load Cell Powered Cylinder or M.L.C.P.C. It’s designed to consistently deliver a real-world feeling when you brake in a sim. By having a “soft stage” and a “hard stage” on the pedals, it mimics a real-world car as you apply the force before pushing the brakes to their very limit. Asetek Simsports claim that this allows you to be able to feel the same feeling that you would get in a real race car, maximising your ability to perfect techniques such as trail braking.
By investing in an Asetek Simsports solution, you are able to take the next step in your sim racing journey without having to invest in an entirely new ecosystem. On top of this, you are also able to slowly upgrade the pedals at your own pace to the extent that you can start with the La Prima™ set up and build your way up to some of the highest-grade solutions on the market thanks to their future-proofed design.
Asetek Simsports Forte® Sim Racing Pedals
PRICE: €574.99 | STYLE: Load Cell | BRAND: Fanatec |
Asetek Simsports’ Forte® Sim Racing Pedals are the next step up from La Prima™, bringing with them a top-tier system that enhances your sim racing immersion.
The Forte® takes the La Prima™ Pedals to the next step. The throttle, which is a hard torsion spring on the La Prima™ throttle, is instead a mechanical spring-loaded throttle that also features in the rest of the Asetek Simsports range. What this means is that you can adjust the strength of the pedals, pre-loading the spring so that there can be more resistance as you’re driving. You can also adjust the travel on the throttle, meaning that you can adjust the throttle another step further depending on what suits you as well as to immerse yourself further in different types of cars.
The other main difference between the Forte® and the La Prima™ sets is that the Forte® set comes with an ARGB LED Strip on the heel rest. This can be tailored to your preferences through the RaceHub software, meaning that you can adjust the colours as well as the brightness – or turn it off completely if that’s not really your kind of thing.
Perhaps the greatest thing about the Forte® is how much it already comes with, as well as how easy it is to upgrade to the next stages of the Asetek Simsports range. In addition to performance kits for the pedals, you can slowly upgrade to the Invicta™ range with the heavy-duty pedal plates as well as the T.H.O.R.P. system that upgrades the brake to a twin-hydraulic patent-pending system that measures up to 100bar of pressure.
VRS® DirectForce® Pro Pedals
PRICE: €824 | STYLE: Load Cell | BRAND: VRS |
The Virtual Racing School is known for a lot of different things, but one thing that they’re much less well-known for is sim racing hardware. Their pedal set, the DirectForce® Pro, is a cutting-edge solution able to compete with the very best on the market.
All three pedals are load cells, meaning that it carries a very realistic feeling as the resistance that you feel from the spring when you move the pedal. Each one carries a different kind of rating, as you would expect because it means that each pedal moves a certain amount and it is different from throttle to pedal to clutch. The brake pedal is rated up to 200kg, meaning that it isn’t a setup for the faint of heart.
Much like with the other high-end solutions on the market, the DirectForce® Pro does not come with its own heel rest. That is because these are designed to be applied directly to the rig, and with many of its users choosing to wear shoes when using the pedals it is very clear that these are designed to be used by the best of the best, the most serious of sim racers.
Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Sprint
STYLE: Load Cell | BRAND: Heusinkveld |
This is where the level of quality begins to rise, and with it, the price. However, this increase brings another level of quality, durability and overall pedal feel.
The pedals are made from CNC laser-cut steel and designed using mathematical models that ensure that all travel and force put through the pedals maintain accuracy and consistency. The finish is also extremely high quality, with an Anthracite Grey powder coat on the structure and a bead-blasted semi-gloss look on the pedal faces.
The Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Sprint also come with a host of features to reflect the price point, such as how each pedal has its own distinct set ensuring the most accurate feel for each.
The throttle pedal comes with five different travel settings and an adjustable force curve, with preload. The brake pedal comes with an adjustable coil and rubber springs to adjust pedal grab as if you are truly hitting pad to disc. The force input can also then be tweaked using rubber stacks to change the force needed for full pedal travel.
Overall, the brake pedal will take up to 65 kilograms of force, giving a good range of inputs for all sim racers’ needs. The cutch also contains a regressive spring mechanism to simulate the concave clutch curve found in real-life racing cars, whilst adjustable force curves and preload can also be found just like on the throttle pedal.
Along with this, there is also a plethora of additional electronic features that support the pedals. A smart controller offers the adjustability to pedal output curves and dead zone and force adjustments all within the PC settings. In addition, these can all be saved to profiles allowing you to quickly and efficiently change between pedal feel depending on the type of car you are driving.
It is clear if you are looking for that more premium feel but do not want to spend more than the price of your whole PC, then the Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Sprint are a great choice for any sim rig.
Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Ultimate+
STYLE: Load Cell | BRAND: Heusinkveld |
If you’re looking for a more top-end feel, then the Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Ultimate+ are a sure-fire choice.
The design of the pedals was done using CAD design software, allowing the pedals to be tweaked in every detail to ensure a high-performing pedal set. These designs are then used to laser cut stainless steel, thus, allowing the weight of the pedal to be kept to a minimum without compromising the performance or feel.
The same amount of attention has been given to the performance features, with each pedal having adjustable hydraulic dampers. This level of control gives the sim racer the ability to fine-tune the small details into the feel of each pedal.
As with many other pedals in this list, the Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Ultimate+ are also fitted with a load cell brake. The load cell has a two-phase braking feature, with a spring to simulate brake pad feeling and rubber adjustable stoppers to tweak the pressure feel. The clutch has also had the same love, with a regressive spring added to give you adjustment of length, feel and pressure.
If you are in the market for some of the most adjustable high-quality pedals on the market, then the Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Ultimate are a great choice. Plus the great look of these pedals adds a wow factor to any sim racing rig.
Cube Controls SP01
Price: €899 | STYLE: Hydraulic | BRAND: Simagic |
Cube Controls are very well-known for their sim racing wheels, perhaps most namely for their Mercedes-AMG GT Edition SIM Wheel that takes its design from the GT2 machine. However, they also a very popular pedal set to boot.
Available both with a Formula-style and GT-style throttle plate, the former being a carbon fibre-based design, this two-pedal solution is for serious sim racing aficionados. So much so that they don’t carry a heel rest, much like with Heusinkveld’s and VRS’s solutions. Instead, they come ready to be mounted to a rig, and that is sign enough that this is a heavy-duty piece of kit.
The SP01 is certainly not a set to be messed with. Both the throttle and the brake pedal come with 16-bit resolution, meaning that the slightest movement of the pedal can have a noticeable impact on the behaviour of the car. It also means that the car accelerates and brakes more smoothly than you get with entry-level pedals, making it easier to apply more complex techniques such as trail braking and throttle blipping which can be more difficult if you don’t have delicate control over your inputs.
Having a hydraulic brake takes this all one step further. Not only is the brake designed to wear out slower, it is also designed so that it can be configured and modified heavily with 16 different preload settings alone in addition to this variety of different springs and rubber dampers. The brake’s load cell is also rated up to 200kg, making it one of the punchiest on this list and another demonstration of how heavy-duty this pedal set is.
Coach Dave Academy’s Top Pick
We at Coach Dave Academy recommend the Simagic P1000 pedals as our top pick. These pedals are ready-to-race out-of-the-box as high-end pedals that can challenge the very best on the market, and they only proceed to get even better when you consider the plethora of upgrades, performance and cosmetic, that are available to you directly from the manufacturer.
On top of this, the sheer volume and variety of upgrades is an amazing boost to what is already an awesome pedal set. From inverted mounting, which is done so incredibly seamlessly compared to other solutions that may be on the market, to performance enhancements through applying haptic sensors or a hydraulic upgrade to the brake pedal, you can very quickly go from feeling almost superhuman to feeling like one of our Certified Aliens.