Ribs, Lattices, Studs and Slots: What Each Pedal Tread Is For

Ribs

Parallel ridges, usually running front to back so they work with the direction the foot slides. Coarse ribs clear water and grit and wear slowly; fine ribs feel more positive and show wear at the tips first. The most common pedal face there is.

Diamond lattices

Crossed ribs, gripping in two directions at once. They suit clutch pedals, where the foot arrives at an angle. A dense small-cell lattice has more edge length per unit area, which is what actually produces grip on a wet sole; a large-pitch lattice stays useful under a work boot.

Studs

Round rubber pads set into a metal face. They keep grip even when the sole only covers part of the plate, which is why they turn up on wide automatic brake pedals. The GM family here is built entirely on the stud pattern.

Slots

Long rubber bars showing through cut-outs in the metal. The most metal-forward look of the four, and the cheapest insert to tool per unit of contact area — but the pattern is directional, so slot orientation has to match the pedal, not the styling sketch.