More Pedals Peddled
The current XC pedal market is suffering from something of an embarrassment of riches. There are minimalist stalwarts like Crank Brothers Egg Beaters for the “every gram counts” set, SRM, Garmin and Favero are serving up bougie pedals with power meters built in for the data obsessed, and in the world of SPD pedals and their clones, the quality of pedals available continues to grow and proliferate. The latest entry into this crowded, competitive space is the OneUp XC Clip.
OneUp took the SPD-derived architecture from its Clip pedal, released a little over a year ago, and placed it gently atop a tiny piece of cast aluminum that is an exercise in minimalism. The axle and bearings from the existing Clip pedal then got plugged into this tiny thing, and hey presto, the XC Clip is born! 303 grams per pair, a class-leading slim 14.4mm thick at the axles and 26.8mm at the clips, 160US/219CAD, and available in six different colours, the XC Clip aims to be a contender with the pin-it-to-win-it set.
Too early to really give a report on bearing longevity, as evidenced by the fact that the pedal does not look like it has been used as a rock hammer yet. This neighborhood is not very friendly to pedals, but the low profile of the XC Clip affords a couple extra mm of breathing room before the hammering resumes.
Slim and light are two great selling points when it comes to XC pedals, but clipping in and out is still a critical aspect of how a pedal will be judged. Overall toughness will factor in. And then there’s bearing life. It’s way too early for me to have an edict about the bearing life, but people seem generally happy with OneUp’s Wave and Clip pedals, and they share the same axles and Igus bushing/cartridge bearing design. So, fingers crossed on that aspect. Toughness, ditto. I can’t say at this point whether the cast body of the OneUp will fare better or worse than the machined body of the Wolf Tooth ALT or the forged body of the Shimano XTR. Only time will tell on that front. As for clipping in and out, the OneUp XC Clip feels, ummm, emphatic.
This isn’t a shrinking violet of a pedal. It requires an intentional mash of the foot to engage, offers about the same amount of float as the other guys (5-degrees, with a 12-degree release point) and releases with a solid enough pop that there is never really any question whether you are “in” or “out”. This is intentional. Per OneUp’s own web copy: “XC Clip Pedals are built around OneUp’s custom, SPD™ compatible, binding system. Riders will appreciate the tighter cleat fit most during hard efforts, out of the saddle sprints and on technical descents.”
Since the basic architecture and behavior of the OneUp XC Clip are essentially identical to the other Shimano-derived SPD retention systems, comparisons are inevitable. So, without further ado…
Hüsker Du, the Minutemen, Thin Lizzy, Motorhead… who doesn’t love a good power trio?
Engagement
For those who crave solid pedal retention above all else, the OneUp is a good call. Riding in either OneUp or Shimano cleats, the clarity of retention and the required force needed to get in and out was the stoutest when compared against the Shimano XTR and the Wolf Tooth ALT. For example, I run both the Shimano and Wolf Tooth at about 8 clicks from lightest, just under halfway through the tension range. In that setting, regardless of cleats, both the Shimano and Wolf Tooth engagement felt lighter than the OneUp in its LIGHTEST setting. I was fine with this, but I weigh 190 pounds at the moment and tend to smack rocks a lot when I pedal. Featherweight riders, or people who are super sensitive about softness of engagement and release, might find this to be a little too much engagement. For people seeking the most refined sense of engagement and release, Shimano is still the one to beat (although the new multi-release cleats might be a little too refined for big strong mashers).
Profile
The XC Clip is a couple mm thinner than both the XTR and the ALT, both at the axle and the cleat retainers. In the real world, this is probably splitting hairs, but for people who are obsessive about getting the lowest possible pedal stack, the OneUp has the edge here. Buuuut, side to side, it is wider. From crankarm to pedal tip, the XC Clip measures 89mm wide. The short axle XTR and the ALT in the middle of its three possible q-factor settings are each 6mm narrower in comparison. When it comes to stack height, the OneUp is a winner. When it comes to smacking rocks, it’s 6mm wider than the other guys, and therefore 6mm more smackable.
Weight
The OneUp splits the difference in this crew, clocking in at 303 grams per pair. Shimano’s XTR are the “heavyweights”, at 316 grams. Wolf Tooth take the honors here at 296 grams. Again, this probably seems really pedantic, but gram geeks gonna gram geek.
Price
In this power trio, the OneUp is the most wallet-friendly at 160 USD / 219 CAD. By comparison, you can expect to shell out 200 USD / 290 CAD for a set of Shimano XTR pedals, or 220 USD / 310 CAD for a pair of Wolf Tooth ALT crank turning jewelry.
Option-ability
The OneUp is available in six colors, and those colors not only play well within the OneUp range of touch point components but offer subtle hues that complement rather than clash with the current popular bike color palette. The Wolf Tooth is available in black or purple. The Shimano is XTR-esque; two-tone matte black and polished silver. With the XC Clip, riders get one crankarm to cleat center offset, 55mm. Shimano riders can opt between 52 and 55mm offsets, but doing so requires buying one pedal or the other. Wolf Tooth ALTs can be arranged with either 51, 55, or 59mm offset, all easily swappable by moving spacers around in between the axle bearings.
Okay, this ain’t exactly a rainbow of colors, but it’s still four more options than the closest competitor…
What does this all mean? Hell, I dunno. Embarrassment of riches, right? I am running all three of these pedals at the moment, and don’t have a single bad thing to say about any of them. The OneUps are the least expensive (good), available in the most colors (good), the thinnest but also the widest (but it is barely noticeable), and the stiffest to get in and out of (YMMV, could be good, could be bad). If money were no object, and smoothness of engagement mattered more than anything else, I would probably go with Shimano. If money were no object and I cared deeply about US-based manufacture AND wanted the greatest possible foot position adjustability, I’d go with Wolf Tooth. If I had a heap of extra wattage in my cottage and wanted to preserve my wallet’s integrity, I’d be shopping OneUp. Choose your spud according to your needs!