Tioga's 7mm thick MT-ZERO pedals use a thin steel body and massive external bearing to offer unheard of ground clearance.
MT-ZERO pedal details:
- Intended for XC and AM use
- 7mm thick pedal body, 4mm at center
- Investment-cast chromoly platform
- ZEROaxle bearing and housing design
- Concave body
- Seven pins per side (five replaceable screws, two cast-on pins)
- Platform and ZEROaxle housing available separately
- Colours: black, white, silver
- Weight: 480g/PR (actual)
- MSRP: apprx $100 USD
The DetailsAxle-Less DesignTioga set out to design the thinnest platform pedals on the market, with the result being their 7mm thick MT-ZERO pedals. The usual limiting factor in platform thickness is, of course, bearing and axle size, and we've seen companies resort to smaller and smaller bearings, especially the outboard bearing, in an effort to bring down body height to previously unheard of low measurements. There are even models that have moved to an external bearing at the end of the axle, thereby avoiding being forced to squeeze it inside the platform. One of the major issues with this approach is that the smaller the bearing, the quicker it becomes rough and worn - a problem we've experienced with many of the micro, RC car-sized bearings employed on many current designs. Tioga's engineers took an entirely different approach by removing the axle and outboard bearing entirely and replacing them with a massive external bearing that sits up against the crank arm. This has allowed them to design an extremely thin pedal body that, at just 7mm at its thickest point (
the leading and trailing edges), trumps all but the crank-specific Flypaper pedal.
The wafer-thin body is contrasted by the large 'ZEROaxle' bearing housing up against the crank arm.
Steel BodyThe MT-ZERO's body is so slim that there is no way it could be made from aluminum and stand up to any proper abuse, so Tioga manufactured the platform from investment-cast chromoly. This makes for a heavy-by-today's standards pedal that comes in at 480 grams per set, but remember that hitting a low weight target wasn't Tioga's goal with the MT-ZERO design. The steel body looks quite slender compared to what we're all used to seeing with an aluminum pedal, but it is key to note that it takes less steel than aluminum to create a strong package. The MT-ZERO body measures in at just 7mm thick, tapering down to 4mm at its center. Impressive. There is a chamfered leading edge, some machined pockets here and there that shed a few grams, and two cast-in pins on the outer edge on each side of the platform. Three countersunk screws on the leading edge and two on the trailing provide bite. The bodies can be purchased separately if required.
Bearing HousingThe heart of the pedal is the 'ZEROaxle' bearing system that consists of a massive, over-sized bearing pressed into the grey housing. It is this housing that threads into the crank arm, with an M6 hex head screw running through the bearing and threaded into the pedal body. The attachment screw doesn't have to deal with much in the way of load carrying as a burly looking extension on the steel body fits directly into the bearing's inner race. The single large bearing is responsible for the job that would normally be done by at least two bearings (
or bushings) on a standard pedal, but Tioga is confident that the design can stand up to some serious cross-country and all-mountain use. Interestingly, Tioga doesn't recommend the pedal for pure downhill or freeride-type riding, which is exactly the sort of use that most platform pedal users take part in. Yes, platforms are becoming more common as downhillers hang up their long-travel bikes for capable mid-travel rigs, but Tioga's warning still has us questioning just what market the MT-ZERO pedal is intended for. Having said that, we have to applaud Tioga for bringing the clever design to the market with an acceptable retail of around $100 USD in a world where boutique pedals routinely go for more than double the price.
PerformanceTractionWe have to admit that, with a rather tame looking layout consisting of five flat-top screw and two cast-in pins per side, we weren't expecting the MT-ZERO pedal to offer much in the way of traction. That theory was quickly rejected once we hit the dirt - there is a surprising amount of bite on hand, with the pedals providing a very secure feel. No, they can't compete with the more aggressive pedals out there, but we have to say that the MT-ZERO is on par with most options on the market, even those that use grippier, open-top set screws for bite. How is that possible given the docile pin layout? There are a few different factors at play, but the biggest contributor has to be the thin profile that puts the sole of your feet nearly right on top of the axle center line. This extremely low foot position improves traction because the pedal body doesn't want to roll underfoot as much as a pedal with a taller profile would.
Traction is impressive despite the slight concave and mild pin layout.
The easiest way to understand how and why it makes a difference is to use an exaggerated example, and one that Tioga themselves cite: imagine yourself using pedals with 6'' tall wooden blocks strapped to them, effectively increasing their body height more than six fold. That inflated height means your feet will want to rotate back and forth easier around the center line of the pedal axle, making for what would likely be a very unstable feeling. Tioga employs the exact opposite approach with the MT-ZERO, bringing your feet closer to the axle center line. Sure, it may only be by a few millimeters compared to other pedals, but we believe that it is enough to actually improve stability.
The body's built-in concave, going from 7mm at the leading and trailing edges to 4mm in the center, is another factor, although the 1.5mm of incurvate is the same as many other pedals on the market. Massive, open cutaways on the body likely also play a part, letting the sole of the shoe sink further into the pedal, thereby allowing the pins to work harder. All told, those three points create a pedal that certainly bites much more than we first guessed it would.
The platform size, at 92mm long x 96mm wide (
at its widest point), is roughly the same size as some other options out there, although there isn't as much foot real estate available. This usually wouldn't be an issue, but the MT-ZERO's large outboard bearing takes up room that would otherwise be available for your shoes. The result is that you are left with your feet hanging off of the pedals' outer edge, even though the actual platform size isn't overly small. This, combined with the increased Q factor of the pedals, results in a wider overall pedal/foot profile compared to using a more traditional design. The outcome is less clearance in the width department, but we have to say that we found ourselves clipping pedals less rather than more. The added ground clearance certainly helps in this regard, but it comes at the cost of a slightly wider overall width.
ReliabilityMany riders who saw us using the MT-ZERO pedal would point to the ultra-thin platform, shake their heads, and say, "Those are going to break." On the contrary, the bodies have proven to be very resilient - they are perfectly straight as we type this - but we'd expect that given their investment-cast chromoly steel construction. The large majority of platform pedals use steel pins that are threaded into a softer aluminum body, allowing them to be bent or ripped right out of the malleable aluminum in the event of a heavy impact. We dragged the MT-ZERO pedal over rocks with the disregard that comes only from using something you don't actually own, but the steel pin/steel body makeup brushed it all off without any hint of damage. The same goes for the two cast pins on the outer edge of each side of the pedal body - they don't wear down as you would normally expect to see aluminum molded pins do.
Bigger doesn't mean better - the ZEROaxle bearings didn't last long under us.
The bearings, on the other hand, didn't last more than a handful of rides before they became noticeably rougher. It was downhill from there, with the bearings becoming coarse enough that we could feel them through the soles of our shoes. A bit of maintenance was called for, hopefully accomplished by just lifting the bearing seal up and dripping in some light lube, but that was kiboshed by the non-removable bearing covers that are pressed in place. Yes, the covers do pop out if you really want them to (
Tioga doesn't want you to do that, though), but the bearings use steel shields instead of the more common rubber shields, meaning it is a bit more involved to remove them when it comes time to drip in some lube. The bearing itself is 100% not removable, being machine pressed into the housing in a permanent manner. Instead, Tioga offers replacement housing assemblies consisting of the housing that threads into the crank arm, bearing and bearing cover, and attachment bolt. While this is a handy one-stop way to do things, we'd much rather have easier access to the bearing itself in order to give it some much needed love.
The MT-ZERO's remarkably thin steel bodies gave us zero trouble.
IssuesThe MT-ZERO pedal is so slim and striking that pretty much everyone we rode with questioned us about them. Most were curious as to if the ultra thin platform could handle abuse, and if we suffered less pedal strikes while using them. The answer to both of those questions is a resounding yes, but the benefits come at a cost. The design's large external bearing forces your feet out into a very wide stance compared to what we are all used to, effectively making for a massive Q factor. The difference sounds small - about 13mm on the DMR V8 pedal versus 19mm for the MT-ZERO, but you also have to factor in the 15mm thick bearing housing on the Tioga pedal that prevents your feet from sitting inboard slightly on the platform. Those are big numbers when you are talking about bike ergonomics, especially when your feet have gotten used to a certain position after years and years of riding. The feel is akin to being forced to walk with your feet ten inches further apart than you usually would, despite the difference being measured in millimeters. In a word, awkward. We couldn't get used to the change of foot position, either, with it never feeling right to us. For this reason, Tioga admits the MT-ZERO pedal is not going to be everyone's cup of tea, and we'd have to agree with them.
Pinkbike's take: | Tioga has put a lot of time and effort into their axle-less design, and the result is certainly an impressive looking pedal. Barring the crank-specific Flypaper pedal, the MT-ZERO is likely the thinnest option on the market. We do question the very awkward ergonomics of the design, though, with us never being able to come to terms with the bow-legged position that the outboard bearing design forced us into. This, along with the fast wearing and non-serviceable bearings, has us questioning if the increased ground clearance is worth the trouble. If you are of the mind that you must have one of the thinnest pedals out there, or maybe you live and ride in an extremely rocky area, at least give them a spin around the parking lot to see if the wider stance works for you before throwing down your money. - Mike Levy |
www.tiogausa.com
I'm in the market for a pair of Syncros Meathooks. Know why? Don't run clips, good reliability, and they look good to boot.
Thin is not "in" in my garage.
I can hear Shimano's 3D CAD machines booting up as we speak.......Or is that SRAM's?
been
Dh all year on these, awesome pedals with no issues whatsoever, and just as thin.
What you gain from making them thinner is the ability to make a pedal wider while having the same clearance at the same lean. That is what should be noted as an advantage over other pedals. Of course as the you lean further this advantage reduces so as a manufacture you would have to work out what the optimum lean to width dimension is.
As has been mentioned for an extra 2.5mm of height from the spank pedals I would take them any day of the week. The bearing is also smaller on the inner edge so means the end of the crank is still taking the hits rather than the bearing case. They also look better in my personal opinion.
"Tioga doesn't recommend the pedal for pure downhill or freeride-type riding"
"The bearings, on the other hand, didn't last more than a handful of rides before they became noticeably rougher."
"In a word, awkward. We couldn't get used to the change of foot position, either, with it never feeling right to us. For this reason, Tioga admits the MT-ZERO pedal is not going to be everyone's cup of tea, and we'd have to agree with them."
Tough yea, the bearings must be crap indeed, why complicate the servicing nr1, then dust shields instead of seals? on a bicycle? That's a joke indeed
C'mon SRAM, gimme a XX12 crankset and XX12 pedals with such insert, and I promise to jump on current 11sp XX1 tomorrow! You can make XX12 12 speed and I buy two!
No matter what RC writes on clipless to scare flats back to the cave, the flat pedals still have lots of potential to develop and to shine as ever! Thanks to people like Five Ten, Point One, Tioga, Straitline, Spank, Spec, lately also Hope!, we move flat pedals out of their V8 dark ages! Keep on pushing those boundaries!
So far, those Tiogas are added on shopping list for my XC bike...
Though saying that, I'm 220 lbs and have yet to even service my DMR Vaults after about 8 months use. So existing tech can still work just fine.
I bought the Crampons to get more clearance after the V8's I was running on my xc bike nearly sent me off more than once, I have put in about 2000k with the crampons and finally the drive side bearings disintegrated half way around the Llandegla black - replaced the bearings (£4 each form a local supplier) and drilled and tapped them with 12 extra pins per pedal, they've been to the Alps twice on a Blur and now live on an Uzzi I use for DH - amazing grip now i've sorted the convex issue with extra pins and apart from replacing the bearings every year or so - are pretty much indestructible, an expensive pedal when new and with problems - but can be killer :-)
Dibs on the ip if anyone creates it
.www.pinkbike.com/photo/2336473
As someone who has been able to use many high priced bike items and never pay for them: WORD. This is a true feeling, and it's really amazing.
www.dhkbearings.com/photo/original_6498711cc197e2f2f879c058633d4305/double-row-angular-contact-ball-bearings-3917b.jpg
I had to replace my bottom bracket on my now second/ old bike. It was an old Isis and needed to be replaced/ upgraded with a external bearing bottom bracket .
The bike never rode the same after that. My legs would tire out very easily and muscles would be sore that never were before.
That was at least half the reason I bought a new bike. Te other half was that it needed new suspension , front and rear if it was going to b ridden on a regular basis.
The bike has since been converted to flats / the buddy bike.
Maybe you are just getting old.
The bearing needs to go into the crank with full radial seat. The bearing needs to be a tapered roller thrust type. Most likely two to give full complement of radial and axial forces. They probably need to be way oversized. Clumsy look..
Sounds expensive and fitting and maintenance might be a nightmare. So slightly better than Tioga pedal but not by much.
Cheaper and better: Large plain bearing, crank is machined to take a replaceable journal, keyed - so non rotating. That would take the logic into the crank and there is enough meat on the crank for a lubrication nipple for a grease gun. So there is no axle limiting height of the pedal. Could be paperthin and made of superstrong and ultralightweight unobtainum.
I notice that those pedals are developing a downward sag at the ends. Is that the axle bending, the body bending on the bearings giving up the ghost?
Also, have you guys seen/heard of any axle failures yet?
Anyway am done with high end(expensive) pedals after both axle bent on my last pair(dmr vaults) after 3 months.
The dinner party was in full swing when Henry Ratchett said to the young man: oh mountain biking, you say, very interesting, my dear friend's son likes it a lot! He does some huge jumps and insane, I mean insane speeds, in the mountains where they have those specially built tracks! They use lifts to get up there, so high it is. It is remarkable - here he paused looking over the table at the coil at the decolt of Madam Bouazier
- very dangerous apparently! - he continued, that's why they wear this, this armor and helmets covering face! And the prices of those bicycles - he looked up - Dear God! - he gasped. So are you doing any downhill as well?
The young man's eyes frozen on the glass of wine and he said with the voice full of contempt for people who use bicycles with too much travel to cover for their lack of skill: No! I am an ENDURO rider!!!
That bearing case would be toast after one ride around the rock garden.
P.S nukeproof electrons are lovely pedals
forums.mtbr.com/all-mountain/tioga-mt-zero-pedals-764793.html
(first page, last post)
I race XC and always ride flat pedals, I've won races with everyone else riding clipless and me on flats.
Flat pedals teach you proper technique, pedaling stroke and efficiency, if you can bunnyhop over rocks and logs on flats you're better off than all the people riding clipped in who can't. Through rock gardens and such, having flats teaches you to keep your feet on the pedals without bouncing around, something that the masses rely on clipless do to for them.
i like you because you sell me anglesets on the cheap
How would the bearing housing, roughly the same thickness as the sole of your shoe, contribute to breaking your ankle? I'm genuinely curious.