- 4.5 / 5 Bee's Knees -
During all my years of employment in bike shops both as a mechanic and especially in a sales role, one of the most surprisingly difficult sales was a set of decent pedals. Conveying the difference between poor and high quality pedals was as simple as a tactile demonstration highlighting the drag and grit found on the freebie cheapo pedals. But again, when customers were presented with a pedal upgrade costing $80-150 for their new $500 bike, it shouldn’t have been surprising to see people make-do with what was included. Now, and for some time actually, there is a pedal manufacture that offers premium-level pedals at prices that fall well below many common bike-shop offerings.
The company that I speak of is none other than Xpedo. While this company isn’t exactly a household name, consumers should recognize the roots of this team which formed as a high-end off-shoot brand from the pedal giant Wellgo. Before digging into any specifics on this product, I will mention that the pedal set pictured is my 5th set of Xpedos not because the others failed but because I desired to try many of their different platform shapes and styles…each having their own application. While some are more comfortable and others destroy shoes faster than I’d care to admit, each model has exhibited exceptional design and durability that has outlasted even my clipless pedals from Look and Time.
Onto the specifics. The Traverse 1, is a compact platform pedal that looks equally fit for a vintage bike or a ‘round-the-city romper. For my restoration project, I wanted all the functional benefits of a modern pedal with the ascetics of years past all in a compact and inexpensive package…a lot to ask for really. Although the ascetics are a touch “graphic” lets say, the overall look is relatively subtle and the finish is quite durable. There are, of course, many different color options to choose from. Construction of the traverse is truly exceptional in my opinion both in the materials used and design employed. Bearings run smooth but taught, threads are pretty-well tapped, the allen/hex tool installation is superior to wrenching in my mind and serviceability is possible with limited tools. Among the compact models, this pedal has also been the most comfortable platform shape especially compared to the traverse 5 and 8 which both felt very unevenly distributed under your kicks…very stiff shoes alleviated this. Where Xpedos all-mountain spiked pedals proved to be shoe eaters, the Traverse 1s offer a great amount of traction that doesn’t cut up the sole of your shoes. Finally, the weight and balance of the pedals is quite nice, and both sides are usable since this guy is perfectly symmetrical top-to-bottom, unlike some common pedals such as MKSs Sylvan.
Onto the specifics. The Traverse 1, is a compact platform pedal that looks equally fit for a vintage bike or a ‘round-the-city romper. For my restoration project, I wanted all the functional benefits of a modern pedal with the ascetics of years past all in a compact and inexpensive package…a lot to ask for really. Although the ascetics are a touch “graphic” lets say, the overall look is relatively subtle and the finish is quite durable. There are, of course, many different color options to choose from. Construction of the traverse is truly exceptional in my opinion both in the materials used and design employed. Bearings run smooth but taught, threads are pretty-well tapped, the allen/hex tool installation is superior to wrenching in my mind and serviceability is possible with limited tools. Among the compact models, this pedal has also been the most comfortable platform shape especially compared to the traverse 5 and 8 which both felt very unevenly distributed under your kicks…very stiff shoes alleviated this. Where Xpedos all-mountain spiked pedals proved to be shoe eaters, the Traverse 1s offer a great amount of traction that doesn’t cut up the sole of your shoes. Finally, the weight and balance of the pedals is quite nice, and both sides are usable since this guy is perfectly symmetrical top-to-bottom, unlike some common pedals such as MKSs Sylvan.
After reading what appears to be a rather short review, one might assume that I was somewhat uninspired by the Xpedo Traverse 1 pedals. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Without hesitation, I would fanatically recommend Xpedos products based on the consistent success I have had with their products. For a straightforward review, a straightforward conclusion can be drawn. Xpedos traverse pedals are among the best platform pedals I have owned (and continue to use) which often exceed the quality of their competitors who command twice the price.