Product Review: Issi Trail Pedals
Issi Trail Pedals: Short-term Review
I was recently given an opportunity to ride a pair of brand new Issi trail pedals, and wanted to give my short term impressions so far. Under full disclosure, I did not receive these pedals in return for a review: I paid for them as an upgrade to my personal bike. Issi is a new brand underneath Quality Bike Products (QBP), and their first offerings are quite impressive. First, the techie details:
- Chromoly-spindle, ED Coated
- 8mm hex broach
- 52.5mm spindle length with +6 and +12 options available
- Black chrome hardware
- Adjustable spring tension
- 4* clear float
- 10 kick-ass colors available
My Impressions
So far, so good. I’ve never ridden a “trail” pedal before (that includes a small platform underneath the SPD mechanism), but I’m glad I have now and I don’t think I’ll go back. The small platform- see the top picture- gives you just enough support to help in a couple of different ways. First, it offers support when you’re cranking hard on the pedals on a steep, technical uphill. Second, the platform helps you get your feet situated more comfortably when initially clipping in. If you “miss” the first time (or three), you still have plenty of support under your foot.
The engagement is smooth with these pedals- quite similar to the Shimano XT pedals I’ve been using over the last several years. Dis-engagement is also smooth, and the pedals were dialed in right out of the box. In the rocky terrain here in Colorado, I’ve managed to bash the pedals on rocks during my few rides, but there hasn’t been any significant damage. Heck, barely a scratch.
Weight-wise, the increase seems marginal over my standard XT pedals (I don’t know the exact amount since Issi doesn’t list weights on their site), but the improvement in functionality seems to make up for it in spades. For riding in locations like our spring trips to Fruita, Sedona, and St. George, these will certainly be my go-to pedals. And to be honest, I don’t see why I’d ever switch them out for our summer mountain locations either: the weight penalty isn’t severe enough to make much difference… and besides, they match my Ibis Mojo HD3 perfectly!
