Time Atac Alium Pedals Review
Review by Nick Burka
- Product:
- Time Atac Alium Pedals (company site)
- What's Good:
- Excellent retention, very sturdy, progressive tensioning.
- What's Bad:
- Heavy, a little expensive.
I first braved switching to clipless pedals way back around 1996 when I bought a bright-red pair of Ritchey Logic’s. Since then, I’ve gone through a few different Shimano SPD-style pedals including the classic entry-level Shimano 535’s. In 2002 I decided to make the switch to the floating bar-retention system that Time has and I think it’ll probably be a while before I switch back, if ever.
I’ll go through the basics first. Shimano SPD-style pedals function using a pretty-much symmetrical cleat mounted on the shoe that is held onto the pedal by little metal plates that are spring-loaded to hold the cleat. To release from the pedal, the rider simply twists their foot to one side a few degrees and the cleat (and rider) is released. The way Time pedals work is that the cleat snaps underneath two metal bars instead of plates. What this allows for is a greater amount swivel before the cleat clips out and most importantly, the swivel motion gets progressively tighter – effectively letting you know that you’re about to clip out. The other small difference is that the cleat is asymmetrical – you can choose which cleat is left and which one is right, giving you either 13° or 17° release angles.
From my experience, the release of the pedals works very well. I ride in the 17° position and I’ve never clipped out accidentally. With Shimano pedals this happened to me every once in a while and can be surprising, especially when descending something tricky or landing a jump. The higher degree angle of release does take some getting used to however and at first when biking in traffic I had to mentally remind myself to twist that little extra bit to keep from tipping into a car. One of the oft touted features – and one that is worth raving about – for these pedals is their mud clearance and effectiveness in bad conditions. I bike most of the winter in Ottawa, Canada, including through a lot of snow and ice-cold slush, plus off-road until it snows – and despite being caked in ice or thick mud, I’ve never even had a hint of entry problems.
So, what’s wrong with them? Well, I bought at the cheapest end of the line in order to try out Time’s pedals without shelling out too much – so a few minor (yet understandable) problems go with this. The entry level Alium’s are made of thick aluminum and weigh considerably more than Shimano’s M515 entry level pedal. In comparison to the Shimano’s, they also tend to be a bit more expensive – though I would argue the action of the Time’s is worth the money. If you want light – check out Time’s carbon versions of the same pedal.
When I first bought my pedals and felt how good they were, I wouldn’t have bought any other pedals. The only thing that made me change my mind was the introduction of Crank-Brothers Egg-beater pedal. These pedals not only have a very cool name – but their design seems to rival (if not surpass) Time’s Atac. When I go shopping for new pedals I’ll be sure to check them out too.
Comments
Cyn - October 22, 2004 7:03 pm
I would rather your Time Atac's than the egg beaters. I've tried the egg beater, and although they're easy to clip in and out of, they don't have as stable a foot surface as the Atacs. My SPD's are double sided and I've never accidentally clipped out, but I've got mine fairly tight too.
I'd buy used egg beater pedals before I shelled out the 120 bucks for new.
Orion - November 11, 2005 4:21 pm
I have not tried the ATAC pedals yet. However, I have tried both the entry level (M515), and the mid level Shimano SPD (M540 I think) pedals. I have also tried the Crank Bros. egg beaters. None of them have much of a pedaling platform, but a good stiff shoe takes care of that. The entry level Shimano SPD was good. However, they lack retention and wore out rather quickly. The mid level SPD came standard on my new bike and hold much better. To the point that I had recurring ankle injuries for most of the summer. However, once I was used to them, they are a much better pedal. Light and stable, there is no popping out on technical terrain in these. Of course, there is no bailing either. Do or Do Not, there is no try.
The crank brothers I have tried are good. However, you cannot adjust the tension, only the release angle. To me that seems like a big disadvantage. However when riding in the snow, they do not get iced up like the Shimano's. I have never had mud trouble with either.
Amy Turner - December 12, 2005 11:10 pm
Hello,
My name is Amy Turner and I am the new President of Cape Coral BMX Assoc., Inc. For those of you not familiar with our track we have been in operation for 30 years; are sanctioned by the NBL and SSA. With many tracks we have had our ups and downs over the years at this point we are on an upward trend and are moving forward with a few bumps here and there. December is when our new board takes over and I am looking forward to a successful year.
On January 1, 2006, we will be hosting our 4th Annual Triple Race to kick of the Florida State Season. This event brings well over 125 riders and with an open event for all ages it is sure to be an even bigger hit this year! Many riders travel from all over Florida to attend this race.
We are asking for you to donate merchandise or gift certificates to a raffle and or a monetary amount to help fund our open purse. Many of our riders support your company thru out the year and this is a way for us to promote your company and for you to say thanks to our riders for their patronage.
We are a not-for-profit organization and would be glad to provide a letter of donation for your tax purposes.
Thank you in advance for your donations.
Respectfully,
Amy Turner
3824 Lapalma Street
Ft. Myers, FL 33901
John - February 23, 2008 9:29 am
Ok, I dont have these pedals but I have heard a lot of really good reviews on them so I will definetely buy them when my new pedals decide to give up on me. And if you search around on the internet, you can find Egg Beaters and the Time Atac for under $80.