First Look: Prototype HT Components Clipless DH Pedal - Taipei Show 2014

Mar 5, 2014 at 19:31
by Mike Kazimer  
First spotted on Aaron Gwin's bike earlier this year, HT Components showed us two versions (the X1 and the X2) of their new DH clipless pedal. The pedals are still in the development phase, although Gwin will be racing a set of the X1s at the first World Cup race of the season in South Africa. Gwin has been instrumental in the pedal's design, and along with Eric Carter has been providing HT with feedback that should help enable the finished version to be as refined as possible.

photo

Aaron Gwin will be clipping into a pair of pedals nearly identical to this prototype version of the HT X1 for the first round of the 2014 World Cup season.


The pedals use HT's own cleat design, with adjustable tension on each side, and the ability to screw five traction pins into the aluminum body. The spindle of the X1 version spins on one bushing and three sealed cartridge bearings, while the X2 version uses two bushings and one bearing, the same configuration found in HT's AE03 flat pedal. Mud clearance is high on the priority list for HT, and further shaping of the pedal body may occur before production to help reduce the number of places that grit and grime can collect. Final weights still haven't been confirmed, but HT's goal is to have the pedals come in at around 400 grams per pair. The pedals are slated to be available by early 2015 in multiple color options, and there are also plans for an 'enduro' version with a slightly smaller platform, as well as an XC version without any platform at all, although there isn't currently a timeline for these offerings.

HT Components prototype clipless

The X2 prototype has slightly more aggressive shaping, and uses a different internal bushing / bearing setup than the X1. At the right are two versions of the cleats - HT has tested several shapes to make sure that the pedals release smoothly.


www.ht-components.com

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Member since Feb 1, 2009
1,733 articles

58 Comments
  • 73 4
 Looks like Shimano and Time's bastard child...
  • 43 2
 I kinda wish shimano would release a cleaner looking clipless gravity pedal, the DXs are heavy as shit
  • 20 27
flag sweet-bike (Mar 5, 2014 at 20:30) (Below Threshold)
 Get mallets
  • 51 6
 yeah but mallets, being made by crank brothers, lack quality in any form other than mud-shedding ability and weight.
  • 4 1
 I've got mallets and I don't really like the feel. Sadly, my left knee doesn't like the feel of Shimano. Hopefully these will be the best of both worlds. Light too. Thumbs up.
  • 8 1
 Actually I've had great luck with cb since they went to needle bearings, and made the wings stronger. Mallet dh race peddles have a 5 year warrantee too. Used to beak at least one set of their old stuff per season, either the wings, or the bearings. The new stuff is on it's third year and no problems
  • 2 0
 I love my DX's with the spring loaded body(props the front of the binding up for easy clip ins), but I just wish the body was slightly thinner for those of us with super-low bottom brackets. I don't find the newer fixed SPD trail bodies as useful.
  • 1 0
 I had mallet 1's. One horrendously muddy ride and a wash after, the mechanism snapped. Phoned 2Pure (UK dealer) and for £5 got the top end Mallets at the time as a replacement. Now if only I could remember where I put them....
  • 4 1
 oh hush with the cranks bros hate. i dont have any experience with other products but the newest all aluminum mallets are tough. everything falls apart at some point, especially pedals, which take a beating.
  • 2 0
 Not hating on them, just giving my experience with them. I've got a set of Eggbeater 11's which I haven't had to touch for about a year now.
  • 9 6
 Ride flats and be done with it.
  • 1 0
 Kick rocks
  • 1 1
 Metal pedals suck. One rock clip and they break in pieces. I like the resin type, cause they are way more durable.
  • 4 0
 Would you like to say that to my Saint pedals....
  • 2 0
 my dh alu mallets are fine, but ive seen resign mallets broken up. and my friends dx's are smashed up - also plastic
  • 5 2
 Badass, both Funn and HT offering some options to challenge Crank Bros, Shimano, and Time.. Were livin in good times! Salute
  • 4 2
 Bummer on using a proprietary cleat.. I have 4 different bikes with SPDs on them and one pair of shoes.. I would buy these in a second if they were SPD..
  • 1 0
 Exactly what I was thinking, I'd go with these if they were SPD, because I have one pair of shoes, and HT doesn't make an AM pedal yet. So I'll probably end up going with the Funn Mamba so I can transition to my trail bike.
  • 4 0
 You do realize that shimano uses a proprietary cleat right? As well as Crank brothers, and time....
  • 1 1
 Yeah, but all my other pedals are SPD, so these wouldn't work for me because of the proprietary cleat, but the Mamba uses SPD so they would work. And if I went with CB or Time, I could also buy their trail pedals.
  • 1 0
 i've no trouble with current SPD .. but another clipless is not my option right now.

it's cool if any pedal company could make and clipless+Flat fusion pedal ... i have 1 bike, racing on SPD and chilling on Flat .. you know
  • 1 0
 It doesn't work. You would have to look down every single time to know where your foot is. If your foot doesn't come off the pedal at least once every so often in a race run you aren't going fast enough
  • 2 2
 This looks like a better design than Shimano and Time and Crank Brothers combined. Pun intended. DX's are made of plastic, Crank Brothers clips bend over rocks and their brass cleats are like play-doh, and who the hell wears a Time other than Slugger? If Shimano hasen't already been developing a Saint level DH pedal they should be wishing they were because they have a long ways to catch up now. BOOM!
  • 4 1
 I understand how we got here, but why are we calling these things "clipless" still?
  • 5 2
 finally something that can compete with mallets
  • 2 0
 well damn, I retract my latest statement about the funn clip less pedals....let the market compete!
  • 4 1
 Yes, Finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Been waiting for these for a long time !!
  • 2 0
 Looks like a little bear trap...
  • 2 0
 does it come in a remote (just messing around}
  • 2 1
 It sounds good i think this will be my next clipless pedals
  • 1 0
 I hope the cost of this article doesn't exceed VP Pedals products.
  • 1 0
 shimano xt clipless pedals are good enuf
  • 1 4
 Is there a reason WHY?? Pink Bike can't keep a thread in the order it was posted. On a large thread such as this. It make developing any reasonable thought about the topic impossible. Is that Pink Bikes purpose? Too sway the opinion of it's readers, and dumb down the arguments that disagree with theirs. Which. Is becoming obvious, and that is to support their advertisers and advertising revenue.
Shame on Pink Bike.
  • 1 1
 I'm pretty sure that popular comments with more props get placed higher up. So if there is a dumbing down of arguments and a suppression of opinions that conflict with pinkbike and their sponsors then it is solely user generated (unless pinkbike falsify the props in some dastardly corporate conspiracy...which they don't)
  • 4 0
 @dorse. At the top of the comment section you can change your view of comments from "Score" to "Time" and you will get every comment in the order it was posted. Is that what you mean?

As @faceplantfeind pointed out, it's meant to down prop nonsense arguments and bring the best arguments to the top, whether they are negative or positive.
  • 2 1
 IMO flats are the way to go
  • 3 3
 Wow, they also plan to make an "enduro" version!!! So stoked!!! ;-)
  • 1 1
 How do you Enduro
  • 1 2
 Strange pedal. Wings fixed are strange. This will pack on mud easely
  • 1 3
 they remind me of the terminators hand
  • 2 1
 they look like the old crank bros mallets
  • 3 0
 they look like a sessions...
  • 1 3
 Mallet II.....
  • 1 3
 Whats wrong with Time Z?
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