Wolf Tooth Launches Shift Gravity Clipless Pedals
Wolf Tooth SHIFT Gravity Clipless Pedals are designed for maximum support and unparalleled confidence for downhill, enduro, and aggressive trail riding with flawless clip-in/out performance. The low stack height means a lower center of gravity, and the open center between the cages means increased mud shedding. No other SPD-compatible gravity pedal has a platform this large, creating a more direct connection to the bike when things get spicy.
SHIFT expands our lineup of clipless pedals launched in late 2025 with the CTRL Trail, ALT XC, and DEL Gravel Race models. There are eight core design elements that feature in each pedal:
1. Strong connection in the pedal/shoe interface
2. Crisp, consistent, reliable clip in/out experience
3. High cornering and ground clearance
4. Reliability of hardware and ease of maintenance and repair
5. Best fit for all riders via adjustable Q factor
6. Best in class for weight
7. Fresh aesthetics
8. Consistent performance in all weather conditions
Maximum shoe contact is key. Many other clipless pedals only contact the shoe through the cleat, which can feel like pedaling on golf balls. The massive platform areas on Wolf Tooth clipless pedals mean increased power transfer, unparalleled control, and enhanced performance.
A strong connection in a gravity pedal is vital for a confident, commanding ride. SHIFT features a huge 1,201 mm² platform that creates maximum contact with your shoe for a rooted connection. Eight stainless steel grip pins on the front and rear provide additional grip, while allowing you to find and lock down the pedal in the event of an unclip. This gravity-specific design gives you more confidence in extreme terrain at high speed than any other SPD-compatible clipless pedal. The pedals are designed, engineered, and assembled at Wolf Tooth HQ in Minnesota, USA. The large, CNC-machined bodies feature 6061-T6 aluminum, with extended platform frames in the front and rear for additional connection with the shoe. Stainless steel binding cages and hardware are strong, durable, and corrosion resistant.
Inside the pedal is the same Rampage-proven bearing and bushing design from our Waveform Aluminum Pedals, which features a heat-treated 17-4 PH stainless steel axle, three low-friction cartridge bearings, one custom igus bushing, and a custom radial seal that protects pedal internal components from the elements and trail debris.
The adjustable Q factor is a clever feature designed into the pedal internal components. Two 4 mm spacers accompany the three cartridge bearings in a configuration that can be rearranged. Each pedal is built with a default Q factor of 55 mm, which is the same as most other clipless pedals. Rearranging the spacers and bearings can produce Q factors of 51 and 59 mm. A set of two 2 mm spacers are available as extras that can also be installed for Q factor options of 53 and 57 mm. Adjusting the Q factor is simple enough to do at home in about five minutes with tools found at every home work bench. Instructions and a video guide are available to help on the Wolf Tooth website.
Maintaining SPD compatibility was an important design consideration for us when developing our lineup of clipless pedals. While the Wolf Tooth cleats included with purchase feature an optimized SPD-compatible design, the pedals will work with existing SPD cleats. Also included in the purchase is a set of shims for the cleats to further customize the connection between the shoe and pedal because all shoes are designed differently.
The thin profile and open center between the binding components allow for extra ground clearance and mud shedding. The thin profile means a reduced chance of pedal strikes while cornering through rock gardens, root-filled chutes, and powering out of tight corners. The open center quickly sheds mud that can interfere with clipping to ensure that clips are quick and reliable.
SHIFT pedals are available in black and ultraviolet purple. The new pedals can also be found in the Wolf Tooth Color Shop, where you can color-match various components and accessories. You can shop for bottom brackets, headsets, grips, seatpost clamps, pedals, bottle cage bolts, and more, all in the same color.
Like most Wolf Tooth items, SHIFT pedals are part of Right to Repair. Crashes happen, parts get lost, things go bump in the night. All individual components of the new pedals are available as replacement parts, from the body, to the springs, to the bearings, and more. If something breaks in a crash, replace just the affected item instead of buying entirely new pedals. Service guides are available in text and video format to walk customers and dealers through maintenance, assembly, and Q factor adjustment.
The new SHIFT Gravity Clipless Pedals are available now for $239.95 USD. Find them on WolfToothComponents.com and distributors and bike shops that stock Wolf Tooth.
Author Info:
Burnsville, MN, United States
Must Read This Week
"Here's the thing, look at the thing, buy the thing."
www.pinkbike.com/news/introducing-the-osiris-clipless-pedal-by-tenet-components.html
Minus the 'YT-esq' goat demon.
its harder to justify woolf tooth over other pedals like OneUp, Leatt, Renthal or Hope Unions due to the price
i double dog dare you @FrankS29 to get HT on the phone. meanwhile wolftooth would probably ask how your weekend was
Oneup's pedals are made in Asia, which accounts for their price.
In the article, it states they are "designed, engineered and ASSEMBLED" in USA. Are they machined and anodized in the USA? I honestly don't know, but it does seem that WT has been quietly moving some levels of production overseas.
I'm also plenty aware that small companies and domestic production can cost more, but as a consumer you have to balance that cost/benefit. At essentially 2x the street price of XT8120 pedals, it becomes hard to justify a tried and true MTB standard.
Basically it needed a full service straight out of the box. I had the pleasure of purchasing a service kit from WT for a BRAND NEW dropper to get it work properly.
Street price is currently a hard comparison. A lot of the bike industry is still running unsustainable discounting to clear massive inventory backlogs. Shimano is still not in good shape based on Q1 report.
The more fair comparison would be against a set of UK made Hope pedals.
I’m thinking more along the lines of looking at the perfectly fine XT’s on the bikes I own and wondering if I’m willing to spend that much just to swap on a WT part (something I’ve done a lot of times!). And I’m finding it hard to justify, personally.
I just went with the quickest option of just getting the service kit. I was just a little surprised they didn't even offer me a discount on the service kit considering it was for a brand new post that had an issue right out of the box. I'll survive and I'll still happily support WT, just struck me as odd.
I'm trying to remember if I called, or emailed (possibly a combination of both!).
If I had to point to MTB companies that have been top notch in term of service:
-PNW
-DVO
-Cane Creek
-I9
Sure SPD is durable and works but its not refined performance wise.
Oneup Got it figured out and Those pedals feel amazing(No, i dont care if your shoes STILL get stuck because your poor setup, I've used 5 brands of shoes an had zero issues)
"The United States imports roughly 50%–60% of its aluminum, with Canada being the largest supplier, providing approximately 60%–70% of all imports
Other major foreign sources include the United Arab Emirates, China, Russia, Bahrain, and Argentina. Domestic production is small, with key smelters in states like Kentucky, South Carolina, and Indiana."
edit. Now it's a 'maybe'.
Shed din it.
Sick