Titanum's New 3D Printed Pedals Weigh 50 Grams Each

Mar 18, 2021 at 9:32
by James Smurthwaite  
Sturdy Cycles March 2021. Photo by Adam Gasson adamgasson.com
Photo: Sturdy Cycles

Titanum, a new brand that specializes in making products from, you guessed it, titanium, has released a pedal that it claims weighs just 100 grams for a pair.


If the claimed weights are correct, this probably makes the MyTi Ultra the lightest pedal on the market, beating the 168 gram per pair Wahoo Speedplay Nano that is seen as the current yardstick. Adding credence to Titanum's claims, CyclingTips got their hands on an early prototype of the pedal and recorded its weight as 69 grams for a combination of the pedal body, titanium axle, internals and titanium cleat.

photo
Photo: Cycling Tips

The MyTi Ultra pedals and cleats are 3D printed from 6Al/4V titanium alloy in partnership with Element 22 in Kiel, Germany. Titanum claims the material it uses is, "is nearly 2x stronger than aluminum with 40% less mass than steel, with better strength-to-weight than both". 3D printing allows Titanum to only add material where it's needed, which is one of the major factors in the super-low weight of these pedals. Another advantage of 3D printing is rapid prototyping and this finished version of the pedal is the 10th iteration of the product.

Sturdy Cycles March 2021. Photo by Adam Gasson adamgasson.com

The pedals work using Titanums' patent-pending Blattfeder (leaf spring) technology that allows for 6° of float and a release angle of less than 14°. Despite the low weight, Titanum is confident the pedals are suitable for mountain biking purposes and they have passed ISO 4210-8:2014 with no weight limit. The pedals are also compatible with 2,3 and 4 bolt cleats.


Titanum is starting a Kickstarter on Tuesday and will be fundraising for its 100g MyTi Ultra & 140g MyTi Stainless pedals. Retail price for the pedals is expected to be €300 but early bird offers will be available in the crowdfunding stage. More info on Kickstarter, here.

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Member since Nov 14, 2018
1,770 articles

179 Comments
  • 116 17
 I'll stick to the 14th iteration of the SPD that I'm running. I'm guessing Shimano learned something in all those years that will help my feet to stay attached to my bike as I risk death down rocky descents, but good luck to the early adopters.
  • 30 14
 Agreed. Nothing touches shimano IMO. I’ve tried everything over the last 25 years, and always come back to shimano. In fact my very first pairs (636’s and 747) are still in service.
  • 70 2
 @Afterschoolsports: Try Time pedals. Much better in dirt and mud. Simpler. You can set the spring tension. Bearings isolation is just stupid good. They work the same after 25k of usage.
  • 20 1
 @Afterschoolsports: it's TIME to change your mind...
  • 23 0
 We need a Huck to flat test...
  • 4 3
 @Afterschoolsports: I have been using VP VX Race pedals for the past few years. I think they are better than Shimanos. The shoe/pedal interaction is tighter (with Shimano shoes) and the clipless mechanism is more solid feeling. The problem, you can't get them anywhere. The website is still up and shows them, but you can't get the pedals anywhere. I hear HT is very good, but haven't tried them yet.
  • 10 4
 @goroncy: tried, came back. I found they weren't better in mud, and the advertised extra float, while maybe better for people with knee issues, resulted in a less secure feel.
  • 12 1
 @goroncy: +1. I've had the same Time's for 20 years. Flawless imho.
  • 5 0
 @BostonMullit: Same, except for a shorter amount of time...just 12 years on mine.


I also ride Speedplay Zeros on my road bike. Equally as old and still in great shape.
  • 3 0
 @goroncy: I used Time pedals for a few years, but went back to Shimano pedals. Don't have an issue with them in dirt of mud either.
  • 3 3
 I don't recall who made them (Shimano -Crank Bros - Speedplay) but I clearly recall Ti Spindle pedals and several people I knew broke them years ago. I'll stick with stainless spindles.
  • 5 0
 @tacklingdummy: i love the HT clip mechanism, best clip mechanism out there, but the bearings/bushing are a let down because they wear out super fast.

I’m back on the Time Speciales, which are fantastic, but not available in purple like the HTs.
  • 2 0
 @BostonMullit: I had two pairs of old-school 'plastic' ATACs--loved them, fatal flaw, if the pedal body near the axle broke/cracked that was it for the pedals, both pairs died this way within a year of each other. After that, Time only seemed to make those heavy alloy ones and I migrated back to SPD after a decade with Crank Bros.
  • 16 16
 move to flat pedals already
  • 1 0
 @dthomp325: agree. HT pedals were great for about 1 month and both bearings were shot. Sure I could send them back but that gets to be a headache and if you dont have multiple pairs then id have to change cleats while the pedals are away. durability trumps weight for me on pedals and I care a good bit about a light bike.
  • 5 9
flag Sscottt (Mar 19, 2021 at 8:44) (Below Threshold)
 Can we just have one single article about clipless pedals WITHOUT someone singing the praises of Shimano, which this article has zero connection to???
  • 8 0
 @Sscottt: i would argue it does have something to do with shimano. as the industry leader in pedals and this article being about pedals i see a connection, if you dont agree thats cool but if people comparisons bothers you maybe dont read the comments on review article.
  • 2 2
 @Nicksand5: They are pretty paperweights. all the rage with Factory Dad bmx racers. and yet Shimano SPD rules the day.
  • 3 0
 @Dornbox: CB. And there's a TEAMROBOT post titled "where not to save weight" with pic of a sheared Ti spindle .
  • 1 0
 @Afterschoolsports: I could lose a few grams Dad Bod wise then I'd be a contender!!!
  • 2 0
 I agree Shimano pedals are hard to beat! 3D printing is going to rock this industry in the next 10 yrs though... very exciting! Glad to see companies experimenting with it!
  • 1 0
 @BostonMullit: Did the rails last 20 yrs? Or did you replace them?
  • 3 0
 @Nicksand5: don't read the comments??? What else am I supposed to do with my time? Go out and ride a bike?
  • 2 0
 @goroncy: TIME pedals are the only thing that temps me away from the garden of SPD...just so much easier to find sets of Trail XTR's or DX's that are still in great conditions for $30-80 than TIME atac non xc pedals and cleats

@Sscottt: Found the triggered eggbeaters devotee Razz
  • 1 0
 @NorCalNomad: holy crap... Nailed it. Egg Beaters till the end. Which is a long long time in my experience.
  • 1 0
 I'll never go back to clipless, but if I did - these look sick and crazy. Medieval. Well done!
  • 1 0
 @Dornbox: most Ti pedals have a 90 kg weight limit apparently these will not have a limit.
  • 1 0
 @dthomp325: I hear you brutha. I really liked my HTs and wanted to love them but I was having to do mid trip (four day back country in Chilcotin) re-builds because the axles and bearings just would not hold the grease. The distributor up here was amazing but there is only so much awesome customer service before you get sick of carrying a mini tube of grease and the axle nut tool amongst all the other guide gear one has to carry anyway.

The pain of not being able to get a pedlal in purple is real. Luckily a good ano blue goes well with a mainly purple ano bike theme.
  • 1 0
 Another vote for TIME here. On the new Speciale after a long time on various MX atac types. I love to floaty feel.
  • 2 0
 @Dornbox: I think most pedal makers publish like a 200lb rider weight limit on their Ti-spindle pedals... that in its own tells me all I need to know. Steel it is for me.
  • 1 0
 @Afterschoolsports: 747’s for the win. That was a pedal that was well ahead of the curve! I rode Onza’s before that. What a nightmare!
  • 1 0
 @Sscottt: You have to go back to 1994 for that article. Shimanos are the benchmark which all clipless pedals are measured against.
  • 1 0
 Let's not make judgements without facts. For all we know these may be great. Do I trust Shimano's engineering expertise? Yes! DO I have reasons to doubt Titanum? Not yet.
  • 1 0
 @ratedgg13: I had carbon ATAC Race or whatever way back in the day. Great pedals with only one flaw.
  • 1 0
 @goroncy: Wonder how long those will last in the future...

www.cyclingnews.com/news/sram-acquires-times-pedal-business
  • 75 0
 As seen on the next Dangerholm build...
  • 1 20
flag IluvRIDING (Mar 19, 2021 at 4:31) (Below Threshold)
 Dangerholm 100% focuses on usability as well as weight. So I am not so sure about these.
  • 14 1
 @IluvRIDING: what usability are you sacrificing with these?
  • 5 2
 @hamncheez: It appears that both the cleat and the pedal are single pieces, which makes sense given they are 3D printed. SPD has that springy mechanism, which is made up of many pieces (plates, bolts, springs, etc). In this case, I'm not quite sure how the binding works for clipping in/out other than having pieces slide along each other. That suggests it'll wear faster (but titanium so who knows) and may be harder to get in/out of (speculation) given the pedal is mechanically more simple.
  • 2 0
 @Lanebobane: So what you're saying is that everything with this pedal is speculation... I guess it is a kickstarter haha.
  • 4 1
 @hamncheez: No, what Lanebobane is saying is that everything with him/her is speculation.
  • 1 1
 @hamncheez: I image you’re sacrificing safety. Without a spring mechanism your feet could stay locked in during a crash vs a spring pedal where the cleats usually eject.
  • 3 0
 @Lanebobane: You can see the spring plates at both the tip and tail.
  • 4 0
 @Lanebobane: Upon second review, disregard my previous comment.
  • 2 0
 @dthomp325: Tis a leaf spring, as mentioned in the article.
  • 3 0
 @Lanebobane: Titanium is a really hard wearing metal so I'm sure the cleats are going to wear pretty well. But something that I have a question on (haven't dipped into the link yet) is if they are both Ti which is going to wear out faster or at the same rate? One of the reasons that almost all MTB cleats are brass or a softer steel is so that wears out instead of the retaining mechanism on the pedal.
  • 47 2
 Wheel innovation comments - "I just ride 26" wheels and don't have any problems"
Pedal innovation comments - "I just ride SPDs and don't have any problems"

Pinkbike - can you just make articles about 26" wheels, SPDs, and outdated suspension geo's? Please don't waste our time with these gimmicks, we already know everything we need to.
  • 7 5
 Sometimes new things are better, sometimes they are not.
There have been so many new/better/lighter etc pedals over the years and yet SPDs still do the best job for most folk. Them being near indestructible/zero maintenance is a big part of it.
  • 7 0
 @imajez: I guess SPD's are like the Fender P Bass of the biking world
  • 1 0
 @imajez: Let's not make judgements without facts. For all we know these may be great. Do I have reasons to doubt Titanum? Not yet.
  • 29 4
 69 grams ... bought. These are the pedals for all those Dentist who bought the canecreek eewings cranks,
  • 3 1
 Nice
  • 7 0
 paging Brian Park, DMD...
  • 1 0
 How about there becomes a pedal axle standard and crank manufacturers can integrate the axle as one piece with the crank arm?
  • 7 0
 Forget eeWings, I've additive manufactured (3D printed) titanium cranks:
www.instagram.com/p/CF1tkkvHPLX
  • 1 0
 This pedals will work nicely on my Speci Kenovo!

/s
  • 3 0
 @mtb-jeremy: contact Cannondale,sounds like an idea they'd like
  • 24 0
 *Weight Weenie Orgasms*
  • 63 0
 *nothing to do with the pedals, just needed to lose a couple more grams*
  • 22 0
 Are they available for download?
  • 18 3
 Now, I don't care about weight, and I can't get spd shoes for my silly feet anyway, but the sheer fact that no weight limit means my 18stone mass could ride these is somewhat amazing, I'm so used to seeing lighter parts having a limit that I gloss over them usually. I'd probably still snap the axle like every other pedal I've ever tried.
  • 23 3
 a Stone? What's that? Wow: A dozen plus two pounds. That's intuitive, makes sense to me.
  • 11 0
 @tofhami: Imperial Measures should be called Illogical Measures.
Plus US imperial is sometimes different from British imperial. Makes zero sense.
  • 15 0
 @tofhami: I apologise to the non brits. That is 115kg or 252lbs. A.k.a. Too f*cking much
  • 3 0
 @inked-up-metalhead: Kudos. I wish all non-metric users were as polite as you.
  • 2 0
 @mi-bike: the irony is, I am a metric user, in everything but my own weight and bike weights as a whole. But parts are metric. Welcome to Britain, the land of 2 unit systems working almost perfectly together.
  • 2 0
 @inked-up-metalhead: until the apprentice tells you something is 8" 3mm long
  • 2 0
 @smithysuperstar: yeah then he gets a slap and told its either 257mm or 8 and an eighth.
  • 1 0
 What's the point of measuring a smaller object like a person in stone when 1 stone is such a wide range of lbs or kgs? Do you say 18.7 stone and 15.15 stone ect so people can actually tell how much something would weigh? There's just a big difference between 11 and 12 stone, seems like a better unit for weighing much larger things like cars or elephants.
  • 10 0
 @imajez: the US MTBer dialect: "I built up a sub 1800g wheelset and my bike is just under 30lbs now. Not bad for a bike with 40mm rims and 2.6" tires."
  • 2 0
 @warmerdamj: it's like inches with feet. So you'd say 10st 5lb. And to the nearest pound is close enough.
  • 2 0
 @inked-up-metalhead: Ah! Thank you for clearing that up for me. I always have the same thought and I never bothered to ask.
  • 1 0
 So how many stones thoses pedals weigth?
  • 21 1
 *squeals in Dangerholm
  • 15 0
 titanium body, with no moving clipless parts & with titanium cleat. so the body wears out the same speed as the cleat?

its an interesting design. I look forward to reading some long term reviews
  • 2 0
 Good point mate. Material of the clip should be softer than the pedal itself
  • 3 0
 That's my largest concern with this system as well. When the cleats wear out, you need to replace the pedal as well. Doesn't seem too smart to me.
  • 10 0
 Ti on Ti to maximize the galling.
  • 11 0
 Titanum? Is that the American spelling of titanium, following on from aluminium? Next suggestions:

Scandum, Chromum, Vanadum, Magnesum.
  • 19 0
 No, but the second "i" must've added too many grams.
  • 7 0
 @NoahColorado: Woah.. I am now only realizing that the British English spelling of aluminum is aluminium.. All these years of topgear I thought they where just being funny with the word..
  • 16 0
 The functionality makes the pedals especially ironic. Since both the pedal and cleat have no moving parts and therefore no adjustment, there's no way to Titanum if they're too loose.
  • 2 0
 @radrider: POWER!!!!!
  • 10 1
 XC racers can now negate the extra weight a dropper would add by using these pedals.
  • 5 0
 If they cared about weight that much, why wouldn't they use these pedals AND a fixed seat post?
  • 3 1
 @AyJayDoubleyou: I haven’t switched to a dropper yet because the gram obsessed part of my brain won’t let me. However, the more weight I can save elsewhere WITHOUT sacrificing functionality and performance, the more likely I will finally give dropper posts a try.
  • 8 1
 @MB3: Droppers improve functionality/performance quite markedly markedly.
  • 9 2
 @imajez: only if you are riding trails that require that type of riding. Lots of xc doesnt need a dropper or even benefit from one.
  • 4 3
 @imajez: oh, for sure. But having never used one, I guess I am being intentionally ignorant as to the benefits. Whenever someone says, “Once you try a dropper, you never go back”, that pretty much has me running in the opposite direction. It sounds similar to what my friends have been saying about expensive cigars and whisky... once you try the good stuff, you won’t enjoy the cheap stuff any more, and your wallet will never be the same.

So, in the meantime, I continue to ride with my carbon fixed post, and keep telling myself that I’m saving tons of weight, money, and embracing simplicity and reliability...
  • 5 0
 I think the reason xc pros don’t use droppers is because they need to keep their legs extended to try to recover as much as possible on the descents. Dropping your hips helps corner faster, but also engages your hip muscles and upper thighs, which hinders recovery from pedaling. Plus, they typically start pedalling immediately once they are on a flat uphill and probably don’t want to waste the second it takes for the dropper to extend.
  • 5 1
 @MB3: seriously?
  • 8 1
 @CircusMaximus: don’t judge. I know I’m delusional. Wink
  • 4 0
 @MB3: aren’t we all!
  • 3 0
 @MB3: The BikeYoke Divine SL is only 345g for the 80mm drop version... that ain't much...
  • 1 0
 @billreilly: ooh, nice! Very tempting. Even with cable and lever, that’s not bad at all!
  • 1 0
 @MB3: There's also the 9point8 Fall Line R, which is heavier, but has a lot more drop.
  • 9 1
 Haters gonna hate. I like them!
  • 32 0
 Potato's going to potate
  • 8 1
 Blattfeder gonna brechen
  • 1 0
 Ain'ters gonna ain't
  • 8 5
 So, they are comparing strength with aluminium, but mass with steel.
It's like saying that carbon is 400% stronger than aluminium and therefore carbon bikes must be much stronger. Just.. go and make a bike made of raw carbon fibers. I dare you!
  • 5 1
 Having a one-piece pedal body and no moving parts on it is a brilliant idea. I am not sure those cleats would last very long though.
  • 4 0
 from the noise made in the pedal float video I agree with you. it sounded more like someone filing granite than pedal float.
  • 2 0
 Being someone who still owns three pairs of Bebop pedals... the problem with these designs is the flat cleat is very dependent on shoe sole spacing fit and pedal body interference with the lug work of the shoe sole. Every shoe I've used such with I've had to cut out lugs to clear either the pedal body or the axle.
  • 5 0
 Cutting out lugs just adds to the weight savings
  • 1 0
 @BillT999:

and the slipping when you're trying to carry your bike up the muddy hill in a race...
  • 4 0
 pinkbike: "here's a new pedal that exists"

pb commenters: "this is my anecdotal first hand experience with other pedals that existed first"
  • 2 0
 I bent a few Mallet DH pedals axle,the stock one is nothing fancy,heavy steel. I´m not a heavy rider at 65 kg but stones really don´t care hahahaha. I would never ride a Ti Spindle pedal if it is more fragile. To me best combo for enduro/dh: 100% DH setup,5.10&CB Mallet DH. Shimano SPD sucks to me. Never try Time or HT.
  • 5 0
 Is it just me? The top view of the pedal makes them look kinda medieval...
  • 1 0
 Reading about shimano spds here - what I always liked when I used their 520's was the keenly priced service kit I bought each year - came with new cleats, bearings, axles, and pedal bodies - all pre-assembled ready to fit to the cranks
  • 1 0
 Those titanium pedals look really cool. Of course, if you were racing XC Wold Cup, you would want them. The issue I see for consumers would be that you can't adjust the tension and they look like they would wear over time and cannot just install fresh cleats to remedy the shoe/pedal slop.
  • 2 1
 What about the internals?
Bearings? Bushings? Both?
I'm all for lightweight as long as it's rebuildable. That's why my XC bike uses Xpedo's 210 gram SPD pedals,with 3 bearings per side (no bushings).
  • 1 1
 No bearings. Lighter
  • 3 0
 I think I can poop 240g before a ride to save the same weight while riding candys.
  • 5 3
 Even on my titanium hardtail with eeWings cranks and carbon everything I don't feel like I need this.
  • 19 0
 You are no longer a weenie. Your ideals have weakened
  • 1 0
 You don't want eeWings, you want additive manufactured (3D printed) titanium cranks:
www.instagram.com/p/CF1tkkvHPLX
  • 6 7
 There is literally no reason this is 3D printed except marketing. With this shape, milling would be just as sufficient. Also this is obviously a standard Kickstarter scam, ticks all the boxes of one, so don't expect to get the product once you pay for the campaign.
  • 5 2
 It'd be sufficient but probably more expensive. It's also harder to do rapid prototyping on a mill and there's more waste. With additive, you only use as much material as you need besides the support pieces.
  • 4 0
 Unless there is some cavity inside the body somewhere that machining tools could not accomplish from a solid block of titanium. 3D printing would not have any such problems (although production time and costs are another issue). They did mention that there wasn’t any material where not needed.
  • 4 1
 I don't see how you can get the same geometry from a machined part unless you are spending a lot of time on a 5 axis mill.
  • 5 0
 @k-n-i-x-o-n: Agree. But even then the milling route is usually cheaper in the long run. The question is when the crossover point is.
I think it is 3d printed because someone had a good idea and tested it out using that technology, then iterated using it and when time came for production it was the process the team knew best and the cost to switch was deemed too much for their first product.
  • 1 1
 @Sylesej: You probably worded that way better than me. Milling is stronger (because non additive) and in the long run it's cheaper.
  • 2 0
 @A1990ToyotaHilux:

I don't think the above pedal IS producible in a mill. The leaf spring that's built in to the pedal body is thin enough and in such a location that no tooling could cut it. Of course you could have the leaf as a separate part that connects to the pedal body with fasteners but then you've got more material in the body, thread cutting, an extra two parts, extra four fasteners, thread locking compound, assembly...
  • 2 2
 I think this is kinda interesting. A really good use of Additive Manufacture. The product couldn't be manufactured any other way without multiple parts. Clever thinking. Not just AM for the sake of it!
  • 2 0
 I'm pretty certain it could be milled.
  • 2 0
 The world is dived into two groups : - The one who can see a spring, - The one who can't, I'm part of the second group
  • 2 0
 Mud. Get them in some mud and see how they function, then I might be interested.
  • 1 0
 Our trails close for rain, soil is all clay. Doesn't shed water at all. So around here if your bike is muddy you're a dick. When we see videos from PNW or UK we wonder how.
  • 1 0
 @fruitsd79: Where are you?
  • 1 0
 @IamZOSO: kansas, Missouri
  • 1 0
 Have they mentioned the price for replacement cleats (6Al/4V titanium)? And aren't cleats usually of a softer material than the pedals (at least the parts they contact with)?
  • 2 0
 I lost interest when they mentioned Kickstarter... Has any Kickstarter project ever succeeded?
  • 1 0
 Nah. Waiting for subtractively manufactured pedals made from Allite Super Magnesium. In the interim, will stick/stick to my trick PedalingInnovations Catalyst One's.
  • 3 1
 I was somehow interested until I saw the price tag!
  • 2 0
 I’m with you on that. They’ll probably sell ok to those with much deeper pockets than us, but that’s still a huge amount of money for something that hasn’t been proven to withstand years of gap jumps, rock gardens, drops, etc. Perhaps it’ll be THE thing for the rich weekend roadies on their easy west-side rides.
  • 2 0
 I trully feel way too heavy just by watching them.
  • 2 1
 100% guarantee I'd break this. My (not even very fat) ass isn't allowed near Ti axles.
  • 2 0
 Their brand name just doesn't work for their new product
  • 2 0
 Love the hammer slam demo, total Billy Mays move.
  • 2 0
 (In Russian accent) "I will BREAK you." - Ivan Drago
  • 2 0
 Decade pedals that’ll only be used for a few months??
  • 2 0
 Wow 69 grams, seems like a helluva good time to me.
  • 1 0
 Ahh so these are the sweet sweet pedals Brian mentioned in the Spyshots podcast :-D
  • 1 0
 I'm just waiting for the "They copied Maxxis Minions" comments.......Oh , wait!!! Wrong thread!
  • 1 0
 Ti breaks, it doesn't bend when fatigued. So, you'll know it failed when your foot comes flying out.
  • 1 0
 So how do I set the release tension?
  • 13 0
 With a grinder?
  • 1 0
 @moloch: That's kind of one way. And I would assume the wrong way, once everything starts wearing out you usually want to tighten.
  • 5 0
 @IluvRIDING: Well, mine was supposed to be a sarcastic pronouncement, but perhaps I’m not too good at that... Or your sarcasm detector is damaged.
  • 4 0
 same way you do with Crank Bros !
  • 1 0
 Very quick continuous flicks of the wrist.
  • 2 0
 Where are the pins?
  • 1 0
 Getting a set for my beach cruiser also.
  • 1 0
 So light... they even cut weight by taking out letters from their name.
  • 1 0
 if you use no pedals its way faster.
  • 1 0
 HA! They out-SpeedPlay'd SpeedPlay.
  • 1 0
 Wahoo!
  • 1 1
 These are pretty much Bebop pedals of 1995.
  • 1 1
 What is this? A pedal for ants?
  • 1 0
 Cool hammer bro.
  • 1 0
 69 grams nice
  • 1 0
 Weight WeeniesSmile
  • 2 3
 I just take a big poop before a ride and that reduces my weight by 1000g.
  • 1 0
 Very original on your part.
  • 1 0
 @SunsPSD: thanks
  • 1 0
 Wow! your body can hold a full KG of shit?
  • 1 0
 @edreyes: Yes, vegetarian FTW!
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