PW8 Pedals

PW8 Pedal system from Ekoi, out now!

Last year we ran a story about a new pedal system that was spotted being used by the French Continental Team, Nice Métropole Côte d’Azur. Well now you can buy those pedals and the shoes that go with them. This is the PW8 pedal from Ekoi, but what was a clothing company doing releasing a pedal?

The PW8 came about after its developer approached Ekoi with his idea after being turned down by Shimano and Look. Ekoi’s founder, Jean Christophe Rattel was initially sceptical about the new idea. However a meeting the following day with ex-pro and multiple race winner Philip Gilbert the following day convinced him to change his mind. Gilbert was keen on the pedal’s low stack height and the way it solved the problem of cleat wear when walking.

The question is do we need a new pedal? Look’s original ‘clipless’ pedal came out over forty years ago and the 3-bolt system has become more or less the industry standard. While there are other systems, Speedplay, Time, etc they represent only a small share of the market. Shoe manufacturers can produce one type of sole, knowing that customers will be able to fit their pedals without any issues. The question is are they and us, ready for something new?

PW8 Pedal

Let’s take a look at this new pedal and what makes it so different. First off, it’s a system. The shoe and pedal work together. Take a look at the pedal cage and the first thing you notice is it’s bigger and slimmer than other pedals. It also has a slight curve to the bed, unlike other pedals which are flat.

That curve matches the sole of Ekoi’s PW8 C12 shoes, the only shoes that will work with the pedals; for now. The cleats are recessed into the sole, this allows for the low stack height and keeps them out of the way when walking. Engaging with the cleats is similar to Look/Shimano style pedals, that is toe first, then heel down. The rear cleat comes in two versions which can be rotated, offering four different levels of float; 0°-1.5° or 3°-6°. The body is a carbon-composite, with a metal wear plate and a cromoly axle.

Why change?

The pedal is your only contact point when it comes to converting your power into forward motion on the bike. While the clipless pedal was a massive increase in efficiency, it is strange that ensuing designs only played around with the design. Perhaps Speedplay’s inversion of cleat and release system was the last innovation?

Ekoi have spent over three years designing and testing their new pedal. As well as the team from Nice, Ekoi have employed many testers who have racked up thousand of kilometres on the pedals. And it’s not just the testers who are impressed. Cycling celebrities like Claudio Chiappucci, Julien Absalon, Michele Bartoli and Philipe Gilbert have all contributed; Chiappucci so much that he rode 25,000Km on them!

Benefits

According to Ekoi the PW8 pedal improves on previous systems in a number of ways. First off is its lower stack height of 8mm. Lowering the distance between your foot and the axle has always been seen as desirable in a pedal. Low stack height is claimed to produce a more efficient pedal stroke and help lower your position on the bike. Those two will probably only apply to riders at the highest level though.

Another benefit is the PW8’s increased contact area. Ekoi says the pedals provide 1500mm² of surface area, “the largest contact surface on the market”. A larger pedalling platform should give a more stable feel when on the bike. I imagine this would be similar to the difference you feel when switching between a road and Mtb set-up. I certainly prefer the way a road pedal/shoe feels compared to Mtb. So much so that I often use road shoe/pedals for gravel events.

For gravel?

Maybe it’s on gravel rides that the new system will have another advantage? While I find a road shoe/pedal combination great for gravel, there is the problem of what if I have to walk? There’s nothing worse than walking on gravel (or mud!) in your nice carbon-soled road shoes. While the current shoe’s sole is bare carbon, perhaps a more robust gravel version is in development? The PW8 sole keeps the cleats tucked away and reduces any potential wear to the cleats. It should also make walking around on any surface safer.

Does the PW8 system have a future?

Perhaps it was only Ekoi that could have developed the PW8? They are a company that like innovation and have their own line of shoes. Larger companies, like Shimano and Look already own a huge chunk of the pedal market and probably didn’t see the need to develop a new system.

For the PW8 pedals to be successful, they are going to need other shoe brands to buy into the system. While I like my Ekoi XC R4s and am still using my R2 shoes nine years on, not everyone will get on with them. Ekoi have thought about this and are approaching other shoe brands, offering them the 3D sole designs, so that they don’t need to do any R&D on this part of the shoe.

Pro rider endorsement

Getting the PW8 pedals on to the pro scene will also help convince people that the pedals have a place. They are already being used by the Nice Métropole Côte d’Azur team and teams like Ineos and UAE have shown interest. Imagine what a coup it would be if Pogacar was to win on PW8 pedals? The small performance gains that the pedals provide, would be of interest to any pro rider looking for those elusive marginal gains.

Those gains would come from features such as the lower stack height that, according to Philip Gilbert, would enable riders to be lower and more aero. The pedals are also much thinner, so create less – we’re talking marginal here – drag. These are the kind of tiny advantages that would be of interest to riders in time-trials; perhaps less so for us mortals!

Easy walker

For most of us perhaps their major advantage is that they make walking around much easier. No more slipping over on the way to the cake counter? The design should also mean you aren’t wearing out plastic cleats while click-clacking around on tarmac. How often have you suddenly realised your cleats are dangerously worn before ride? I know I’ve had that realisation and had to quickly swap shoes.

However if you want to convert to PW8, you will need to make a sizeable investment, £592.81. For this you get pedals and shoes. Which is comparable to top of the range shoe and pedal combinations. The only issue is that if you don’t get on with the PW8 system, currently you will be left with shoes that can’t be used with another pedal. However as mentioned, Ekoi are working on this by offering to help other brands with the sole design.

PW8 details

PW8 CHROMOLY PEDAL

Body: carbon
Spindle: Chromoly
Platform: 1500 mm²
Stack height: 8 mm
Weight: 105 g
Weight pair + cleats: 225 g

CLEATS

4 clip-out options: [0-1.5°] / [3-6°]
Self-lubricating coating
Weight: 15 g per pair

PW8 C12 PRO FULL CARBON SHOES

Sole: Full carbon
Treads: TPU Michelin©
Upper: leather and PU lining
Double BOA© Li2 metal
Weight: 280 gr (size 42)

The shoes are available now and can be viewed here, Ekoi PW8 Pedal and C12 shoe.