Submitted by
mrchris42
a Cross Country Rider
from Carnation, WA, USA Date Reviewed: July 16, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Devils Gulch/Mission Ridge
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
treefort bikes
Similar Products Used:
Time Alum, wellgo, SPD
Bike Setup:
Titus Motolite
Bottom Line:
Time Rock! Had an old pair of the Alums for 6 years before wearing out the bars (foot moved laterally on the pedal, but still held). These new ones work great and I haven't seen any of the scaring that others complain of in the last 3 months (400+ miles of trail), although I don;t bash them against rocks (finesse people!). Mud clearing of Time are so much better that SPD.
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Submitted by
Scott Prichard
a Weekend Warrior
from The Woodlands, TX USA Date Reviewed: February 19, 2008
Favorite Trail:
The One I'm Riding
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$139.00
Purchased At:
Bicycleoutfittersindy on Ebay
Strengths:
Easy to clip in and seem fairly easy to unclip in all conditions. Seems to be well made and looks cool.
Weaknesses:
None so far but practically brand new.
Similar Products Used:
Wellgo Clipless, Crank Brothers Candy SL
Bike Setup:
2008 Cannondale Rush 5Z
Bottom Line:
So far I like these pedals better than the previous two sets I have tried. The bike came with the Wellgo Clipless and I actually liked them pretty well and the only reason I tried something else was I wanted something with a little more of a platform. My feet seemed to hurt a little from the Wellgos and seemed to put all of the force from one spot on my feet. I tried the Crank Brother Candy SL but could not unclip as easily as I had hoped for but otherwise liked them. The Time ATAC XS Carbon pedals seem to feel just about right, easy to clip in to in a variety of conditions and seem pretty easy to unclip. They seem to be very well made and overall I am very happy with them as seems to be the case from other reviews as this was the reason I chose to try them.
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Submitted by
Ryan
a Cross Country Rider
from indianapolis, in Date Reviewed: January 17, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Indy Cycle Specialist
Strengths:
ease of use, adjustability, works exceptionally well in all conditions
Weaknesses:
slightly on the heavy-side in comparison to eggbeaters or frogs.
Similar Products Used:
Eggbeaters, Frogs, various Shimano pedals
Bottom Line:
If you're looking for a well-performing pedal that's consistent in all conditions, this is the one. The eggbeaters might perform slightly better in muddy conditions, but the level of difference is minimal. Considering that the ATACs are far more adjustable and therefore more comfortable, I'd take these over the eggbeaters any day.
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Submitted by
Joe Swanson
a Cross Country Rider
from Memphis, TN, USA Date Reviewed: December 10, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Stanky Creek
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$125.00
Purchased At:
Online Retailer
Strengths:
Easy to engage/disengage. Extremely durable! Very comfortable with just the right amount of float. I have ridden them in very muddy conditions on two occasions. Both times I had little or no difficulty clipping in. If my cleats had too much mud on them, I just tapped them on the pedal and clipped right in. My friend had SPD pedals and he either couldn't get clipped in or his foot kept coming unclipped when riding. He had a terrible ride while mine was completely enjoyable. These are excellent pedals. I have had them for just over 3 years and they have required no maintenance.
Weaknesses:
The Time ATAC XS pedals seem just as good as the Carbons, and they are cheaper.
Similar Products Used:
Time ATAC XS
Bike Setup:
Salsa Caballero Motobecane Fly Team
Bottom Line:
If you want a great pair of pedals, buy these pedals OR buy the ATAC XS.
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Submitted by
KiterTodd
a Weekend Warrior
from Montgomery County, MD, US Date Reviewed: November 12, 2007
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$150.00
Strengths:
Reliability. No maintenance required. Very easy to learn to use. Requires no thought to step out of...just step down with your foot and it comes off, but NEVER comes off when riding.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
pedals w/ clips
Bike Setup:
full suspension and a hard tail
Bottom Line:
I bought my first set of TIME pedals when the first came out (5+ years?). There was zero learning curve. You hear people talk about other pedals and you have to remember to twist your foot 45degrees to pop out. Not with the TIMEs. You don't do anything different. Any time I am in a panic stop or fall and need to put down my foot, it comes right out. I didn't have to learn anything. I can't speak of how the mud shedding compares to other pedals because these pedals have never clogged up on me. I have well over the 200 hours listed in another review on my old set of TIMEs and they still work flawlessly. I bought the newer ATAC Carbons to go on a new bike. Transition was seamless. The new pair feels the same as my 5+ year old pair. (spring tension and feel).
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Submitted by
Light Chain
a Cross Country Rider
from Boulder County, USA Date Reviewed: May 29, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Zippity Doo Da
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
Blue Sky Cycles (LBS) Longmont, CO
Strengths:
Consistent, reliable release, yet have not yet popped out inadvertently.
Weaknesses:
Weight? Not used to them enough for it to feel completely natural clipping back in on an uphill start. Figuring time and practice will cure that.
Similar Products Used:
Eggbeater. Dating myself here; Onza.
Bike Setup:
Salsa Dos Niner with all the bells and whistles.
Bottom Line:
Ridden with them 4 times and would already commit to buying another pair. They've been remarkably consistent thus far, both releasing and staying clipped in, which I would argue is one of, if not THE most important features of a pedal. Could be lighter, but I'll sacrifice that for the above, plus a much larger platform than the original Eggbeaters.
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Submitted by
Craig
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucson, AZ Date Reviewed: January 6, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Fantasy Island
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Durable, easy to get in and out of, consistent tension, good amounts of float, ADJUSTABILITY.
Weaknesses:
None that I have found
Similar Products Used:
Various SPD's
Bike Setup:
Motobecane Fantom Comp
Bottom Line:
After making the switch to clipless I have flat wore out or broken various SPD brands. While I enjoyed the benefits of clipless I was disappointed with sometimes clunky clipping in and out, not to mention the inadvertent release (steep shale half pipe lined with razors anyone?). So when my last pair was just about reduced to scrap I was thinking about changing up to something different. I have a good riding friend who has a wealth of experience with both road and off-road, he swore that his ATAC's were by far the best he had ever used. I figured that a former bike messenger from New York and San Francisco probably had a good idea. I have had no problem with them at all. It was weird getting used to NOT feeling the pedals there but after about 15 minutes I didn't even notice. They show little wear after nearly a year of riding, they have been transparent once I played with the pedal/cleat combos to find a comfortable release point (a BIG plus). I would recommend these to anyone. Money well spent.
Four Chili's on Value because of the price point but I guess it's a case of getting what you paid for.
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Submitted by
Bob
a Cross Country Rider
from Frederick, MD USA Date Reviewed: October 27, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
130
Strengths:
Ease of entry and exit. Mud shedding capabilities. User tuneable float and release tension.
Weaknesses:
Exposed spring may become bent from too much rock bashing
Similar Products Used:
Shimano SPD and Ritchey clones
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz superlight
Bottom Line:
I'm a TIME convert! I've been a dedicated user of SPDs since their release in the early 90s but I was just too fed up with their uselessness in conditions other than dry. Friends who ride TIME ATCC pedals swear by them and now I know why. You can click in and you can click out, everytime, regardless of Mother Nature. The adjustable float gives greater confidence on technical terrain since your legs can pivot all over the place and never have to worry about becoming unclipped. The ATCC pedal body is wider than the SPD giving less pressure at the ball of the foot. After years of riding Shimano it feels as if there is no pedal attached to your shoe at all - and that's a good thing.
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Submitted by
Ed
a Cross Country Rider
from Philadelphia, PA Date Reviewed: October 23, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At:
Beans Bikes in Paoli, PA
Strengths:
Light weight, strong, smooth in's, smooth out's and an attractive look.
Weaknesses:
A little pricey, but when you buy quality you only cry once.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano 540, Speedplay frog ST.
Bike Setup:
Voodoo Sobo aluminum frame, XT drive, Mav LS wheel set, Hope mono mini disc break.
Bottom Line:
Bottom line, the ultimate MTB pedal. If you're looking for a high-end pedal with great response on all terrain including heavy wooded areas, technical down hills and smooth single-tracks, look no further.
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Submitted by
Carl C
a Cross Country Rider
from Fort Wayne, IN, USA Date Reviewed: June 15, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Fort Custer, MI
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$140.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint
Strengths:
Rigid, great float, shoe stays implanted, NO MUD CRUD to block shoe, easy entry/exit.
Weaknesses:
I'd have to say price; but, they're worth it! I'd rather pay more for a quality product than have TIME "cheap them down."
Similar Products Used:
Shimano SPDs
Bike Setup:
'06 Prophet 2000 Lefty Carbon (140mm travel), tubeless. '03 Jekyll 800 Lefty (110mm(?) Travel), tubeless Same pedals on both rides.
Bottom Line:
I'm a little chicken to try any other pedal than these TIMEs except for maybe the TI upgrade. With these pedals I have no trouble clipping in/out whether the trail is dry, wet or muddy. The adjustable tension stays put and doesn't wear as much as SPDs. I love these pedals. Thanks, TIME!
Two bikes - same pedals. This saves on costs of buying extra shoes or bring the wrong pair of shoes with me when riding one bike one day vs the other the next day. Of course, you do keep your ride equipment with you at all times, right? ;)
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Submitted by
DJ
a Cross Country Rider
from PHILLIPS RANCH, CA Date Reviewed: February 8, 2006
Favorite Trail:
LAGUNA BEACH-TOP OF THE WORLD
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
EBAY
Strengths:
GOOD POSITIVE FEEL WHILE ENGAGED. EASY RELEASE AND EASY ENTRY. RELIABLE ENGAGEMENT WHILE RIDING THROUGH TECHNICAL SECTIONS AND DURING OUT OF THE SADDLE EFFORTS ON CLIMBS. CONFIDENCE WITH RELIABLE RELEASE DURING SPONTANEOUS/UNEXPECTED SITUATIONS. THEY LOOK GOOD.
Weaknesses:
NONE SO FAR.
Similar Products Used:
CRANK BROTHERS SL - AT TIMES DIDN'T FEEL A SOLID POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT DURING OUT OF SADDLE EFFORTS AND THROUGH TECHNICAL TERRAIN. LOW RELEASE TENSION - MAKES IT FEEL LIKE MY FOOT/SHOE WILL EASLY SLIP OUT OF THE PEDAL VS THE FEELING OF A POSITIVE TACTILE SENSATION OF CLIPPING OUT.
Bike Setup:
IT CHANGES EVERY 6 TO 9 MONTHS - I LIKE TO DRESS UP MY 2 BIKES WITH DIFFERENT COMPONENTS HERE AND THERE. BUT IM STICKING WITH MY TIME ATAC
Bottom Line:
GOOD RELIABLE PEDAL. GREAT PERFORMANCE. THEY WORK BETTER FOR MY MORE AGGRESSIVE RIDING STYLE AND THEY LOOK MORE AGGRESSIVE VS THE CRANK BROTHER SL PEDALS THAT COME IN VARIOUS COLORS - COME TO THINK OF IT THE WOULD PROBABLY LOOK BETTER IF THEY WERE ON A 3 YEAR OLDS PINK TRICYCLE VS. ON MY 2 MOUNTAIN BIKES.
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Submitted by
T.R.
a Racer
from Westminster,MD Date Reviewed: December 12, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Avalon
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Whites bikes
Strengths:
Good entry and release, decent weight.
Weaknesses:
The bearing system on these pedals suck. Time goes from having a big ass sealed bearing and needle bearings in there older pedals to having a little ass sealed bearing and a teflon bushing. The rubber seal at the end of the pedal body works for about a month, then when the pedal bushing starts to wear and the pedal developes play it allows the seal to push away fron the spindle and dirt and water can get in. Ive had to regrease my pedals once a month since they started to wear. Why Time would go from a 2 bearing system to a bearing/ bushing system is beyond me. The aluminum retention bars wore out really fast to. And the tension springs lose tension quick. I went from having my tension on the easiest setting, to having to have them on the hardest setting just to keep the retention bars from having front to back play in them. Granted, the pedals entry and release are still good to this day, but the parts have worn exceptionally fast. Im sure using stainless steel retention bars would only add a few grams, as well as a 2 bearing system over a 1 bearing/ bushing.
Similar Products Used:
shimano 747, 737
Bottom Line:
These are the best performing pedals I have used in my 10 years of mountain biking. There quality has obviously diminished since there pedals came with 2 bearings. If Time beefed up the retention bars using stainless steel so they dont wear out so fast and put 2 bearings instead of 1 these would be the perfect pedals.
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Submitted by
Jason D
a Cross Country Rider
from Pittsburgh, PA USA Date Reviewed: October 6, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Kenosha Pass, Colorado
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$148.00
Purchased At:
speedgoat
Strengths:
unbelievably strong, easy to engage and disengage with reliable feel once engaged in the pedal, light weight, enough float to prevent knee pain, easy cleat set up with two options for 13 degrees float (easy release) or 17 degrees float (harder release) with tension adjuster
Weaknesses:
more difficult to release if you do not set up the cleats correctly
Similar Products Used:
Shimano SPD, ritchey, speedplay frogs
Bike Setup:
titus racer-x, fox RLT 100, fox RP3, nokon cable housing, race face dues, thomson post and stem, king headset, easton monkelite, hope bulb hubs laced to x717, hope mono minis, XTR derailleurs, XTR rapid fire rear and SRAM x.9 twister front shifter
Bottom Line:
i really loved my frogs out west, they took a beating and never failed me. easy to maintain and grease. however, the float was too much for riding technical sections and descending fast on rocky terrain - can disengage accidentally. the ATAC XS carbon pedals, now that i have the cleats set up properly, ride better than the other pedals i've tried. cleats were easy to set up, depending on how you mount the cleats you have the option for easier or tougher release depending on your riding style in addition to the tension adjuster screw - this i have never seen with other pedals and think it is a great feature! the ATAC carbon pedals are bomb proof (so far), easy to disengage (with cleats on correct shoe) with few accidental releases. they have a really solid feel when you are engaged, enough play to allow for maneuvering and technical climbing. great for bashing on logs and so far, no problems with mud. my shimano pedals were generic at best, the ritchey pedals were terribly unreliable, speedplay are great pedals. i would highly recommend these ATAC to anyone looking for a new mtn pedal with a more solid engagement than speedplay!
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Submitted by
mark
a Cross Country Rider
from colonial heights va USA Date Reviewed: July 9, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Duncan Hollow
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$110.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA
Strengths:
entry&release,looks,durability so far
Weaknesses:
cleats are too tall for the provided screws unless I filed the tits down
Similar Products Used:
TimeAlium
Bike Setup:
Devinci Guzzler,Canadian version
Bottom Line:
I got these just before going on vacation. I installed the cleats with a lot of hassle before filing down the points on the inside of the cleat but this may have had something to do with the new shoes I was installing them to so Ill not take away chili points. it took about an hour of riding to get used to the difference between them and the Aliums at Pocahontas but it was a nice adjustment. after the weekend of biking I went to the mts. of Va. and rode a 24 mile portion of the Massenutten east trail. it was VERY rocky ,steep, slippery, and just plain hard and fun. these pedals took some big hits on big rocks and do not have even a scratch on them. some hits took me off the ground and I crashed.about the only thing that shows no sign of being there is the pedals. if you are looking for a dependable pedal system these are the ones. the famous reliability,predictability of entry and release no matter what the terrain are on these as well. the Aliums begin to get a liitle looser in the release tension after while but these have a way to tighten up the tension if so desired.only time will tell the bearings durability but I believe they will stand up to all I can give them. they have the same "click","unclick" sound that lets me concentrate on the trail and not whether Im clipped or not. other than the stealth fighter look,the lighter weight and other things I described here these are ATAC pedals plain and simple.its good to have a pedal that I can rely on whether the bottom of their line or near the top ( cant go with the Titaniums because of my 190+ pound body). the Aliums looked well worn within an hour of riding and Ive beaten the crap out of these and the TIME,carbon and XS paint emblems still look like out of the box.I hear with other pedal systems you have to get the cleat not only correct on the front to back but also the side to side or you cant get in or out correctly. not so with TIME. just put the cleat near the center of the slot on the shoe and its set. no muss no fuss and an excellent pedal to boot. who could ask for more?
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Submitted by
Brian
a Weekend Warrior
from San Jose, CA, USA Date Reviewed: March 8, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$171.00
Purchased At:
Sun Bike
Bottom Line:
This is a follow-up review to my last one. I expected Time to replace the pins in order to fix my loose springs. They sent me new pedals and cleats and I am very pleased overall. The new pedals look like they have spring pins with a larger diameter. I am using my origional (one year old cleats) and they are working fine. There is a break-in period when using new cleats and release becomes easier over time as one would expect. I'm sure glad it only took 2 weeks from the date I mailed them out until I had the new ones on my bike-toe straps are a drag.
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Submitted by
Brian Canali
a
from San Jose, CA, USA Date Reviewed: February 23, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Grant Ranch
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$171.00
Purchased At:
Sun Bike
Strengths:
Easy to click in and out of. Three release settings. User-tunable float. Durable and can take a hit without damage.
Weaknesses:
The springs will become loose over time if used in the lower two release settings.
Similar Products Used:
spd's
Bike Setup:
Intense Spider, full XTR, Fox f80 fork,5th Element shock, Crossmax sl tubless, XTR disks.
Bottom Line:
These are very nice pedals but the pin that holds the springs in place will wear down after about 200 hours of riding. This will cause the springs to become loose and the riders feet will not feel secure on the pedals when standing. Time will replace the pins and springs if needed. The warranty department was very nice over the phone and they say they have a 48 hour turn around time. I will do a follow-up report after the warranty department sends them back. I would give them 5 chilis if the pin held up longer. I will try to get some extra pins for future repairs.
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Submitted by
Tim Greene
a Cross Country Rider
from Overland Park, KS, USA Date Reviewed: December 7, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Kill Creek
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
Bike Source
Strengths:
Easy to clip in. There is a positive feel when clipped in. Adequate amount of Float and easy to un-clip when you need to.
Weaknesses:
Noise. I am hard of hearing, but I could hear these pedals creak. Thought it was my bottom bracket or bushings at first. After break in the quieted down significantly.
Similar Products Used:
Speedplay Frogs and SPD pedals
Bike Setup:
Turner XCE
Bottom Line:
Bottom line is they are very good pedals. Worth the money.
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Submitted by
gui
a Cross Country Rider
from france Date Reviewed: October 21, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$120.00
Strengths:
-look -weight -declipsing and clipsing in muddy conditions
Weaknesses:
-maintenance -loose axis in one pedal
Similar Products Used:
m520
Bike Setup:
scott g-zero, XT/X9
Bottom Line:
Using this pedal one year, great in any conditions, but when time has come to maintem them.... no possibility to remove "mask axis" (? not sure of the word, it's the small part with 8 or 10 very small holes on the side of the pedal), i have broken it while trying to remove it.But after having this sticky part remove, i can't remove the bearing.. so they are great as long as you don't touch them.
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Submitted by
Ryan
a Racer
from Houghton Michigan Date Reviewed: September 21, 2004
Favorite Trail:
The Red Trail
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Cross Country Sports
Strengths:
No problem in or out in any condition. light weight look cool not shimano
Weaknesses:
axel is a bit loose on one.
Similar Products Used:
shimano. other time
Bike Setup:
fuel 100- dt swiss shock, race x lite disc with xtr brakes xt levers, and sram x0 to x9 shifters, many other upgrades
Bottom Line:
awsome peddals. If you ride xc buy these pedals. if you ride dh these will work but not too well (small platform).
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Submitted by
Dan
a Weekend Warrior
from New Jersey Date Reviewed: September 7, 2004
Favorite Trail:
allamuchy
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$140.00
Purchased At:
Speedgoat
Strengths:
Sturdy, quality build, can be mounted with pedal wrench or hex, consistant performance, adjustable tension
Weaknesses:
none to speak of..
Similar Products Used:
Shimano 747, 858, 959, egg beaters, time alium carbon, xpedo
Bike Setup:
blur
Bottom Line:
Great pedal. I've been searching for a npedal that allows easy exit, good snow/mud performance, and durability, and I have finally found it.
The 959's were close, but they were not durable (I experienced the infamous "missing screw" problem on ride #1 with those pedals. Shimano doesn't seem to want to admit to this basic design issue, but it is real if you run the 959's on a low tension setting). My Eggs have had duribility problems as well, and did not release consistantly enough for me for the technical stuff (I use them on my road bike now).
The setup I have is the ATAC XS Carbon with the tension adjustment (not found on the lower-end ATAC XS), along with Speedgoat's "shaved cleats". These are basically stock Time cleats with some of the material removed by the Speedgoat dudes. You will not get as long life with these cleats, but if you have difficulty getting out of the Times with the stock cleats, these cleats are the answer.
FYI, I also noticed that Speedgoat is offering a shaved cleat option for Eggs now as well...
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Submitted by
mark
a Cross Country Rider
from novato, CA Date Reviewed: September 5, 2004
$ 169.99
Overall Rating:
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