[Sparticus]

As mentioned elsewhere on these forums, I'll be spending this fall/winter/spring making the switch from clips to platform pedals. Having several bikes, I did a little research before choosing the OneUp composite as my go-to pedal. The OneUp comps are only $59, garner high ratings in online reviews plus I have a buddy who employs them and says they're good pedals.

So I recently purchased 3 pair of OneUp's composite pedals.

PEDALS

www.oneupcomponents.com

Being OCD, I wanted to try OneUp's aluminum pedal as well, just to see if it's even moar awesomer than OneUp's composite version. At $129, the aluminum pedal better be, eh. So I ordered a pair of alu pedals, too -- these arrived yesterday. Alu on the left, comp on the right:

Here are weights for each, according to OneUp's website:
Aluminum = 365g
Composite = 355g
Nod to the comp pedal.

But wait, look how thin the aluminum platform is:

Not only is the aluminum pedal's chassis much thinner than the comp's, the pins on the aluminum pedal are much longer than the pins on the comp, too. In fact, total thickness (measuring from the ends of pins on one side of the pedal to ends of pins on the opposite side) is nearly the same between the comps and the alu pedals, meaning the difference in thickness (or should we say thinness) in pedal chassis is made up by lengthening the pins on the aluminum version. The photo above doesn't show this very well -- cameras can be funny and in this case the comp pedal overall (chassis + pins) looks a bit thicker than the alu -- it's not. Well, a bit, but verrrrry little.

So far I've only ridden the comps and I think they're great.
But eager to try the alu pedals. Since the aluminum pedals will be going on a dry weather bike and our local trails will remain muddy until next May or so, it'll be a while before I get the chance.
=sParty

 

[milehi]

If I knew you were doing a taste test, I wouldve sent these out. I got them in a trade and love my XTR SPD Trails

 

[Sparticus]

Well shucks.
=sParty

 

[Tiiiimmmmber]

I had the crankbrothers stamp and switched to the one up composites. I prefer the composites

 

[Moosedriver]

I have both versions as well and I actually prefer the aluminum over the composite. The convex shape on the aluminum is more comfortable and it seems like I get more pedal strikes with the composite (but maybe that’s just my imagination). I purchased the blue versions and prefer the blue of the composite, it’s also nice that you can’t notice scratches, unlike my aluminum blues that started to look horrible after the first rock strike. I decided that I’ll get silver if I purchase a new set of aluminum pedals to keep from having the paint scratched off look.

Servicing both pedals are pretty easy, the composite pedals have a small nut with a low torque setting, with the drive side being reverse threaded, so it wouldn’t take much effort to break the axle trying to remove the nut. You also need a deep socket to reach the nut. The aluminum pedals require a 5.2 cassette tool and some prying to remove a couple parts. That was disconcerting the first time servicing them.

Being in the dry dust of SoCal I have noticed that the dust penetrates the composites far faster than the aluminum pedals to the point that I need to clean and re-grease at least twice as often.

They are great pedals, though. I am undecided if the higher cost of the aluminum pedals justifies them over the composite price.

 

[natas1321]

I have a couple of pairs of the aluminum pedals and like them, one rebuild in four years so I happy with them.

Sent from my moto g(7) supra using Tapatalk

 

[mtnbkrmike]

I raised the issue in the other thread. There is quite a bit of commenting online about the alloys having bearing issues, not present in the composites.

I stand to be corrected but I actually thought I saw something from OneUp acknowledging this, and advising that they will address every single problem that arises, without question.

Again, I may be wrong, but that’s my recollection.

Also, it’s probably of historical relevance only, in that I am sure that OneUp rectified whatever issues may have existed.

I have a ton of pedals. I like Kona Wah Wah 2 composites, but they are all good, including the OneUps (alloy and composite). I have big feet, which I think is why I like the Konas. Plus Kona always gives me good vibes when $hit gets crazy.

 

[LewisQC]

I have 4 pairs of Oneup composite (Ripmo, fat bike, son's and daughter's bike). They're cheap, light, have decent grip. On my Ripmo, I bent a pin and the composite materiel around got damage and now it's not possible to remove the pin. Iwill have to drill it out I thinks. But won't be able to replace the pin

My two last purchase were Spank Oozy and oneup aluminium version. I'll see how they hold up...

 

[Thoreau]

Two sets of alloys in my tiny fleet right now and I don't think I could ever be convinced to use anything else. Astounding grip, ultra thin, and they seem to stand up to the abuse I give them (frequent rock strikes.) Heck, they even still look pretty decent despite the carnage.

If I had any gripe, it might be that the first pair had the older 3x tiny bearing design on the outboard side. Not sure if I just crushed the poor bastards with awesomeness, or maybe slammed the housing enough to deform it into the bearings, but it was a chore getting the axle and tiny bearings out for a rebuild. (Newer set came with the revised bushing design on the outboard side.)

I was almost eyeballing the composite ones though for my main bike due to running X01 cranks with boots. As is, it took some time with an sharp blade to get the pedals on over the boots, and then some time to let the friction wear the boots down some more where the inboard bearing area contacted them. The composites wouldn't have that contact/fitment issue, and OneUp even specifically discourages using them on those cranks, but damn if I listen. =)

If I*HAD* to use other-than-alloy version, it'd definitely still be the OneUp composites though. If for no other reason than their obvious similarity to the alloys that I love.

 

[half_man_half_scab]

I have size 12 feet and I really feel the bearing bulge on the alloy unless I get foot position down to the mm. I think realized real estate is less on these pedals for big people

 

[mtnbkrmike]

…I was almost eyeballing the composite ones though for my main bike due to running X01 cranks with boots. As is, it took some time with an sharp blade to get the pedals on over the boots, and then some time to let the friction wear the boots down some more where the inboard bearing area contacted them. The composites wouldn't have that contact/fitment issue, and OneUp even specifically discourages using them on those cranks, but damn if I listen. =)…

The Konas are like that as well on Next Rs. I run them with crank boots but add a washer or two. They clear the crank boot just fine. No cutting required. No biggie.

All my OneUp composites are on alloy cranks with no boots. I expect though that washers would solve that problem for them as well, were I to run them with boots. Have you tried that? Maybe I’m wrong.

 

[Cerberus75]

My wife went from composite to aluminum one ups. She said less strikes and no flex in the body is nice.

 

[Mike Aswell]

Be careful using the aluminum with a carbon crank, IME. It can be okay. But also not. Depending on crank, use of boot, etc.

 

[ungod]

I like the composite OneUp's a lot, but i did feel like the aluminum was an upgrade. More comfortable, thinner, grippier. Worth noting that the aluminum doesn't use a bearing, it uses a bushing. So it doesn't free spin as easily as most pedals, but i never noticed a difference in actual use.

Moved on to Deity TMacs though, and they're an upgrade in every way except for pedal strikes. Definitely not as thin, but SO much grippier and more comfortable that I learned to live with the thicker profile!

 

[mtnbkrmike]

I like the composite OneUp's a lot, but i did feel like the aluminum was an upgrade. More comfortable, thinner, grippier. Worth noting that the aluminum doesn't use a bearing, it uses a bushing. So it doesn't free spin as easily as most pedals, but i never noticed a difference in actual use.

Moved on to Deity TMacs though, and they're an upgrade in every way except for pedal strikes. Definitely not as thin, but SO much grippier and more comfortable that I learned to live with the thicker profile!

Interesting info. I wonder what it was that I had read that led me to believe that the alloys had problems with bearings, that the composites did not. I don’t know whether it was here or in the PB comments but I thought I had seen a fairly comprehensive write up on this, which included a response or two by a OneUp representative. Whatever it was, at one point in time at least, people were apparently experiencing premature breakdowns of the alloys, that was not occurring with the composites. Like I said though, OneUp was standing behind their alloys and assisting anyone affected, and whatever issue that may have existed, has almost certainly long since been addressed.

 

[Sparticus]

Interesting info. I wonder what it was that I had read that led me to believe that the alloys had problems with bearings, that the composites did not. I don’t know whether it was here or in the PB comments but I thought I had seen a fairly comprehensive write up on this, which included a response or two by a OneUp representative. Whatever it was, at one point in time at least, people were apparently experiencing premature breakdowns of the alloys, that was not occurring with the composites. Like I said though, OneUp was standing behind their alloys and assisting anyone affected, and whatever issue that may have existed, has almost certainly long since been addressed.

At one time the alloys had 3 tiny bearings at the outboard end of the spindle.
Evidently the tiny bearings were a problem.
Those tiny bearings were replaced by a bushing in a running upgrade.
The tiny bearings and the bushing are interchangeable.
=sParty

 

[mtnbkrmike]

At one time the alloys had 3 tiny bearings at the outboard end of the spindle.
Evidently the tiny bearings were a problem.
Those tiny bearings were replaced by a bushing in a running upgrade.
The tiny bearings and the bushing are interchangeable.
=sParty

Thanks for clarifying things for me.

Thinking about some of the comments in here…

I don’t get a lot of pedal strikes but sometimes I do on certain trails. It is likely a matter of millimetres.

I wonder if running alloys might be the difference between smashing a pedal in a blanket of rocks, and not.

 

[jimmytang]

Earlier this year I was looking into flat pedals. The OneUp alloy pedals were at the top of my list but after a fair amount of research I ultimately decided against them for a couple of reasons. First of all, they are not a concave pedal. The platform itself is actually slightly convex but is made to appear concave by using longer pins around the perimeter of the pedal with shorter pins in the middle. Convex doesn't work for me. That's not the natural shape of my shoes or my feet. The other negative factor for me was the large inboard bearing hump. I like to position my feet as close to the cranks as possible without rubbing, especially with the wide Q-factor of my fatbike and the bearing hump seemed to be a detriment to this. (IIRC the OneUp composite pedals are actually concave). I ended up with the RaceFace Atlas alloy flat pedal which met all of my requirements. They're thin, lightweight, concave, easily serviceable, have no inboard hump, and are a work of art to look at. As an added bonus, I found them brand new on Amazon or Ebay for $130.00 so the price was comparable or less than many of the other high-end pedals.

 

[Ripbird]

At one time the alloys had 3 tiny bearings at the outboard end of the spindle.
Evidently the tiny bearings were a problem.
Those tiny bearings were replaced by a bushing in a running upgrade.
The tiny bearings and the bushing are interchangeable.
=sParty

About 3 years ago I had the inner 3 bearings disintegrate and mar the inside of one pedal, which ruined it. Jensenusa warrantied the pedals which had the the upgraded bushing. The pedals still have a larger normal sized outer bearing despite what was mentioned above.

 

[DaveL]

I’ve been riding clipped in for over 25 years. I ride typically cross country and trail. Due to a pending knee replacement I am considering changing over to platform pedals to reduce the chance of falling and not get my feet out. As a first time user of platform pedals, and considering the One Up platforms, would you recommend the aluminum, or composite version of the One Up pedals to commence this transition?