[OldSkoolMark]

Back in the last millennium - mid to late 90's - when Shimano SPDs were notoriously bad in mud, Time ATACs were very popular cyclocross and MTB pedals. This has been my system ever since. I like the float, but have had release issues at low speeds on technical stuff for years. I'm told that the current generation of Shimano SPD pedals has good float and mud performance. Is it time to make the switch? Any long time ATAC users out there that made the switch to SPDs? I use the same shoes for road, gravel, and mountain, so that's a significant investment in pedals.

 

[Sparticus]

Never been an ATAC user but I do have SPDs on 4 bikes (3 mountain, 1 road) and have been using them since Shimano introduced them back in the early '90s. Yeah, I recall horrific problems with mud and snow on early versions. I don't suffer that problem now. FWIW I'm happy with Shimano's current SPD offerings; let's just say I don't have any reason to look for a different clip-in pedal system.
=sParty

 

[#mtnbykr]

I've been using Time pedals since "back then" and my knees are very happy. No reason to change.

 

[Asmodeus2112]

I've been using ATAC for decades. Love them, I think my knees are better for it. I use them on my commuter and all sorts of MTB. I have noticed release issues with Shimano shoes. I think the plastic tread around the cleat is a bit to narrow and binds. I don't mind and they sort of wear in, but this might be part of what you are experiencing?

 

[Arm&Hammer]

Never had a problem with my Times getting out, except for the time I mounted the cleats wrong. That ride sucked.

 

[11053]

Times are still the best pedals going in my opinion. Longest bearing life and least amount of maintenance on any pedal I have seen in 30+ years of MTB pedal time.
Shimanos are a close second if you like the cleat and retention system, but I experience far more unwanted clip outs and unplanned unclipping than I do on TImes in rough DH or tech riding conditions. Shimano pedals do seem to last a long time without maintenance though.
Lots of good pedal options now besides Times, however if you liked older TIME ATACS I suggest you check out the newer Speciale 8s as an all around trail bike pedal-metal body, adjustable spring tension, the usual ATAC cleat release options.

 

[Asmodeus2112]

I missed that SRAM acquired the TIME pedal line in Feb. This could be interesting.

 

[Asmodeus2112]

Only problems I have had were on some of the early composite body pedals were the pins backed out. They seem to have fixed that, newer pairs have been fine.

 

[DrDon]

Only problems I have had were on some of the early composite body pedals were the pins backed out. They seem to have fixed that, newer pairs have been fine.

I haven’t gone back to them because of that. Their CS was terrible then. May have to give them a second look. I loved the yellow bar soap ones.


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[Jayem]

I got a couple sets for fat-biking, thinking they may be a little warmer, but the issues with exiting in snow caused quite a few slow-speed falls for me. It's similar to the CB problem, that the release is based more on angular deflection than spring tension (even though there are springs). Sometimes you get "stuck" in odd slow speed situations trying to release by twisting your heel inwards instead of outwards or just a real odd angle and you can't "pull" like you can with Shimano, so I'll be selling mine. They aren't bad, just not for me.

As far as snow and mud-clearing, yeah the old old shimanos, like 737s, were terrible. The newer style has huge open areas where mud can pass through, much better. The problem in warm-snow temps though is the snow sticks to the cold heat-sink cleat and it will make it hard to clip in. This isn't a problem for me below about 28 degrees F, but in that warmer realm, it can be with new/loose snow. I was hiking the other day with my mini-crampons in some snow and it was doing the same thing, turning my boots into 6" platform shoes, because the snow was "sticking" to the metal. Times work a little better in this situation, but it's not huge IME.

 

[mtnbkrmike]

I have about 5 pair, all dating back to 2007 and earlier. My carbon ones have been on 5 different go-to bikes since 2007. I bought a bearing replacement kit but it’s still unopened. Smooth as silk despite a gazillion miles on them.

EDIT: I see I have 7 pair, all 2007 and older except for one pair my LBS gave to me a couple of years ago. They all function as well today as the day I got them, which is, in a word, spectacular.

 

[parkmeister]

i had some bad non-release experiences with shimano pedals back in the day and switched to time as a result. shimano may be better now, but i'm definitely a loyal time fan for sure.

 

[Hurricane Jeff]

I've been using ATAC's since the mid 90's and have no reason to change them. I use them on everyone of my bikes that I ride off road, from gravel to enduro bikes.
I haven't bought a new pair for years and heard the quality has gone down but now that Sram bought Time, I would only hope they bring the quality back up.

 

[p0is0n0ak]

I've been using Time pedals since "back then" and my knees are very happy. No reason to change.

Same here.

 

[Porkchop_Power]

Agree with everyone above. Two things to keep in mind though - cleats do wear out over time and that makes it easier to release which is ok for some lighter easier riders but not what us bigger dudes like. Also, after thousands of miles the aluminum or composite under the clear can wear also leading to the same problem. Bearings last forever as others have said.

 

[mtnbkrmike]

Agree with everyone above. Two things to keep in mind though - cleats do wear out over time and that makes it easier to release which is ok for some lighter easier riders but not what us bigger dudes like. Also, after thousands of miles the aluminum or composite under the clear can wear also leading to the same problem. Bearings last forever as others have said.

I still have every single pair of original cleats, and continue to use all of them. I like them new, but I prefer them worn.

My oldest pair have a fair bit of play in them now, because of the mileage on them. They date back to 2002. That’s cool with me. They never release when I don’t want them to, and always do when I do.

I have tried running them reversed so that more outward rotation is required to release them. Also good, but not necessary for me.

Before Time’s quality and popularity decreased in more recent years, there used to be a big market for heavily worn Time cleats. eBay used to have lots of postings, to cater to those who preferred the looser feel of them.

It’s tough for me to think of anything that has survived as long as my Time pedals (except for a few bikes I still have, continue to use regularly, and will never dump). I remember selling one of my old bikes I didn’t particularly bond with and, gasp, I forgot to remove my beloved pedals. It took me days but I tracked the buyer down and had to give him 2 sets of XT brake pads to get those pedals back. I still have those pedals and use them regularly.

 

[mtnbkrmike]

…I loved the yellow bar soap ones.


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Not sure if this is what you are referring to but I have a pair matching the yellow soap bar description, that came on the worst death trap of a bike I ever owned - a yellow and black 2002 SJ. Back in the day, bikes came with pedals (often Ritcheys, that resembled SPDs). That was my introduction to Times, and I have never looked back. It was the only good thing about that POS of a bike. So happy I had the presence of mind to keep them when I dumped that bike a year later.

Those same pedals - circa 2002 - have been on my daily commuter, a Made in the USA Cannondale cyclocross, since the day I bought it in 2004. Those pedals have seen over 15 years of rain, snow, heat and cold, and are still going strong (although they are missing a bit of yellow paint here and there).

 

[ibanda]

Have a set of ATACs from 1991 that are still working, moved them to my indoor trainer. Just bought a set of XC8s for my road bike. No plans to change.

 

[J.B. Weld]

Shimano spd's are super reliable, relatively cheap and work great. Give them a try and decide for yourself.

 

[mtnbkrmike]

Shimano spd's are super reliable, relatively cheap and work great. Give them a try and decide for yourself.

They have their faults. I have seen a number of them fail. I have yet to see any older Times fail.

By way of example, my buddy’s XTRs, that are on their second season on his Switchblade, $hit the bed on him last ride out. There is a plastic bushing or something on the axle underneath the pedal platform, that came loose and slid over on the axle. His pedal was loose AF the entire ride. He kept stopping and sliding it back underneath, but no dice. Please pardon the horrible description.