The Atlas is RaceFace’s high-end flat pedal. It’s a sleek, low-profile design that’s grippy and confidence inspiring thanks to a concave platform and 10 pins per side, and it’s tough. It’s also fully rebuildable for great longevity, though riders with big feet or small wallets may not find it so much to their tastes.
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Built from 6061 aluminium and spinning on chromoly steel spindles, the Atlas is slim but tough – these have taken plenty of rock clouts and still spin smoothly. The smooth edges help the platform slide on impact, rather than hooking up, and inside four sealed bearings spread the loads. They’re easily replaced when stripped down, too.
With a platform height of 14.5mm and an overall size of 114mm x 101mm, they’re relatively svelte. The concave shape is pretty deep, however, for a really good connection and strong grip.
I didn’t slip a pedal at any point – in fact, I had times when repositioning was a touch tricky as I was so well stuck down. This is down to the front and rear pins being angled into the pedal rather than vertical. The pins are removable via hex key on the reverse, or a really tiny spanner on top.
The centre bulges quite a lot close to the crank, though it didn’t cause me any issues with with comfort or grip. I wear UK9 shoes, though, and riders with considerably larger feet may find it noticeable.
The excellent grip, low height, tough spindle and smooth edges make the Atlas a classic – as you’d reasonably expect given the £129.95 price – and it comes in five colours alongside the traditional black. It’s a worthy choice for gravity-focused riding, but excellent too for all kinds of trail riding.
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