In the pursuit of all-out traction, few pedals meet the sheer volume of grip that the Race Face Turbine achieves. Owing to its deep concave, super lengthy pins and a large, supportive platform, the Turbine delivers grip by the shedload. However, you’ll have to pay for the privilege, those pins will be too long for some, and the concave won’t suit all tastes.
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Race Face Turbine pedals – Technical details
Sitting alongside the Atlas pedals, Race Face’s recent Turbine pedals are designed to achieve a very different feel to cater towards an audience that wants locked-in performance. So those who don’t shift their feet around all that much, such as enduro and downhill riders. The Atlas is a flatter profiled pedal that’ll appeal to those who like to move their feet around the pedals and may not require such a tenacious connection between shoe and pedal.
In a bid to provide that locked in feel, Race Face has developed the Turbine with a very deep concave in ‘all ways’, so that’s front to back and inboard to outboard – meaning that the deepest point of the concave sits in the middle of the pedal whereas the tallest point is around its perimeter. That’s a 3mm concave too, so with others boasting 2mm of depth, the Turbine’s concave is amongst the deepest on the market.
Much like the long-standing Atlas, the Turbine is shaped to follow the anatomical shape of the foot, so it’s wider at the front and narrower at the rear. Race Face claims that the platform’s shape also deflects impact with the ground and provides better clearance.
Moving onto the internals and the Turbine rotates around a chromoly steel axle, but is rather quiet about the bearing and bushing arrangement. Regardless, components have been picked for their small size, thus removing any inboard bump machined to make space for a large bearing. The pedal is covered by Race Face’s Lifetime Warranty that includes crashes.
As for measurements, the Turbine measures 115 x 110mm with 11 pins per side. Those pins measure in at 6mm, and there are four spares in the box and 44 pin washers to shorten the pins by 0.8mm.
Race Face claims a weight of 419g, whereas I weighed the pair to weigh exactly that.
Race Face Turbine pedals – Performance
It doesn’t take much time before realising that the Turbine, despite looking like many other flat pedals, is a unique option. It’s all in the feel and sheer abundance of traction it provides. It’s not for everyone, but there are few pedals around that provide such immovable grip.
The Turbine’s charm is wholly to credit for the shape of its platform. I can take or leave the ‘anatomical’ shape that follows the form of the foot, it’s large, and plenty supportive, which is the important point.
Immediately noticeable is its concavity. It’s deep and because of that, the pedal cradles the foot, resulting in a ‘in the pedal’ feel. This pays back when dipping the heels and driving through technical terrain where the pedal excellently holds onto the foot, resulting in top-notch stability.
But pair that concavity with some monstrously long pins, and you’ve got what may well be the grippiest pedal on the market. As the Turbine’s profile allows a shoe’s sole to sink in, it forces those 6mm long pins to bite deep into the rubber. This viciously holds the foot in place. Though it must be noted that because the pins are so aggressive, I have noticed increased wear in the sole of my chosen shoes.
Of course, flat pedals are only as good as the shoes that they’re paired with, and admittedly, I’ve tested the Turbines with some decent kicks. Namely, the Five Ten Freerider Pro Boa and the Crankbrothers Stamp Trail Boa. Both have reasonably sticky rubber, but the Five Tens have a flatter tread. That said, even with the Crankbrothers’ more textured tread pattern, the lengthy pins still managed to bite.
With that combination of the super long pins and the concave, the foot is simply locked into the pedal, so movement and repositioning of the foot isn’t an easy feat. As such, I put the included washers under the pins to reduce their height. This improves things a bit as doing so has resulted in a better balance of all-out grip and some free foot movement, but it’s still a balance that leans towards traction, which will certainly be appreciated by those who want nothing else. A short pin kit wouldn’t go amiss, just to boost the flexibility and adaptability of what the Turbine can offer.
As for durability, I’ve put the Turbine through an awful lot and it’s come out with an array of scuffs and scratches, but everything is still intact. After a number of months of riding through wet and dry, the bearings still spin smoothly, and every pin remains unscathed.
If you’re after a super grippy pedal, downsides are very few, but not everyone will gel with that deep concave as it is something of a unique feel, and not everyone will want such a locked-in feel from a flat pedal. But that’s where the Atlas comes in. However, the price is a real barrier to entry.
Race Face Turbine pedal – Verdict
To take full advantage of the mass of grip that the Turbine offers, you’ll need to spend £170. That’s pretty steep. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good quality product, but there are cheaper options that are well worth considering. I’m a big fan of Deity’s Flat Trak pedals that come in at £150. It’s flatter in profile, so they’ll provide a different feel but support and grip, and right up there. They’re a little weightier, however, despite being a little smaller overall.
I’ve gotten on well with Race Face’s Aeffect R pedal too. At £130, it’s not quite the investment, but it better balances traction, support, and freedom of movement. Of course, its grip isn’t quite as ‘locked in’, but you won’t tear your shins up as badly should you slip a pedal. It does get top-loading pins, though, so things may get difficult should you shear a pin.
If it’s nothing but traction that you’re after, that’s exactly what the Race Face Turbine pedal is all about. To put it short, it’s immovable. It will chew up your shoes a little quicker, but in return, the pedal provides nothing short of a locked-in feel. However, that deep concave won’t suit everyone’s tastes, nor will that abundance of grip… Or the price.
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Product purpose:
Build extra:
Pedal Material 6061 aluminum body, steel pins
Platform Concavity 3mm
Platform Thickness 20mm at edge
Number of Pins 11 height-adjustable pins per side
Platform L x W 115 x 110 mm
Weight 419g per set
Colours Black, Red, Orange, Blue, Purple, Kashmoney, Silver
Includes 4 spare pins and 44 pin washers (shorten pins by 0.8mm)
Pin Height 6mm from platform
Product construction
Product construction extra:
Product performance
Product performance extra:
Product durability
Product weight
Product comfort
Product comfort extra:
product value
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