Something we haven’t seen in a while is a new pedal system. With a low stack height, plenty of float options and claims of aerodynamic and efficiency improvements, the Ekoi PW8 CrMo Pedals sound like the Holy Grail, but I’m not sure the benefits are big enough to warrant the swap from an existing design.
The PW8 name breaks down into ‘power’ for the PW, while the 8 relates to the measurement from the axle of the pedal to the sole of the shoe.
First off, don’t get confused – these aren’t power meter pedals. In terms of the stack height, for reference Speedplay’s Zero pedals and cleats have an 11.5mm stack height (8.5mm if your shoes have the four bolt design option and you don’t need the adaptor plate), while Shimano’s SPD-SL ranges from 14.6mm to 16.5mm depending on the model. Look’s Keo Blade is 14.8mm, while other Keo models are around 17.5mm.
Stack height matters because the closer your foot is to the pedal axle, the greater the efficiency – albeit marginally – but it does give a more direct feeling connection between your foot and the bike.
I use a mixture of SPD-SL and Look Keo style cleats on a range of different shoes and when using the PW8s with Ekoi’s proprietary shoes, the connection feels brilliant. I like a lot of feedback between any part of the bike and my contact points, and the PW8 system does improve that over those other two systems. I’m talking tiny amounts though. It’s virtually undetectable unless you are riding them side by side, or back-to-back.
The PW8 pedal body is very large as well, which adds to the feeling of stability. Ekoi says that it has the largest platform area on the market at 1,500mm2.
With the shoes fitting so much closer to the pedal body than, say, the SPD-SLs, there will also be an aero advantage – an 11 per cent drag reduction, according to Ekoi in the wind tunnel.
Riding my normal test loops with all of the variables in play, I found any benefits to be marginal going by my power meter results. If you are riding time trials, triathlons etc, then even small gains will obviously be beneficial though.
From a performance point of view, I found the PW8s to be impressive, although not by enough to warrant me adding them to my bikes. The key reason is that I’d need specific shoes to fit the cleats to and Ekoi is the only company that makes them. Prices are around £400 and up – although many pairs are reduced to under £180 on Ekoi’s website at the time of writing.
If I were new to clipless pedals though and about to make my first investment in a system, the PW8 works very well indeed, and the sole design of the shoes does mean that you can walk in them with the cleats fitted.
The PW8 cleats comprise two pieces for each pedal. The larger of the two, which sits mid-sole, looks kind of similar to Shimano’s off-road SPD cleats, but much more angular. Up towards the front of the sole, beneath your toes, you fit another small metal piece which is a small lip that locks into the pedal body.
Depending on the orientation of the larger cleat section, you can get float options of 3, 6 or 9 degrees from the cleats in the box, with a zero-float option or 1.5 degrees available to purchase separately for £11.
I found setting up the cleats to be straightforward as Ekoi has detailed video instructions on its website and there are alignment markings on the soles of the shoes. The cleats are light too at just 30g for both shoes.
Thanks to their weighting and length, the pedals always hang the right way to easily clip in and this happens with a satisfying click.
Clipping out of the pedals is restrictive enough that you aren’t going to unclip accidently, but not so tight that if you find yourself in a tricky spot you’re going to struggle to get your foot out.
The pedals weigh 105g each and are made of a carbon composite body with a chromoly axle, and the bearings run very smoothly indeed. The French manufactured pedals also come with a lifetime warranty covering everything other than wearable parts.
For the pedals, cleats and all of the included hardware, Ekoi is currently charging £167.40, so a bit cheaper than something like Wahoo’s Speedplay Zero pedals which cost £179.99.
Look’s Keo Blade pedals, which use a carbon fibre blade for retention, cost £149, while Shimano’s SPD-SL PD-R8000 pedals – the Ultegra ones with a carbon body – cost £159.99.
So, from a price point of view the Ekois are right on the money alongside pedals of a similar construction.
> Everything you need to know about bike pedals
Conclusion
The PW8 pedals are well made and a pleasure to use and while they have a slightly quirky design to look at, they behave very similarly to many other systems on the market. While I didn’t see noticeable performance benefits in the numbers from general riding, I am definitely a big fan of the large pedal/shoe interface and the low weight of the pedal system itself. If you are in the market for some new shoes, I’d definitely say that going down the PW8 system route is a good choice.
Test Report
What does the manufacturer say about this product?:
This pedal, purpose-built for the PW8 pedal/shoe system, was engineered to boost pedaling efficiency thanks to an axle-to-sole stack of just 8mm and a 1500mm² platform. Unmatched on the market.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of this product:
PW8 CHROMOLY PEDAL
Body: Carbon
Axle: Chromoly
Platform: 1500 mm²
Stack height: 8mm
Weight: 105g
Pedal pair + cleats: 225g
CLEATS
3 float options: [3-6°] / [9°] – Included in the box
Self-lubricating coating
Weight: 15g per pair
0° and 1.5° float sold separately.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested?:
They are a bit pricier than some rivals, but not by a huge margin.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.
Would you consider buying the product? Yes.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.
Use this box to explain your overall score
A new design that works well, and while you’ll have to invest in new shoes too, they are worth the investment. A lifetime warranty and good build quality makes the price justifiable too.
About the tester
Age: Height: cmWeight: kg
I usually ride: My best bike is:
I’ve been riding for: I ride: I would class myself as:
I regularly do the following types of riding:
1 thought on “Ekoi PW8 CrMo Pedals”
I’ve ridden SPDs on the road for years, as I can’t stand walking in road shoes with protruding cleats. Having a road system which is easy to walk in sounds very tempting.