Race Face presents the Turbine, a new flat pedal designed to provide maximum grip thanks to its pronounced three-millimetre concavity. The Race Face men speak confidently of the: "most grippy flat pedals on the market". The price is steep. You have to put down a whole 200 euros for the pedals.
The aluminium wheels weigh 414 grams per pair (BIKE measurement) and have an asymmetrical platform. With eleven height-adjustable pins per side and a platform size of 115 x 110 millimetres, the Turbine is aimed at bikers looking for maximum grip.
Race Face is expanding its pedal range with the new Turbine flat pedals. The model is said to be characterised by a particularly pronounced concavity of three millimetres. According to the manufacturer, this makes the Turbine pedal 17 per cent more concave than comparable models such as the Deity T-Mac. The platform of the pedal is thinnest in the centre and becomes thicker on all sides.
The pedal platform measures 115 millimetres in length and 110 millimetres in width. With a maximum thickness of 20 millimetres (without pins), the Turbine is only five percent thicker than the aforementioned competitor model.
Race Face Turbine flat pedals: asymmetric platform
A special feature of the Turbine is the asymmetrical shape of the platform. According to Race Face, this should harmonise better with the sole of the shoe by following the anatomical shape of the foot. The platform is wider at the front than at the back, which should offer maximum support, pin contact and grip. The manufacturer also hopes that this shape will provide slightly better ground clearance and a greater chance of sliding off obstacles.
Another feature of the Turbine is the lack of axle elevation. By using a simpler but proven internal architecture with a bushing on the inside and a ball bearing on the outside, the pedal offers a larger effective platform. It also allows riders to place their feet closer to the cranks. Race Face states that this narrower stance position allows for a narrower Q-factor and therefore better pedalling ergonomics.
Pins and colour options
The Turbine is equipped with eleven height-adjustable pins per side. These are mounted from below and can be easily removed with a 3-millimetre Allen key. The scope of delivery includes four replacement pins and 44 pin washers, which can be used to reduce the pin length by up to 0.8 millimetres.
Race Face offers the Turbine in seven different colour options: Black, silver, cashmoney, purple, orange, red and blue. This allows bikers to match the colour of the pedal to their bike.
Target group and comparison with the Atlas pedal
Race Face positions the Turbine as a premium alternative to the Atlas pedal for riders looking for a particularly firm grip on flat pedals. While the Atlas pedal, with a moderate concavity of 1.2 millimetres, is more geared towards gravity use and enables easier micro-adjustment of the foot position as well as easier removal of the foot, the Turbine is aimed at maximum grip.
The Turbine is aimed at bikers who want to move their feet as little as possible, take their foot off the pedal less often and spend more time climbing - especially on steep and technical uphills. The manufacturer emphasises that the choice of the right pedal is ultimately a question of personal preference.
Durability and guarantee
Race Face claims that the Turbine bottom bracket has withstood over a million cycles in extensive laboratory tests without any signs of wear. Like many of the manufacturer's other pedals, the Turbines can also be completely dismantled and maintained.
The company emphasises the confidence in its product with a lifetime guarantee, which also covers crash damage. For detailed information on the warranty conditions, Race Face refers to its website.
Technical specifications of the Race Face Turbine pedals
- Material: 6061 aluminium
- Weight: 414 grams per pair (BIKE measurement
- Platform size: 115 mm length x 110 mm width
- Maximum platform thickness: 20 mm (without pins)
- Concavity: 3 mm in all directions
- Pins: 11 height-adjustable pins per side, mounted from below
- Bearing: Inner bushing, outer ball bearing
- Scope of delivery: 4 spare pins, 44 pin washers
- Colour options: Black, silver, cashmoney, purple, orange, red, blue
- Warranty: Lifetime warranty including drop damage
- Price: 200 € RRP
Our first driving impression
The Race Face Turbine pedals make a high-quality impression. Whether the pedals creak later than other pedals and whether the pins last longer cannot be said after a first test. The grip is certainly good. In fact, the long pins and the concave platform provide enormous grip. If you like to keep your feet in place without using clipless pedals, the Turbine is the right choice. However, the price of 200 euros is excessive in my eyes. - Laurin Lehner, BIKE tester
My price/performance tip, the plastic pedals from One-Up for just under 52 euros (>> available at Alltricks).
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Laurin Lehner
Editor
