Look S-Track Pedals

French brand Look’s clipless pedals are well represented in the road bike scene but to date they haven’t made the same inroads into mountain biking. They’re hoping that the all-new S-Track pedal will change that—it’s got some clever ideas behind it, so Look certainly isn’t churning out just another MTB pedal.

From its inception, the aim was to make a pedal that blended big with small; big bearings and a large shoe-to-pedal interface, combined with diminutive weight and size. Available in three different spec levels, the actual weight of 288g a pair for the basic model isn’t the lightest but it’s on par with many others. The pedals themselves look svelte and unobtrusive, and the asking price of $100 should appeal to a broad range of riders. You can also get the Race model for $240, which adds carbon fibre plus metal rock guards to the composite body (and adds a few grams) or you can drop $370 and lose 40g with the all-singing, all dancing, Carbon Ti version. You can even get a bolt-on external cage ($40 in nylon or $70 in alloy) to turn them into a clipless platform pedal if you want; we didn’t get to try the cage but it’s an interesting optional extra.

When fitting the S-Tracks, you may need to lift your saddle height by a millimetre or two, as the shoe sits a fraction higher above the pedal spindle when compared to some other clipless systems. For some people this will be a negative trait but it didn’t really bother us and was soon forgotten once out on the trails.

The initial cleat setup is a little more involved than with most other pedals. Look wanted to create a very solid and secure connection between the pedal body and the sole of your shoe. Because shoes all have different tread depths, the S-Tracks come with a series of shims that allow you to customise the interface in 0.5mm increments from 0-2mm. This might seem like a lot of faffing around, but in practice it only takes about 10 minutes and it does yield a connection that’s unlike any other MTB pedal we’ve used.

Many pedals really only have the cleat and the pedal in contact with each other. Some others have the shoe tread contacting the pedal body to a small degree (especially when pushing down into the pedals). Look takes this a step further and once set up correctly, both the cleat and shoe maintain constant and solid contact with the pedal body. When clipped in, the feeling is more like a good road clipless pedal system.

S Track on Track

This solid connection means that you’re left in absolutely no doubt that you’re coupled to the bike—there are no accidental unclips with the S-Tracks. There’s a distinct ramp-up as you push your heels out to unclip, and while they do have some angular float, there isn’t heaps of lateral play before you get a sense that the spring is trying to re-centre your foot.

When compared to other pedal systems, the release effort is best described as moderate; there are pedals with a lighter spring action and others that can be wound up with more tension to thwart unwanted release. The main shortcoming in this regard is a lack of adjustability to suit individual tastes. Clipless pedal newbies to may suffer a few too many side-plants, as the S-Tracks require a clear and confident flick of the heel to disengage with no option of backing off the release effort. Likewise, riders who’ve spent the bulk of their time on pedals that offer low release effort will need to readjust to the factory-set spring tension found on the S-Tracks.

Cleat engagement in mud was better than most SPD-style pedals, but we did find that the release pressure went up slightly when the cleats were fully caked in muck. Our S-Tracks showed quite a lot of damage on the composite guide ramps from collisions with the trail surface; this didn’t have any functional effect but don’t expect the basic S-Tracks to look new for very long if you ride in rocky terrain. Perhaps in these circumstances the alloy reinforced ‘Race’ model is worth considering.

The S-Tracks really shine when you want to keep your feet planted on the pedals and put as much power into the cranks as possible. The solid and slop-free pedal interface definitely has advantages in terms of power transfer, and as mentioned earlier they feel like a set of clipless road pedals in this regard. Once set up correctly, they offer a large contact area with the pedal body. This spreads your pedalling load and means that you are less likely to encounter the irregular tread/sole wear issues that often cause problems with minimalist XC-style pedals.

While the lack of release adjustment may be off-putting for some, the new Look pedals offer excellent power transfer and overcome many of the issues that plague small-bodied clipless pedals. They are also light, reasonably priced and well worth a look for anyone who appreciates a really solid pedal connection—in many ways the S-Tracks are definitely on the right track.

Groupe Sportif (03) 8878 1000 / www.groupesportif.com