Xpedo Spry Pedal

Xpedo has been making mountain bike pedals for quite some time, and they are especially known for their more or less radical out-of-the-box designs. With the new Spry flat pedal, they look to offer one of the lighter and thinner pedals on the market at an affordable price. At just 260 grams and $79 for the pair, we were eager to put a pair to the test to see how they measure up.

Xpedo Spry Highlights

• 260g per pair
• Magnesium body
• Cromo spindle
• 2 cartridge bearings
• 1 DU bushing
• 28 straight pins per pair
• Size: 106 x 100 x 11-mm
• Colors: Gold, Black, Red, White
• MSRP: $79

Initial Impressions

Out of the box, the obvious first thing you notice is how ridiculously light and thin these pedals feel in your hand. At 260g PER PAIR, their combined weight is close to the weight of some single aluminum pedals on the market, and even lighter than some of the plastic pedal offerings out there. At just 11-mm thin, you'll benefit from that extra bit of ground clearance as well.

The finish on the pedals appeared to be of high quality and they spun buttery smooth in my hand. The 7 pins per side looked to be reasonably sized, but not long to the point where my shins would start to quiver in fear. The pins are not installed with an allen key, but with a tiny wrench which is included in the box. Xpedo also generously throws in an extra 10 pins for good measure.

On The Trail

As with most pedals, your shoe choice is a crucial factor when it comes to grip and comfort. For this test, I used my trusted, 3-seasons-old Five Ten Freerider shoes. My feet tend to sit a little more towards the outside of pedals when I ride flats, but thanks to the generous size of the Spry's platform I never felt like my feet were hanging off the sides. The Freeriders are pretty flexible shoes, but I also didn’t notice any pressure points from the pins, nor did I notice the bulge of the axle at all.

Mainly because of the slightly rounded shape of the pins, I was able to make small foot adjustments without having to completely take my foot off the pedal, even with the Five Tens. On XC trails my feet were rarely bounced around and they never left the pedals either (aside from the odd intentional foot-out corner), but on DH rides I was wishing for a bit more grip through some of the chatter. One additional aspect to note is that the pedals have enough resistance to not spin on their own, something that the dirt jumpers would definitely appreciate.

Things That Could Be Improved

I would like to see 1 or 2 more pins on the pedals, as well as a slightly taller and thinner pin option for those DH days. The Spry is perfect for XC and dirt jumping, but I felt like I needed just a little bit more grip for when things got hairy.

Long Term Durability

The first things to go on pedals are usually the pins, especially here on the East Coast where pedal strikes are common with a low and slack bike. I haven't had that many pedal strikes, but the Sprys have held up quite well to a few hearty run-ins with rocks. The large diameter pins that Xpedo utilizes have also proven very resistant to shearing. Additionally, I appreciate the fact that since they are removed and installed with a wrench, I won’t have to dig out old dirt from an allen insert when it comes time to remove them. The bushings are still going strong, spinning as smooth as a DJ’s turntable at an Interbike afterparty. The choice of lightweight magnesium for the pedal body does come at a price, as it is softer than aluminum. Based on my experience with the Sprys so far, I'd expect them to show a few more signs of wear compared to their aluminum counterparts after a season of DHing.

What's The Bottom Line?

If you’re in the market for flat pedals for your trail bike or dirt jumper, the Spry should be on your list of options to consider. In my opinion, Xpedo really hit a good balance of comfort, grip, and durability with this pedal, and at $79 for just 260 grams per pair, they are a very affordable and cost-effective way for those looking to shed a bit of weight on their bike as well. If it's monster grip for DH you're after, probably best to keep looking.

For more information, head over to www.xpedo.com.

About The Reviewer

Justin Schroth has been riding mountain bikes for over 15 years, experiencing first hand the evolution of the industry from thumb shifters and MCU cartridge forks to carbon fiber frames and single-ring all mountain bikes. As an East Coast rider, he loves trails with a combination of jumps, technical downhills, and the occasional loose corner for some foot out action. With a Mechanical Engineering degree, Justin's instinct is to always consider how it works over how it looks. After many years of racing the Northeast Norba and Collegiate series, Justin hung up the race plate and his diploma to go behind the camera at Lucent Productions, creating mountain bike video content for several clients such as Highland Mountain Bike Park.