Wider, Longer, and Grippier: The Updated Race Face Atlas Pedal Delivers 1

When Race Face launched the Atlas in 2014, there was plenty to be impressed with. The pedal measured up fairly well against many of its competitors at the time, although we noted that the compact layout could sometimes feel a bit smaller under the feet than the numbers would suggest, and it did fall short of the class leaders in terms of outright grip. In the most recently updated version of our big Flat Pedal Face Off, the original Atlas ranks 10th out of 26 pedals tested. Fast-forward to today’s date, and we’re pulling back the curtains on the new Atlas – keep reading to learn more and get our first impressions straight from the trail!

Race Face Atlas V2 Pedal Highlights

• Increased durability with oversize bearings, Igus bushing, and new spindle design 
• Thin, concave profile for reduced pedal strikes 
• Pins at varying heights to increase concave feel without adding to overall thickness
• Wider platform
• 20 longer pins per side
• Spacers included to reduce pin height should you want to tone it down a notch
• 9 anodized color options
• Fits every crank on the market, including those with crank boots
• User serviceable with no custom tools required 
• Lifetime Warranty
• MSRP: $179.99 USD

Initial Impressions

If you know the original, the new version will feel instantly familiar. The two outlines appear very similar, but closer inspection reveals some major changes. First of all, Race Face has gone with a completely different axle system, built around 1 large inboard bearing and a wide outboard Igus bushing. The axle is now secured on the inside of the pedal, via a large flat flange on the axle that is held in place with a flat and wide nut, equipped with a seal to keep water and dirt out of the internals. A flat wrench is all that is needed to open it up for service. The axle has also been updated to provide a little more space inboard, which means the new pedal will play nice with crank boots as well.

The new Atlas has also grown a bit. It’s a few millimeters longer and 5 millimeters wider than its predecessor, while retaining the same thickness and concavity. The extra real estate also means that the pins can be spread out around the perimeter of the pedal, which in turn has added 5 millimeters to the crucial Pin-To-Axle (PTA) measurement. If you’re not familiar with PTA, it’s the distance from the pedal axle at the point where it sits against the crank arm to the outermost pin. We used this number as a key metric when scoring the pedals in our flat pedal shootout, as we found that it has a direct effect on how the pedal feels and performs under foot. The new Atlas has moved right up among the widest pedals on the market now with 115 millimeters of PTA. It is also one of the thinnest when it comes to the pedal body itself, which is 12 millimeters thick at the thinnest part. Here’s a table with the summary of the key measurements:

The leading edges of the Atlas are heavily chamfered to allow the pedal to glance off trailside obstacles as much as possible rather than hang up. The pins bolt in from the back, which is good way to make sure they can be removed even when damaged or snapped clean off. The pins are longer than on the original Atlas, but they retain the same overall shape. They also retain the tuning system of the original, which lets you adjust the height of each individual pin by placing washers behind them. One thing is for certain: don’t let these vicious little creatures get too close to your shins!

On The Trail

We liked the grip of the previous version of the Atlas pedal, mainly due to the sharp edges of the pins that do a good job of digging in and holding on. The new version takes both grip and feel to a new level however, as those extra 5 millimeters of space have really made a significant difference. The foot instantly finds a comfortable spot, and because there is a bit more room between the pins now, they seem to work even better. The effective concavity (top of the pins to the lowest part of the middle of the pedal) is good, and again because of the greater width of the pedal body, the shoe has more room to really “sink into” the middle of the pedal.

A big pedal gives you more room to find your perfect foot placement, and it can also save you when you need to put your foot back on the pedals in a hurry. The new Atlas feels much bigger than the previous version, which is a huge plus in our book. It still retains the heavily chamfered edges and a relatively low overall profile, so it’s one of those pedals that manages to not feel bulky and imposing even though it offers a lot of room onboard. The bearing bulge on the inside is not very wide, and we did not experience it getting in the way of our foot placement at all. Those who like to really have their feet super close to the crank arms may find that they touch it ever so slightly, but all in all it’s well contained. This pedal is very confidence-inspiring both in the wet and the dry, and it has performed equally well with several different shoes so far. We’ve only had the pedal available to us for a couple of weeks, so we’ll come back to this article at some point down the line to confirm or elaborate on these initial findings.

The original Atlas was prone to developing a bit of lateral play in the axle interface. The new pedal has been designed specifically to address that point, with a large flange on the axle that is held in place by threading down the nut on the inside of the pedal body. The flanged seal on the inside of the locking nut here may also help with longevity – time will tell, and we’ll get back to this section after more testing.

What’s The Bottom Line?

The flat pedal market is hotter than it’s ever been, and it is becoming increasingly more difficult for brands to find a way to upset the pecking order at the top of the rankings. Race Face has managed to do just that, by building on the strengths of the Atlas while addressing the weaknesses. The new version is wider and longer than the one that came before it, and that has made all the difference. With better grip and a more real estate to play with, our feet are really feeling at home here. We’ll need to do more testing to address the durability question, but so far, the new Atlas looks set to make a run at the Flat Pedal Face Off podium. Well done Race Face. 

More information at: www.raceface.com.

View key specs, compare products, and rate the Atlas Pedal in the Vital MTB Product Guide.

About The Reviewer

Johan Hjord - Age: 48 // Years Riding MTB: 16 // Weight: 190-pounds (87-kg) // Height: 6'0" (1.84m)

Johan loves bikes, which strangely doesn’t make him any better at riding them. After many years spent practicing falling off cliffs with his snowboard, he took up mountain biking in 2005. Ever since, he’s mostly been riding bikes with too much suspension travel to cover up his many flaws as a rider. His 200-pound body weight coupled with unique skill for poor line choice and clumsy landings make him an expert on durability - if parts survive Johan, they’re pretty much okay for anybody. Johan rides flat pedals with a riding style that he describes as "none" (when in actuality he rips!). Having found most trail features to be not to his liking, Johan uses much of his spare time building his own. Johan’s other accomplishments include surviving this far and helping keep the Vital Media Machine’s stoke dial firmly on 11.

Photos by Johan Hjord