First Ride: Flat Pedals from Look 2

Look has been a mainstay in the world of clipless pedals for a long time, especially when it comes to road cycling, but they are less present in mountain biking. They recently looked to step up their MTB flat pedal game with the fresh new “Trail” range, including a value-oriented composite model and a high-end alloy pedal, both developed with slopestyle phenom Thomas Genon. We’ve had them out on the trail to see what gives, keep reading to learn more!

Look TRAIL ROC+ Highlights

• Body: Forged aluminum
• Footprint: 107 x 107 mm
• Weight: 195 g
• Pins: 10 per side
• Profile: 16 mm
• Color choices: Black, silver, orange
• Availability: online and via LOOK dealers worldwide from December 2022
• MSRP: €159.90 / USD$170 / GBP£149

Look TRAIL FUSION Highlights

• Body: Composite
• Footprint: 107 x 105 mm
• Weight: 161g
• Pins: 8 / side
• Profile: 18 mm
• Color choices: Lime green, ice blue, red, purple or black
• Availability: online and via LOOK dealers worldwide from 2nd August 2022
• MSRP: €49.90 / USD$55 / GBP£44.90

Initial Impressions

The new Look pedals have a fairly understated look to them (pun fully intended). The Trail Fusion pedal is the composite version of the old Trail Roc pedal, while the Trail Roc + (alloy) is a wholly new shape – tested in rather extreme conditions as Thomas Genon was actually riding the prototypes in the 2021 edition of Red Bull Rampage. The Trail Roc + has a bigger platform area, with the edges reaching out further both on the inside and the outside, while the Trail Fusion is more tapered off all around. The Trail Roc + sports 10 long pins per side, while the Trail Fusion makes do with 8, slightly shorter ones. In terms of weight, the composite pedals weigh 70 grams less for the pair.

Digging deeper into the measurements of the Trail Roc +, we found it to be on the compact side when compared to many competitors in our big flat pedal shootout. The platform size itself is comparable to many, but the pedal sits very close to the crank arm which leads to a relatively short “PTA” – “pin to axle” measurement (the distance from the outermost pin to the crank arm). In terms of concavity, another key metric, the relatively thick bulge that runs across the full width of the pedal right over the axle reduces the effective concavity, leaving the Trail Roc + somewhere in the middle of the pack. All in all, the way the Trail Roc + measures up sees it finishing in the bottom half of our rankings.

The Trail Roc + is built around a Chromoly spindle that spins on an inboard bushing and two outboard bearings. Spare parts are available for rebuilding the pedal, but you do need a proprietary tool to access the insides. The pins all thread in from the rear, making them easier to replace in case you should snap one. The Trail Fusion shares the same axle system, and the pins thread in from the rear here as well. The Trail Roc + comes in three different colors, while the Trail Fusion offers a choice of five.

On The Trail

Starting off with the composite Trail Fusion pedals, it quickly became clear that this is more of an entry-level offering aimed at riders looking for an affordable pedal that doesn’t need to deliver a lot of grip. The large raised ridge over the axle of the pedal reduces the effective concavity, and the small platform size does not provide much room for the foot to sink into – which is typically a prerequisite for the kind of grip delivered by more aggressive products. The Trail Fusion gets the job done in less demanding situations, but we quickly found its limits when things got rowdier.

The Trail Roc+ punches in a different league compared to the Trail Fusion. This pedal also features a raised ridge along the axle, which once again reduces the effective concavity of the pedal body itself, but here Look has compensated by placing long, sharp pins around the edges of the pedal. The result is a pedal that delivers fully adequate grip, at least in the dry. Pair it up with a quality flat pedal shoe, and the pins will cling on with determination.

The Trail Roc+ is bigger than the Trail Fusion, but still falls a little short when it comes to platform size compared to some of its competitors. For riders who like a pedal that places their feet close to the crank arms, the Trail Roc+ will provide, but if you like to widen your stance a bit on the pedal there are better options out there. Compared to the leading flat pedals available today, the relatively compact dimensions of the Trail Roc+ platform also keep it from delivering that faultless, locked in feeling that the top performers provide in all conditions.

What’s The Bottom Line?

There’s heavy competition in the flat pedal world these days, with no shortage of quality pedals that deliver very high levels of grip in all conditions. Look has done a satisfactory job with their Trail Roc+ pedal, specifically if you prefer your pedals on the compact side and like to place your feet close to the crank arms. The lack of concavity in the pedal body itself holds the pedal back a little in really rough or wet conditions, and for $170 USD, we think Look could have done a little more in this regard. On the flip side you get a sturdy design with bearing dimensions that should provide good longevity, and the pedal does feel quite solid under foot, so that could be a trade-off some riders are willing to make. As for the Trail Fusion, it’s really only a pedal to consider for mellow rides.

More information at: www.lookcycle.com.

About The Reviewer

Johan Hjord - Age: 50 // Years Riding MTB: 18 // 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 and Tal Rozow

View key specs, compare pedals, and review LOOK in the Product Guide.