Ekoi PW8 pedal review: the best clipless pedal system I’ve ever tried, but there’s a catch

PW8’s radical PW8 pedal design has many merits, but without a wider range of shoe options, its appeal is limited.

The PW8 has a huge platform size that means a contact area of 1,500mm² compared to the Look Keo Blade’s 705mm². The body is composite and spins on a steel axle.

That sounds like a rather modest construction, but it adds up to a very low weight of 105g per pedal, despite its size.

The cleats add 15g per side, which makes the PW8 among the lightest clipless pedals available, bettered only by the Mercury SL pedal system, which has no platform. Speedplay’s titanium top model weighs less, however, at around 170g a pair, but Speedplay’s cleats are significantly heavier at around 140g a pair, making them a weightier total package.

The PW8 system I tested, including Ekoi's PW8 C12 shoes, costs £599.17 / $648.98 / €549.98.

• Read more: Best road bike pedals 2025 – top-rated clipless pedals for your bike

The low weight is because the pedal itself has no moving parts for engagement, with only a sprung ‘trigger’ insert that’s replaceable (£11.34 / €13.31 / $14.99) at the pedal’s rear.

Ekoi says higher-specification models will be available next year. A titanium-axle version will save 20g per pedal. An all-carbon construction model is coming, too, and is claimed to save 65g per pedal.

The hitch is it requires a dedicated Ekoi shoe with the outsole holes to sport it. The ‘cleats’ consist of two small pieces, one with a lip at the toe, and a two-bolt bar at the rear.

This gives the shoe direct contact with the pedal, a first in road shoe/pedal design, and means the platform of the PW8 is curved to interface smoothly with the outsole.

Ekoi PW8 pedal system setup

Setup is rather different from rival pedal systems, but it’s quite a simple process. 

Firstly, you put on the shoe and find your metatarsal (the first knuckle on your big toe) using a pen to mark the position on the side of the shoe. You then see how that aligns with the gridded measures (from +6 to -6) on the bottom of the outsole and fit the front cleat piece, aligning it with the corresponding number on the cleat mount. 

For the rear cleat piece, it’s a case of choosing the release angle you want from the two sets of cleats included: 3-6 degrees or 0-1.5 degrees.

To get used to the pedals, I chose the 6-degree release as a starting point. Once you’ve tried clipping in on the bike, you have some lateral adjustment on the rear cleat to adjust your foot angle (toe-in or toe-out). The float is dependent on the cleat piece you choose.

I like that PW8’s replacement cleats cost only £11.40; they’re available in 0-1.5, 3-6 and 9-degree options. Replacement cleats from Shimano cost £20.99, for example.

The pedal's curved shape matches the sole – and this, as well as the recessed cleats, means a stack height of 8mm. That compares to the Shimano SPD-SL’s 13.7mm, Time’s Xpro at 13.5mm and Look's Keo at 14.8mm. 

Only Speedplay gets close, with a stack height between 8.5mm and 11mm. Of course, this meant I had to make a subtle adjustment to my saddle height to compensate.

Ekoi PW8 pedal system performance

I had some concerns about the PW8’s simple retention system. Without a large spring to clamp it, I wondered if the cleat would be too easy to pull out. Or, with such minimal cleats, could they bind when trying to unclip in a hurry? 

I’m way too far down the road-clipless track to experience the beginner's traffic-light topple again.

Thankfully, these reservations were unfounded; the clip-in action is as slick as I’ve found from Shimano, Look and Time, and thanks to the massive platform and the way it interfaces with the outsole, the overwhelming feeling is of a secure fit.

Clipping out requires only an outswing of your heel, and the release is instant once you’ve passed the float range. You can get a slight sense of resistance unclipping if you push down or pull up at the same time, although it only took me a couple of minutes to get used to simply swinging my heel out.

The PW8 pedal sits naturally upside-down, which is certainly something to get used to. Still, the large size of the platform and its front taper mean it becomes second nature to flip the pedal and push your foot forward, where it's naturally guided into position and clips in easily.

I love the large platform, especially when out of the saddle. The stable feel when sprinting, or climbing out of the saddle, feels tangibly superior to any other clipless system I’ve tried.

After weeks of using the system, I’ve certainly been won over.

Luxury shoes

The Ekoi PW8 C12 shoes are put together very nicely, with a real leather upper – a rare sight on modern road shoes. This provides a supple, adaptive fit with a wrapover single-sided tongue design. That, combined with the generous toe box, makes for an impressively comfortable shoe.

The leather upper is lined with a combination of PU and real leather. The leather is finely perforated to add breathability. 

A padded cuff and heel piece add comfort and help retain your foot when pedalling. The Ortholite X10 footbed is shaped to wrap your foot. A pronounced pad at the mid-foot (called the Metpad) is comfortable and aids stability, preventing your foot from moving side to side inside the generous shoe volume.

The Outsole has the specific PW8 mounts and isn’t compatible with standard 2- or 3-bolt fittings, which renders it a one-trick pony. It's full-carbon with a bonded cover (from Michelin), which gives some additional walking grip and provides protection for the cleats from accidental damage.

At 333.2g each (size 45), they aren’t the lightest of shoes at this price. However, the luxurious comfort offsets the additional grams.

Ekoi PW8 pedal system bottom line

The PW8 system's success lies in its simplicity, low weight and brilliant on-bike feel. The simple pedal design should last for ages – especially because the only moving parts that can wear are replaceable and cost only £11.40.

The same is true of the cleats, which are cheap to replace and also priced at £11.40. Because they're shrouded by the shoe, you won’t wear them out prematurely if you walk on them often.

The stability afforded by the large platform adds confidence, and the lower stack height bests any mountain bike pedal, too, should you want to use them on gravel. The lack of moving parts is a bonus on gravel, too.

However, there’s only one shoe available with the PW8-compatible sole. It’s a great shoe, with a real leather upper, a great fit, excellent sizing and volume, and quality footbeds. However, it’s extremely expensive.

Ekoi currently has an offer of free pedals when you buy the shoes, which could sway lots of potential buyers, but you’ll still be left with a £450 pair of shoes to replace.

I wouldn’t want to be an early adopter guinea pig when the cost of entry is this high, so Ekoi needs to produce cheaper shoes (or convince other brands to buy into the system and make their own) in order for the PW8 system to take off.