The big news with the new LG1+ pedals from e*thirteen is that they’re plastic. Well, sort of. The platform bodies are made from impact-absorbing polycarbonate and accommodate a maximum of 11 4mm or 7mm pins per side.
These are serious pins – though your shins may get the odd whack, the grip is superb, particularly in the wet, no matter what shoes you’re wearing.
The second big talking point is the Spin Control axles. These allow you to tune in just how much free spin your pedals have. However, we are disappointed to report that we didn’t find a use for this function, and after it wound itself on tight after several muddy days in the Alps it was actually a bit of a pain to take apart and clean.
That said, the hearty chromoly axle and plastic body did gobble up the hits, and you never get that wincing shudder that is metal-on-rock. The pins were easy to remove too, even when we sheered a couple off. The LG1+ pedals are a nice shape and offer a solid feel underfoot and that grip really is something impressive.
At this price though, you have to look past a lot of high-end pedals and the Spin Control niggles put us off.
This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.