Since then, however, things have gone full circle. Time bikes disappeared from the pro peloton in 2006 and they are once again best known for their pedals, which are still made in France.
The Xpresso 6 remains unchanged from the pedals which featured in the 2016 RCUK 100 but that’s no bad thing. The iClic system remains at the heart of the pedal and uses a carbon blade, rather than a spring like most pedals, to control engagement. Unlike a spring system, which remains closed until the rider forces it open by pushing the cleat into the pedal, the iClic’s blade is ‘pre-opened’, keeping the rear gate partially open after release for easier entry.
It makes clipping in a breeze – but, crucially, once engaged, the pedal grips the cleat tightly, so no matter how hard you’re sprinting you are unlikely to accidentally clip out until you hit the pre-set 15 degree release angle. The oversized 700mm-squared pedal body also helps keeps things secure and provides a super-stable platform to put the power down, while also reducing the chance of pedal hot spots.
The Xpresso pedals also score highly when it comes to float and will find favour with riders who suffer from knee pain or other biomechanical issues. The pedal gently holds the foot in position while also offering five degrees of smooth, lateral float to let your foot move naturally through the pedal stroke.
For us, it sits somewhere between the more restrictive designs offered by Shimano and LOOK, and the free float served up by Speedplay pedals. On top of that, you can adjust the resistance of the float, while the Q-Factor (the distance between the pedals) can also be tweaked by 2.5mm.