Tom Ritchey and his Ritchey Logic company have been in the mountain bike (and cyclocross) pedal game for as long as anyone, other than Shimano and Look, offering SPD-compatible pedals shortly after Shimano launched its successful SPD line.
The pedals varied over the years in Shimano cleat compatibility, weight and durability, but often the story was, as is often the case with some Ritchey components, weight savings. The Ritchey Logic Pro Paradigm pedals (see our review here) weighed just 254 grams, which is a good 100 grams lighter than some Shimano options.
Ritchey’s Paradigm pedal platform never quite took off despite that weight savings story. Shimano’s most recent XT and XTR SPD pedals have focused more on contact area and shoe stability and Ritchey is now headed in the same direction.
Ritchey’s new WCS XC SPD-compatible, clipless mountain pedal features a lower stack height, fixed front claw and more contact surface area, similar to what Shimano added with the M980 and M780 pedals a few years ago. NAHBS 2016. © Cyclocross Magazine
We got our first look at Ritchey’s latest mountain bike clipless pedal’s design at the 2016 North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBs). At first glance, the new pedal looks like another special edition color of the Deore XT pedal, adding Shimano-like flattened surfaces to the alloy pedal body’s shape to increase stability.
Ritchey also fixed the front claw, or bale, of the pedal, unlike the pivoting front bale featured on the Paradigm. The new changes are said to lower stack height (cleat-to-axle distance), increase stability and still offer great mud shedding.
Mountain bike star Nino Schurter and his Scott Oldo team have been involved in the development of this pedal and raced on it all last season as they chased World Cup victories.
The WCS XC pedal shown here features two bearings (middle and outer) and one bushing (inner), and is completely serviceable with an hex key. Although it looks titanium in color, it’s not, it’s just the finish. The WCS XC body is alloy, the claws are steel, and the axle is cromoly. The list weight is 12 grams less than the M9000/M980 XTR pedal at 298g, almost 50g heavier than the previous Paradigm model.
Ritchey’s new WCS XC SPD-compatible. clipless mountain pedal was developed and tested by mountain bike star Nino Schurter and weighs just 298g, offers two bearings and one bushing and is fully serviceable. NAHBS 2016. © Cyclocross Magazine
Mud clearance looks pretty good, and the company boasts it offers best-in-class entry and release and excellent mud-shedding characteristics.
The pedal retails for $149.95 and is available now. They will also be available in a Comp level version soon. Stay tuned as we get our hands on a set for testing. Specs below.
See our ever-growing 2016 NAHBS cyclocross and gravel bike and component coverage here.
Ritchey WCS XC Clipless Mountain Bike Pedal Specs:
MSRP: $149.95
Cleat compatibility: Two-bolt, Shimano compatible
Bearings: Middle needle bearing, outer sealed cartridge, inner bushing
Float: 4 degrees
More info: ritcheylogic.com
