Infinity Pedal's Simple, 360-degree Engagement Mechanism is a Fresh Take on the Concept http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p4pb10689119/p4pb10689119.jpg Somewhere out in Ogden, Utah, an engineer named Sam Hunter invented the Infinity pedal. The mechanism is basically a stiff spring with a disc on either side that forms a cylinder about an inch wide which spins on the pedal shaft. When the spring-loaded discs roll into the cleat, two tabs on either side of the cleat compress the spring and then lock into recesses on the discs. Twisting the shoe compresses the spring and frees the discs from the tabs. A pair of sealed ball bearings tucked under the discs keep the pedal running friction free. Presently, the Infinfity pedal has no tension or float adjustment, so the feel is probably close to that of the Crankbrothers system. Hunter's new pedal is in the patent stages at present and looks to be pretty close to a production unit. Weight is stated at only 236 grams for a pair of pedals, cleats and hardware. His start-up company is called Mobius Cycling and he has launched a funding campaign on Kickstarter, where investors can get some of the first pedals in exchange for a helpful donation. http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p4pb10689121/p4pb10689121.jpg The scale tells the story. Very few parts make up the Infinity pedal. The bearings rest below the spring-loaded discs. The cleats are stamped steel sheet and very low-profile. http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p4pb10689120/p4pb10689120.jpg The ''pedal" rolls up the cleat's channel and snaps into the tabs on either side. As it is, the concept looks good and it seems that Mister Hunter has done his homework during the initial design and testing stages. The Infinity pedal, in its present shape, is truly as simple and elegant as its maker represents it to be. I predict, however, that technical riders will find fault in the basic premise of the design, because the lack of a flat section means that the foot will roll off of the pedal if the rider misses the cleat, and that is an event which occurs quite often on high-speed descents. Being able to pedal with the cleat disengaged comes in handy in many technical situations and is one reason that the Crankbrothers Mallet and Shimano SPD Trailpedals are the overwhelming favorites in that arena. For cross-country and XC trail riders, though, the Infinity pedal system might be just the ticket. It's crazy light - on par with Crankbrothers Eggbeaters, and the promise of excellent mud shedding and one-click pedal entries would make it a winner. In fact, the popularity of the Crankbrothers Eggbeater pedal in the XC realm virtually assures the acceptance of the Infinity. Both are simple, single-spring, non-adjustable designs with excellent mud shedding performance and near inapproachable weights. Heck, the Infinity pedal even comes in candy colors - all Mobius Cycling needs is a purple-anodized aluminum display case and the battle will be on. http://es.pinkbike.org/240/sprt/i/bigquotes.png PB will be watching the development of the Infinity pedal and if and when it reaches production, we will be reporting with a full review. Once again, those interested in Sam Hunter's new pedal design should check out his Kickstart page and consider throwing in on it. This is truly an innovative solution to the pedal-cleat interface and it deserves a chance to make it to the market. - RC
