Review: The FiveTen Hellcat is a Clipless, Flat Mountain Bike Shoe | Road Bike Clipless Pedals

The CNC machined cromoly spindle rolls on a big Igus bushing and an outboard needle roller bearing. On the end of each spindle is a tiny little thrust bearing preloaded by a wave spring, which helps to mitigate lateral play while accommodating axial loads. It’s all very neat, but the guts are only sealed with a single O-ring, so wet weather riders will want to clean them periodically. If things do get crusty, service kits are available for £11.99.

With a closed toe, the perforated synthetic leather upper is breathable, but not at all breezy. Arguably this is nice to keep your toes dry through stream crossings and puddles, but you’ll quickly get clammy socks on a hot summer’s day.

The twin sided pedals mean clipping in is easy, and the cleat is recessed into the shoe which allows for easy walking off the bike. Being made of metal and away from contact with the ground, the cleats can last for years.

The Crankbrothers Mallet DH pedals are designed for downhill racing or riding with a wider q-factor and a larger platform than the similarly priced Mallet E’s. These aren’t to be limited to DH use though, the supportive pedal is equally at home on regular trails too. The only downsides are the expense (£150), the cleat mechanism is not adjustable and the pins are hard to adjust once clogged with mud. If you like the Crank Brothers cleat mechanism though, are happy to spend some time learning the knack of getting in and out of these pedals and enjoy the benefits of the flat and large platform, you’ll get on like a house on fire with the Mallet DH’s. 

My eastbound train heading toward downtown #Phx, right on time. #carlesscommutepic.twitter.com/5GMyEF7tLK

Apparently, not all my fellow cyclists share my affinity for the ambient delights of the great outdoors. In fact, a fair number of them seem to feel that a mountain bike ride is not complete without some sort of musical accompaniment. To that end, they score their outings by means of a playlist and any one of the various Bluetooth handlebar-mounted speakers currently available on the market.

There isn’t quite such a firm ‘snap’ as you get when clipping into a Shimano pedal (the sound is a bit more subtle, like I perceive most Look-compatible pedals to be), but I think it’s easier to ‘find’ the Time pedal without having to really look down. This is helped by the improved pedal surface area compared with the Xpro’s predecessor, now a nice and wide 725mm2.

The CR2032 batteries in the shifters will need changing on average about once every two years, and there’s a similar LED system to tell you how much juice is remaining.

”Technical issues can be difficult to diagnose”. Really? It’s not a complex electronic schematic with hundreds of components. With Di2 you run the app and it communicates with your system showing a simple schematic. You can make adjustments to settings simply and diagnose problems. If you have a faulty component you just need to swap it out – individual components aren’t really user repairable, so just like a modern car you swop the component. May be expensive, but not really difficult. How many cyclists have had shifting issues with cable operated components which are annoying as hell, just won’t cure and ultimately end up in swapping components such as cable inners, outers and eventually shifters due to something like a worn spool in the shifter itself? I know I have.

And those CLICK’R pedals have a lower spring tension, too.  Great for a clipless beginner, and great for commuting.  

Nearly all Maricopa County households have at least one car, and 5 percent of households have four cars or more, according to U.S. Census data.

Sure, none of this may seem like a big deal, but if you’re not careful, then before you know it you’re chasing the perfect pedal stroke like a dog gnawing at its own ass. Have you ever seen roadies subjecting themselves to the useless indignity of one-legged pedaling drills?