Dissappointed in my Time Xpresso Pedals

[Pierre]

I've been a loyal user of Time pedals since 1989 but I think I'm done. Got a pair of Xpresso 10's for a very reasonable price from Excel Sports last February, rode them for 6 months and the axle became loose. Finally got around to returning them when the season came to an end and Excel was very good about coordinating a replacement with Time (at the time they also suggested that I could choose to get something else...I wish I would have taken them up on that). I started using the new pedals in December. 6 weeks later after a small number of outdoor rides and maybe 24hrs on the trainer the axle is loose again. Wow. I'm not a heavy guy nor do I push ridiculously hard but I'm afraid that's it for me and Time. Over to Look for me. Downer.

[thirdgenbird]

I've got no experience with time, but I am a very happy keo 2 max user. I've also got some earlier classics. The classics are ok, but the keo 2 max is worth the price jump in my opinion.

[El Chaba]

After the original Time Racing pedal design, every generation has given up durability and or function for the sake of compactness and light weight. Some was welcome, but they have surpassed the balance point. Personally, I think that the Impact series were the best pedals ever made. The fact that Time still offers the RXS pedals speaks volumes to the success of all of the carbon spring/plastic cleat replacements.

[FlashUNC]

I've got two pairs of XPresso 6's and 8's. Very happy with both with no axle issues.

Maybe I've gotten lucky.

Are the 10s the ones with the Ti axles? Or are these still steel?

[false_Aest]

I'm gonna chalk that up to a bad batch.

I've got a handful of friends who are putting gobs of miles on their xpressos and they're holding up just as well as the RXS models, Shimano or Look pedals.

I wonder if it has to do with the series: I know 2 of them are on 6s, and 2 are on the Mavic Zxellium SLs.

[velomonkey]

I have the 10s, too. The peddle itself has been fine, though I did have my old school mechanic spice up the bearings. I've had them for almost a year now and have been on time since the early 90s.

Here is my issue. The cleat. The thing goes way, way too soon. I hardly walk in my shoes - I sit at my steps, put my shoes on and walk, maybe, two paces to my bike. Do the same on return and the same when I am at my car traveling or in my basement for the rollers. I can't get these things to last much longer than six months. And when they go, it's bad, you can still clip in, but it feels like the angle of the peddle is off, like the axel is bent. Then you gotta buy a new cleat and mount them, position them, move them blah, blah, blah.

I used to walk around in my shoes way more and my cleats lasted like 2 years. What gives.

[mcteague]

I have the 8s and they are not loose after a year or so of riding. Other than the stupid sharp, pointed outer edge they seen fine. I did have TWO pairs of RXS pedals that broke in half. That kept me from getting another set. I really do like the feel of the Time pedals but they don't appear all that well built.

Tim

[BdaGhisallo]

I started out my clipless riding with Time too, and stuck with them through the RXS series before moving on to Shimano spd-sl.

In every forum I frequent, I see more complaints about Time's recent pedals than just about every other brand combined. I can't fathom why their designers don't reverse the trend and make a new model that is better than the previous model, or even as good as the model it's replacing. It boggles the mind. Time were a huge presence in the pedal market in the 90s and they have certainly lost that position and now seem a bit player in the road market.

I think a previous poster is right, in that they peaked with the Impact, and it's been downward ever since!

[arcadian]

I love mine. Two years with no issues.

[beeatnik]

One of the top local Masters racers had a near catastrophic JRA failure w/ the 12s. I believe the body separated from the axle and sent him flying into a curb at 25mph. Destroyed his frame and left him with 4 or 5 broken ribs. Ironically, Time "sponsors" his team.

[Pierre]

Thanks for the replies, all. Spoke to Excel Sports (as usual, very happy to help out). 11 months after original purchase they will accomodate an exchange or upgrade...hmmm.

They have suggested that they have seen several pairs of Time pedals come back for warranty issue. And more specifically, most if not all the pairs coming back are Xpresso 8's. Interesting. I was considering going with a 10 (maybe I"m a fool) but now I'm confused - the specs for the 10 are identical with the exception of the name??? Maybe the only feature that is different is an axle that doesnt wobble????

[John H.]

I quite like the new Look pedals. Just got a pair of Keo 2 blades- they click in really nice and the platform is large.

[Steve K]

I have the 6 version. The rear snapped off clipping out for a stop light. The tension was on the most resistive. Don't recall how many miles at when the is happened; circa 4k.
Time USA replaced the broken bits, overhauled both pedals. Since then the pedals have 15,000+ miles on them with out issue. I did change the tension to the least or next resistive setting.

[winmonster]

Ain't nobody got TIME for that! (ugh.)

I wanted to get a set of Xpressos after I got sick of my Look pedals. They weren't widely available at the TIME (really, again?), so I ended up getting some Shimano SPD-SL pedals. All of the Internet hearsay ended up being true: I haven't thought about my pedals on a single ride since switching.

[ceolwulf]

Hope mine are OK. I just bought Xpresso 2s though so not a great loss if not, except I'd hate to give them up, the float feels so much more natural than my Shimanos did. At the price of the 2s I might just consider them disposable. (Got one pair to try out Xpressos, was sufficiently impressed I just got another pair of the same.)

[dem]

4500 miles on xpresso12s.. same cleats.. still tickin'

[oldpotatoe]

I've been a loyal user of Time pedals since 1989 but I think I'm done. Got a pair of Xpresso 10's for a very reasonable price from Excel Sports last February, rode them for 6 months and the axle became loose. Finally got around to returning them when the season came to an end and Excel was very good about coordinating a replacement with Time (at the time they also suggested that I could choose to get something else...I wish I would have taken them up on that). I started using the new pedals in December. 6 weeks later after a small number of outdoor rides and maybe 24hrs on the trainer the axle is loose again. Wow. I'm not a heavy guy nor do I push ridiculously hard but I'm afraid that's it for me and Time. Over to Look for me. Downer.

Loose pedal axles is pretty common with this model, the previous one and Impact as well. Most we saw in the shop had a loose axle out of the box.

shimano, LOOK, Speedplay, all better choices, IMHO.

[El Chaba]

In recent Years (or models) Time has overshot their mark for making their pedals and cleats lighter. The ICLIC models were problematic and not al of the problems have been solved with ICLIC 2 or Son of ICLIC (Xpresso), etc...Having said that, the basic principle of the Time retention system has never changed, and it is the best -engineered in the industry, IMHO. The interface remains tight over thousands of miles of use, has the best ergonomics for float and is impressively effective at releasing the riders foot in a crash to prevent additional injury. There is a simple solution that allows somebody to take advantage of those features without any of the problems of the latest products.....Just get an RXS model (not as problematic at all and still offered) or search out an Impact model. Impact models-IME- wrere almost as bombproof as the original Time designs....In other words, among the hardest wearing pedals produced in the clipless era.

[jemoryl]

I'm still happy with my RXS pedals. The RXS First is a great deal: you can buy these new from Ribble for a little bit more than what the cleats cost in the US, and they work fine.

[plag]

Ive been looking at some 12s or 10s but might just stick with something more durable. i had some RXS pedals like 10yrs ago and the tip broke off on one .

[oldpotatoe]

Ive been looking at some 12s or 10s but might just stick with something more durable. i had some RXS pedals like 10yrs ago and the tip broke off on one .

I sold them after a pitch from the outside guy..then they were all loose when new, then they got recalled, then...no mas.

[Pierre]

Well, call me an idiot but I couldn't do it. I caved and went with a pair of xpresso 10's. I'm hopeful that I'm getting a pair from a different batch and that these will withstand at least a few seasons. I couldn't help it, for whatever reason, looking down at a pedal is not unlike looking down at a golf club - you have to feel good about what you are looking at before you take a swing and hit that ball (or in this case before you start pounding at the pedals). Looks matter (again, you may freely call me an idiot here, I may even have mumbled it to myself already). The Time pedals look and feel great, except when the axle starts to click, of course.

I'll let you know of the outcome in a few months.

[MaraudingWalrus]

Have been riding my Xpresso8s for almost a year with no issue. Still on original cleats, but will likely be getting new ones in the near future.

FWIW I have seen some roll through the shop that had developed play from side to side, but I see everybody else's pedals have problems from time to time, too. I'm LOOKing at you, squeaky Looks.