OneUp Wave Pedals

I Used to be a Picky Mofo About Pedals

The world of flat pedals is getting very confusing. I was quite sure I didn't like concave pedals, and then I tried a set that is infinitely concave, and... I liked them. I didn't think I liked convex pedals but then appreciated one pair from OneUp and another from Canfield. I even like true flat platforms like the those from Crankbrothers, but not the large ones for my size 11 feet. Each has advantages and disadvantages but, with the right shoes, I can make all of them work. Very well even. I'm not even sure which one I appreciate most, which leaves me befuddled but also content. It's much better to be less fussy, speaking as someone who is normally very fussy.

That wasn't the case a few years ago, when I was much pickier. Since that time I've learned to ride with better technique, extending my legs so they are quite straight and pressing my heels down when descending and, in particular, cornering. If you do this, even mediocre pedals can feel okay. Shoes have improved dramatically as well, now that more companies have cracked the softer rubber code that Fiveten monopolized for so long. If you are a max grip absolutist however, Fiveten is likely still your champion.

Wave Pedal Product Specs. (from OneUp)

Weight: 355g (Pair)

Thickness: Axle 14.2mm / Edges 11.5mm

Size: 107mm x 110mm (W x L)

Bearing configuration: Inboard igus™ Bushing and 3x outboard cartridge bearings

Body: Forged and CNC’d 6061 Aluminum Body

Axle: Chromoly Steel with Black ED coating

Pins: M4 Hollow Pin 10 x pins per side (self-cleaning hex through hole)

Colours: Black, Red, Dark Green, Dark Blue, Orange, Purple, Grey, Bronze

But I'm still a Picky Mofo About...

Grip. Some riders will tell you they want all the grip, and that used to be me. Some riders prefer to be able to slide around on their pedals for extra radness. That never has never been me but I appreciate lower grip now than I used to. I've been a pedal swapper for long stretches since I started riding, going back and forth between clipping in and riding flats for years at a time (after finally forsaking toeclips when pedals and shoes started to get better). When I most recently switched back to flats,* my preferences changed. I wanted to be able to reset my positioning on the pedal without sitting down, putting me in a very particular middle ground for grip.

*apologies if you've heard this before but it seems relevant here.

What has OneUp Done Here?

There are advantages and disadvantages to every platform shape. Convex pedals tend to have less grip when you are climbing because your body weight isn't bending your shoes over the pedal. This is NBD on a fire road, but can be a problem where it is techy and rough. Convex pedals need to be thicker at the leading and trailing edges, or have taller pins there, making them more prone to pedal strikes. Flat pedals don't have the thinner leading and trailing edges of convex shapes but they can be thinner than concave pedals, and the flat shape gives you a little less to dig into, compared to either convex or concave pedals because contour improves grip.

Quinn Lanzon at OneUp (who works in marketing rather than product) had an idea for a pedal that is both convex and concave at the same time. If that seems like a contradiction it's because it is. But he had a point.

This is the killer app for me; providing the leading clearance of a concave pedal with the forefoot support of a convex pedal. To do this, the trailing edge must slope down in concave fashion, unless you are on one-sided pedals.

A Word About Pedal Pins

I've been harping on about spare pins being included with pedals for years, and it's incredibly rare to get them, even for pedals in this price range (160 USD/200 CAD). Pins are often proprietary and ordering them is a pain in the ass. You'll be waiting for the mail to arrive while your grip is compromised.

Not only does OneUp include spare pins, they are very generous about it, supplying 10. As you'll see, this was useful for me.

Another thing you'll notice is that there is an empty hole on each side of each pedal. I first rode the pedals without that central pin and then tried them with it installed. I noticed quite quickly that repositioning my foot became much trickier with that extra pin and I removed all four.

Break Away Pins?

Unlike most pins that are installed from the underside, to protect the 3mm hex heads, these pins are hollow. I discovered this riding at Megavolt in Naramata on the Three Blind Mice trails. If you have ridden there you'll know how rocky it is, and how rocks, often grotesquely shaped for maximum damage, are hidden everywhere. Apparently I found a few of these over the weekend and I decapapitated four pins total. I only noticed one of the strikes, which felt like lightning travelling through my heel up into my eyeball. It was a very hard hit during an enduro race so I didn't check the damage until later.

Both pins that were lost to this strike sheared off cleanly, flush with the top of the pedal. The other two did as well. I asked Gavin* from OneUp about this and he told me this was by design. They tried several different pins to find the design that would shear cleanly but not too easily. Three of the four pin fragments threaded out like new pins and the fourth one required only a little more effort, and didn't damage the threads so I could notice. I have never had such an easy time with damaged pins. Often the threads are roached or the pins are still in place but mangled and impossible to remove. This is a great feature that puts OneUp at the head of the class in my books.

*The amiable fellow in OneUp's product videos

Stuff I Like

There is a lot to like here. The Waves are strikingly well machined and everything feels premium. When you hold them in your hands and spin the axle, they feel smoother and more refined than most other pedals. The internals are simple yet effective, and they have a preloaded seal than sucks into place when you tighten the axle nut into place.

I am stoked OneUp went with 4mm pins here, considering virtually all the stitches I've put into my shins and my Goretex pants and jackets (from pedal slips and loading into my truck) have come from 3mm daggers.

Can You Have It All?

I'm not sure yet. I enjoy riding these pedals, and the grip and control has been good, but in use they feel more convex to me than anything. That's not a bad thing, but it makes me wonder if my foot position has me experience the Waves differently than other riders.

Switching back and forth between both convex and flat pedals, I felt a wee bit more secure climbing on the flat Crankbrothers Stamp 7s (small) but there wasn't much difference between the two descending. The Canfields came in third place for grip both climbing and descending and has me wondering if riding heels down has made convex pedals less effective for me. All three pedals would work for me just fine but the waves and Stamps felt a little more planted while going down.

In the End

These are very nice pedals that I am very happy to have puncturing my soles, but I'm not yet able to discern everything the Wave shape is said to deliver. Do they encourage me to ride with my heels down? I can't say I notice any difference there. They have more clearance at the leading edge, and the ramp provides nice support there but that's about all I can say equivocally. Foot repositioning while standing is easy, but only if you omit the pin that sits in the middle of the pedal body.

These are however very well made and thought out pedals with excellent internals and lots of grip. And they come with a tool and SPARE PINS(!) that conveniently break away cleanly after a hard strike.

Will I reach for them when the next test bike arrives? Yep. I sure will.

OneUp Wave Pedals 160 USD/200 CAD