MöBIUS Cycling is the brainchild of engineer Sam Hunter. The company’s first product is a clipless pedal system that could give the leading lightweight pedal systems a run for their money.
Hunter set out to create a new clipless pedal that was easy to use and incredibly simple. “My criteria were simple: a self-guiding pedal that didn’t need to be looked at or oriented to clip into, paired with a cleat small enough to fit flush in any shoe,” Hunter states in his promotional video.
Hunter is currently pursing funding for his patent-pending pedal system via Kickstarter. (Click here to read the patent application.)
The Infinity pedal is about as light and as minimalist as a pedal can get. There is no provision for adjustments to spring tension, float or release angle, though Hunter may explore changes down the road. Depending on how funding for the project goes, Hunter may also pursue the development of a three-bolt cleat compatible with road shoes.
Currently, the pedal offers the user 5 degrees of float and an 18-degree release angle. Hunter states that the system feels somewhat similar to the crankbrothers eggbeater system. “Its not as loose as [crankbrothers] but not tight like an SPD,” he says.
The Infinity pedal is said to weigh just 236g with cleats
The claimed weight for the Infinity Pedal system with stainless steel axles is 236g (with cleats). The claimed weight for a version with titanium spindles is even lighter at 190g.
For the sake of comparison, a pair of crankbrothers eggbeater 3 pedals with stainless steel axles and cleats weigh 318g. A pair of crankbrothers eggbeater 11 pedals with ti spindles and hardware and cleats weigh 204g.
Construction
The Infinity pedal is incredibly simple. It consists of stainless steel cleats; pedal spindles, to be offered in stainless steel or titanium; two cartridge bearings per pedal that are housed in cylindrical steel bodies; a stainless spring that spreads the cylinders apart; and an elastomer that keeps the spring centered around the spindles.
How it works
To clip in, the rider slides the cleat over the cylinders, the chamfered edges of of the cylinders allow them to be pushed inwards. The cleat is held in place by the two tabs positioned at rear of the cleat in conjuction with the resistance of the spring wound around the pedal spindle. The force of twisting the cleat against the cylinders compresses the spring and allow the cleat to release from the pedal.
The design is remarkably simple and appears to be easy to service, although we could foresee issue with the engagement and release of the Infinity system in muddy and gritty conditions, where the spring could clog to the point that it could no longer be adequately compressed.
Only time will tell how it performs on the trail. BikeRadar will keeping an eye on the development of the Infinity pedal and will bring you an in-depth review of the pedal if and when it makes it to production.
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Video: Infinity pedal v1
