8 Degree Pedal X8-2 Floating Pedal review: a clever design with some performance limitations

8 Degree Pedal X8-2 Floating Pedal specifications and details

Designed to provide four degrees of forwards and backwards yaw, the X8-2’s ability to control float and re-centralise to a neutral position relies on two springs that are perpendicular to the pedal’s axle.

Housed within hollowed-out bores inside the pedal’s body, the springs sit in two plungers. The plungers and springs push against a central ‘sliding puck’ (inside of which the main axle sits) and the bores’ end caps.

As the pedal’s body yaws or floats, it moves fore or aft of the puck and axle, compressing one spring and extending the other. Remove pressure from the pedals and the springs work together to centralise the pedal’s body at 90 degrees to the axle.

Three sets of springs are supplied, and define how easily that float is delivered. There are four light 20lb red springs, four factory-installed 30lb blue springs and four 40lb green springs.

You'll need to choose the right spring for your weight and riding style – whether you’re more or less aggressive.

A spherical bearing sits inboard, nearest to the cranks, meaning the body can rotate and yaw on the axle at the same time, permitting the usual spin and the unique float.

According to 8 Degree Pedal, all the unique moving parts have been tested to more than one million cycles at 60rpm with 60 yaw movements per minute and are claimed to show little to no wear.

Four seals are used to help reduce dirt ingress into the floating mechanism and axle.

It’s clever stuff, but would be totally useless if the pedal it’s built around was lacklustre. Fortunately, that doesn’t appear to be the case.

The X8-2 is the larger of two models, its platform measuring 110x104x18mm, similar to some of the best large-platformed MTB pedals currently on the market.

The platform is totally flat – rather than concave – and made from 6061-T6 aluminium, while the axle is chromium steel.

It has a symmetrical design with a small amount of outer edge tapering to the widest central portion. However, there’s no vertical edge chamfering, giving the pedals a boxy overall shape.

With a long axle and a large bearing bulge, the pedals widen the bike’s stance (measured from the centre of one pedal to the other).

There’s a 20mm gap between the crank arm and the pedal’s platform, pushing your feet outwards. For context, the Crankbrothers Stamp has a 5mm gap.

There are 12 height-adjustable pins per side. Three pin lengths – short, medium and long – are provided, with the 5mm versions pre-installed.

They meet the 4210-8 standard, ensuring durability and safety for use on bikes.

Weighing 552g a pair, they’re competitive given all the extra tech onboard.

The claims

So, what are the benefits?

Having a pedal that can float means any specific biomechanical needs in your foot, ankle, knee, hip and back chain – such as twisting – can be compensated for.

8 Degree Pedal claims that by not ‘locking in’ your foot on either a traditional flat or clipless pedal, your feet can toe in or out – quite literally – to match the rest of your body’s natural alignment.

This is claimed to reduce the risk of discomfort or injury.

But it’s also said to improve pedalling efficiency; your body is free to pedal in a smooth, unrestricted motion, potentially increasing power and control.

It’s also supposed to reduce foot float or movement on your pedals. Not to be confused with the pedal float discussed above, this describes how your feet can move or skid across a pedal’s surface while riding.

Here, 8 Degree Pedal argues that instead of your shoes moving across the pedal’s surface, potentially caused by the twisting of your hips, ankles, knees and otherwise while descending, the pedals yaw instead.

In theory, the chance of slipping a pedal should be reduced.

Foot placement issues are also claimed to be compensated for. With traditional pedals, riders frequently reposition their feet, but the X8-2s will ‘automatically’ adjust themselves according to your needs thanks to their float, potentially boosting grip and control.

This could reduce the feelings of "stuck foot” – as 8 Degree Pedal puts it – where you’re constantly hunting for that perfect position.

Those are some bold claims.

8 Degree Pedal X8-2 Floating Pedal performance

The pedal’s float is impossible to perceive on initial impressions, despite keeping the easier-to-yaw medium factory-installed springs for my first ride.

Pedalling feels the same as any other flat pedal; there's no perception of a bent axle or wobble caused by the float.

But look down at your feet – and if, like me, you naturally toe in or out when you walk – you’ll notice they’ll be ‘clocked’ on the pedals according to your anatomy’s needs.

While you can place your feet on normal flat pedals in such a way, they aren’t free to twist as your body demands without skidding or losing traction on the pedal’s surface.

This is where the X8-2 comes into its own, especially if you’ve ever struggled to get your feet in a comfortable position on your pedals.

When pedalling, you’re not continually shuffling, moving your feet to find the perfect spot.

Their float permits left and right yaw as your body’s off-axis pedalling motion requires.

Soft pedalling and pedalling less vigorously are arguably more comfortable and smooth with the X8-2s.

As the biggest back-handed compliment, their performance fades into the background.

But pedal harder, particularly at low cadences up very steep inclines, and their float takes a bit of getting used to.

Instead of the pedals acting as a steadfast, immovable platform from which to put the power down, there’s a reasonable amount of movement as you pedal.

Pushing down with your toes on the power stroke causes the pedals to move one way, and as you transition to the scooping, pulling-up part of your stroke, they move in the other direction.

The closest similar sensation is like riding with a bent pedal or crank, except you’re causing the movement rather than the feedback working in the opposite direction.

Investigating further, I installed the heavier-duty green springs.

A spring change

Swapping out the springs – there are two per pedal – is as simple as unscrewing two caps with a 6mm hex key and letting gravity pull the springs out.

Install the replacement springs and torque the cap back up – it’s that easy.

On the trail, the heavier springs reduced the push-and-scoop wobble that happened with the lighter ones.

Here, the platform felt steadfast and secure, even with high-torque, lower-cadence strokes, but pedalling still felt smoother and silkier than with traditional flats.

The yawing was expectedly less pronounced with the hard springs installed, but the benefits of an inaccurately placed foot are still apparent – although less pronounced than the lightest springs.

As before, this led to fewer instances of foot adjustment or dragging across the pins to find the optimum position.

Are they grippy?

The flat, wide platform and aggressive, sharp and long pins make for a formidable combination.

Traction is as good as the best mountain bike pedals on the market, such as Deity’s TMAC or the Crankbrothers Stamp Large.

Your feet don’t slide or slip across the platform’s surface, as long as they’re positioned centrally on the pedal.

It’s impossible to measure definitively, but grip seems better thanks to the floating design.

There’s plenty of foot support, with no clawing or cramping, because your feet don’t need to search out grip by tensing up.

The perfect formula?

Well, not quite.

While all that sounds pretty much perfect, the wide stance, boxy design and bearing bulge present some issues.

Their width, when coupled with the wide 55mm chainline crank axles, really moves your feet outboards compared to your hips.

Unless you’ve got a wide gait, like me, you’ll be shuffling your feet inboard continually to find a more comfortable position.

Here, my feet naturally moved inboard while riding and pedalling, ending up with my arches directly over the bearing bulge, butted up against the cranks.

The smooth convex surface of the bearing bulge is less grippy than the pedal’s pins, so with more of my foot on the bulge rather than the pedal’s pins, grip was reduced.

Further reducing traction, the outer two pins weren’t in contact with the soles of my shoes.

I had to work harder on rougher trails, to stay in contact with the pedals – something which isn’t an issue on narrower designs.

Force your feet to stay put or place them proactively as outboard as possible and grip isn’t an issue, but it is once your feet have migrated inwards.

That’s not all

The chunky 18mm depth and square, flat edges mean they’re particularly prone to floor and rock strikes and aren’t deflected away from the impact as well as chamfered pedals.

Here, they hang up on impacts, potentially increasing the chances of bent axles and damaged pins.

If your bike has a low bottom bracket or long cranks, or the terrain you normally ride is notorious for strikes, you may want to avoid the X8-2.