Road pedals take a hell of a beating, so need to be tough, well sealed and – ideally – light. Well, these weigh 296g, which isn’t heavy for a budget pedal, and they come with quality dual-compound EPS-R cleats (Look Kéo classic style). Those letters give the game away on where the Boardmans come from – EPS-R is a product name from Taiwan’s Exustar.
The alloy bodies are finished in flat gloss black, and this lack of grip means they can be tricky to clip into when wet (though a strip of skateboard grip tape will cure this). The gloss paint easily chips and you’ll wear through the top finish to metal in no time too.
But the dual-compound cleats are very good, with a textured surface that goes some way to help maintain grip. The cleats offer seven degrees of float and weigh 46g a pair. Replacements cost £12.99. Entry and exit is met with a solid snap, tension can be adjusted via a 4mm Allen head adjuster with a gauge and the 60x89mm platform gives a solid base to really put the power down.
The CNC-machined chromoly axle runs on bushed and sealed bearings and they’ve stayed smooth, without developing any play or leaks. That’s obviously a good thing, more so when you consider that the pedal body is closed on the outer edge so they’re no easy way to access the bearings.
If you’re taking your first steps into clipless or are after a low-priced pair for your second bike, the Teams are a great option. Just be wary that these are slippery when wet.
