Review: Mavic CrossMax XL pedals
Originally posted on February 11, 2014 at 6:33 am
Mavic is all about component systems, and as such, the Crossmax XL line includes everything from wheels and tires to shoes and pedals. The Crossmax XL pedals are essentially rebranded Time ATAC pedals, which is a good thing to me since I’ve been a huge fan of the ATAC system for years and have several pairs that have long outlived their expected expiration date.
The larger body of the XL model provides more stability under the foot when riding in aggressive terrain or if you want to ride unclipped through a technical maneuver. The synthetic body is lighter than metal and has been plenty tough enough to stand up to clipping the occasional rock on the trail. If you ride with either gravity shoes or the more flexible “enduro” or trail shoes that are popular now, you’ll appreciate the extra platform underfoot.
The ATAC cleat system offers 10 degrees of angular float as well as 5mm of lateral float, so you can move your feet side to side a tiny bit to compensate for leg length discrepancies or less-than-perfect cleat placement. They also offer either 13 or 17 degrees of rotation before release, depending on which foot you mount them on. Plus they’re self-cleaning, and have always worked well in mud and snow.
The Crossmax XL pedals we tested use a hollow Chromoly axle and retail for $249, but Mavic also offers a Ti axle version available for $399 and less expensive versions under the Crossride and Crossroc labels starting at $99.