Broken time pedal .... Again

Simmo72

March 2012
Whilst riding out of the saddle up a hill my drive side time rxs pedal snapped in half across the axle, sending me onto the floor. Cuts and bruises from hitting tarmac and slashing myself on the jagged pedal remains. No warning, no sign of wear, less than 2000 miles, not good. Time did do the minimum by sending me a replacement pair.

August 2013
Whilst riding on the replacement pair, used on my summer bike with only 1500 miles on them guess what! It snapped, this time the left pedal but again right across the axle. Not quite such a crash as before but it still smart.

So the only crashes I have in the last 2 years are both because of time pedals.

Again I have written to Time, I no longer want a replacement set of rxs pedals but I want this dealt with.

I'm big, 194 cm and 94 kg, maybe this has something to do with it but if this was the case you would expect some warning from time. The problem is I have 2 other bikes and for compatibility purposes I bought the same pedals. Needless to say I am a bit nervous.

I'm writing this post for 2 several reasons.
To see if anyone else has had similar issues with time pedals.
To update you on Time's handling of this.
Where do I stand legally? I've had to throw out shorts, jerseys and have a badly ripped saddle, not to mention injury and a loss of confidence. Whilst I accept that with cycling comes the odd crash, it's different when it is caused by such a key piece of equipment.

I'll post a pic of the pedal once bike radar lets me.

Grill

3 sets of Times (iClic 2 Normal and Ti and Xpressos) and zero incidences over the last 15,000 miles. IIRC the RXS has 185lb weight limit...

turnerjohn

I've heard other people experiencing breakages with Time pedals which is why I've always used Look !

Grill

turnerjohn wrote:

I've heard other people experiencing breakages with Look pedals which is why I've always used Time!

FTFY.

bernithebiker

Grill wrote:

turnerjohn wrote:

I've heard other people experiencing breakages with Look pedals which is why I've always used Time!

FTFY.

True - I'm on my 2nd set of Look Keo Blade Ti's - the first set developed a crack in the body after less than 1 year. Hopefully, I'll be getting a new set, but you never can tell with French customer service.....

Grill

Time are French as well...

Really if you want bulletproof pedals you should just go Shimano. If you want light pedals that's where Look, Time, Speedplay, etc. come in.

bernithebiker

Grill wrote:

Time are French as well...

Really if you want bulletproof pedals you should just go Shimano. If you want light pedals that's where Look, Time, Speedplay, etc. come in.

I know.

Early this year, I almost pulled the trigger on some DA pedals - fit and forget. But those 80g or so, just kept on nagging at me.......

kettrinboy

I,m using 3 sets of RXS pedals, carbon-ti , carbon and first,s so a mix of axle materials steel and Ti and around 35,000 miles between them and have had nothing like the OP,s problems, only problem so far is the carbons axle unscrewing itself from the pedal body, a known problem that can be fixed with threadlock, i,m 67 kg,s for reference

xixang

time rxs on 4 bikes, zero issues. Oldest pair must be 6 or 7 years old now (or whenever they first came out). moved over from look as got fed up of red delta cleats snapping regularly.

Simmo72

I would like to know where the rxs weight limit of 185 pounds comes from. It's not stated on times website or on any sales blurb I've seen, or on the pedal instructions book.

I'm not slagging off time, though I ought to for what happened to me. I've used them since 1988 and not had an issue until the last 2 years. Ive seen a friends handlebar snap, that was bad but it was old and had seen many tumbles. a fresh pair of pedals should not snap in half. One minute you are climbing out of the saddle, the next you are lying on the floor with a bit of composite pedal shrapnel stuck in your leg wondering what the **** happened.

I'm sure all pedals have their problems but for 2 to crack in half to the same person is appalling. If it is the weight limit then its not clearly promoted.

If I asked a forum how many people have no problems with their pedals it would be a very long blog, but that's not what I was looking for.

Simmo72

bernithebiker wrote:

Grill wrote:

Really if you want bulletproof pedals you should just go Shimano. If you want light pedals that's where Look, Time, Spee

Early this year, I almost pulled the trigger on some DA pedals - fit and forget. But those 80g or so, just kept on nagging at me.......

Yep, planning on going shimano, stronger, heavier, SAFER!

Goldmine848

I realize that this thread is two years old but the same thing just happened to me. Broken axle, replaced, five months later another broken axle on the same side. And this last time I went down and broke a rib!! Anyone else having these issues? I am not a heavy rider..165 pounds.

northpole

A couple of years ago I clipped a kerb with a Look Blade Ti pedal and it snapped in half. Obviously I had a part to play in its failure but in many ways I was glad to see the back of them as the cleats made a very annoying squeak noise when damp. I returned to DA pedals and have had no issues since. My commuting bike still has on the original 7800 series DA pedals from 2006 - very little maintenance and still working perfectly well.

Peter

cycleclinic

Campagnolo Record pedals are robust as well. One of the most robust designs is the old Look Delta system. Loads of these available cheap not always the lightest but they last in a way Campagnolo Record or shimano pedals last i.e a really long time. Miche also make pedals not using the delta cleat system but the same bearing and axle. Unfortunatley these are available in the U.K currently.

fenix

I've Time Atac pedals on my fixie and winter bike - god knows how many 1000s of miles they've had. Best pedals I've owned - and the cleats go on forever too.

getting_on_a_bit

Ditto as Fenix.
Had the same Time Atac pedals for years and just swap between all bikes..no maintenance whatsoever...2nd pair of cleats

GeraldW

I've just returned from the hospital. My left Time Xpresso 8 axle just snapped off without warning when I was standing on the pedal. I was sent crashing to the ground. Needed stitches and now limping badly. Pedals only done about 6000km. There must be a class action in this!

Goldmine848

Gerald,
I am wondering if you had any warning. Before my accident my right pedal felt "funky." I stopped to look at it and it looked and felt fine. A few minutes later it snapped and sent me to the tarmac.

noodleman

Hope my time espresso 12 pedals stay in one piece. I read they have a 90kg rider weight limit but many folk suggest 80kg is a safe bet. I'm only 62kg so well within the limit. Interested to know if the breakages mentioned are on pedals with a suggested rider weight limit. No way would i ride a lightweight pedal if I was over the suggested weight just to save 100g.

GeraldW

Goldmine.
That was exactly my experience. During a fast descent, including standing up, the pedal felt odd. I wondered if the cleat was loose or the pedal bearings had come loose. At the bottom of the descent I stopped and checked. It all seemed fine. On the up hill from there, after a couple of minutes of only gentle climbing while standing, the axle sheered off, sending me knee first into the bitumen. The axle sheered off right next to the outside of the bearing closest the the crank arm. It almost looks like the axle was cut with knife because of how vertical and clean the sheered axle is.I've contacted Time in France via email, and so far have received stoney silence. I also sent a Tweet to Time USA, with a photo of my mangled knee and mangled axle. They have replied requesting my contact details. It is all very scarey. I am only glad the descent was not longer, or I would have ended up in a high speed, rather than low speed disaster.

crankycrank

I would suggest that anyone posting here with broken pedal axles to list the, 1. model and mfr. of your pedal, 2. Ti or steel axle, 3. your weight and 4. how many miles on them. This might help establish a pattern, if there is one, as to which my be the defective pedals.