With the Clip Pedals, OneUp Components have launched their first ever clipless pedal, targeting trail, enduro and downhill riders alike. Combining a large platform, a low profile, and the proven SPD mechanism, the pedals promise to deliver grip and control while ensuring hassle-free maintenance. Priced at a fair € 159.99 and tipping the scales at 410 g with pins, they’re among the lighter options on the market. We’ve ridden the OneUp Clip Pedals for an entire season, from after-work home trail laps to extended bike park trips, to find out how these Squamish-bred clipless pedals stack up on the trail.
The OneUp Clip Pedals in Detail
At the core of the OneUp Clip Pedals is an SPD-compatible mechanism offering 5° of float and a 12° release angle. The spring tension can be finely adjusted via a 3 mm Allen key, with clearly defined clicks,with a built-in indicator showing the exact setting — making it easy to match both pedals precisely.
The bindings sit at the centre of a sleek aluminium body, while the 80 × 90 mm platform goes well beyond the contact area of most clipless pedals. That extra surface is designed to improve stability, especially when things get rough on technical trails. Each side features four 8 mm-long pins for added grip between your shoe and the pedal body. They’re hollow-drilled to shed mud and can be replaced with a 2.5 mm Allen key. At just 26.8 mm tall, the OneUp Clip Pedals are among the slimmest clipless MTB pedals on the market – a real advantage when it comes to avoiding pedal strikes on rocky, uneven ground. Despite the low profile, the pedal feels seriously solid underfoot, and the alloy cage does a great job of shielding the mechanism from rock hits.
Inside, OneUp use a hardened chromoly steel axle rotating on three sealed industrial bearings and an Igus bushing. This is designed to handle heavy loads while remaining easy to service at home. OneUp include a custom tool that lets you open and regrease the axle unit without any special knowledge, using the step-by-step video guide on their website. Cleats and two spacers come standard in the box. Spare parts are available separately, although prices are on the higher side compared to other brands: a full rebuild kit with bearings and seals costs € 30.99, cleats including spacers go for € 25.99, and a set of replacement pins is priced at € 23.99. OneUp recommend using the supplied cleats but allow the use of Shimano SH51 cleats at your own risk. To top it all off, the pedals come in eight colour options so you can match them perfectly to your bike.
OneUp Clip Pedals on Test
Mounting the OneUp Clip Pedals is refreshingly simple: screw in the cleats, make a slight adjustment to the position, and you’re good to go. With the Canyon Scampr Trail shoes we started out with, the setup was spot on right from the first try. Clipping in is quick and intuitive, with no guessing where the mechanism is placed, and clipping out is crisp, with a clearly defined release point. Later on, when switching to the new FOX Union shoes, the pedals continued to impress with their wide compatibility. We did have to remove the front pins and add spacers under the cleats at first, but after that, the shoes worked seamlessly with the pedals.
On the trail, the OneUp Clip Pedals impress with a confident, locked-in feel that strikes a perfect balance between precision and security. Clipping in is smooth and met with a solid, reassuring click. The 12° release angle feels deliberate and controlled, never vague or abrupt. A big plus is the ability to fine-tune the spring tension in distinct, tactile steps, and to adjust all four bindings evenly using the integrated spring tension indicator.
Compared to the Crankbrothers Mallet pedals we’d mostly been riding before, the OneUp Clip Pedals feel noticeably more defined. While the Crankbrothers offer a looser, more forgiving feel thanks to their soft engagement, the OneUps come across as much more precise. You feel securely connected to the bike, and power transfer when pedalling is efficient and direct. Against the Shimano Deore XT SPD, the OneUp pedals stand out with their lower profile and wider platform. That said, Shimano still set the benchmark for long-term durability – classic XT or Saint pedals are pretty much bombproof. After nearly a full season of use, including bike park laps, alpine trail days and countless local rides, the OneUp Clip Pedals are still going strong, showing only minimal wear. The stainless steel cage has a few scratches, but neither the axle nor the bearings developed any play. Even the pins, which take the most abuse from rock strikes and pedal strikes, are mostly intact – only one broke off, but it was easy to replace. To be fair, the first batch of OneUp Clip Pedals did have issues and was recalled. Our pair was affected and had to be sent back to the manufacturer. But OneUp reacted quickly, updated the design, and all current models now come fitted with the revised binding plate as standard. The new version has proven totally reliable so far – and it’s backed by a two-year warranty. Nice move, OneUp.
Conclusions about the OneUp Clip Pedals
The OneUp Clip Pedals impress with their ultra-low profile, crisp engagement and solid construction. Setup is straightforward, the tension is easy to fine-tune, and the wide shoe compatibility is a definite plus. While the spare parts don’t come cheap, the pedals showed barely any signs of wear after a full season of hard riding – which inspires confidence. If you’re after a lightweight, low-maintenance clipless pedal that can handle everything from singletrack to bike park laps, this one’s a solid contender. It’s earned a permanent spot on our test bikes.
Tops
- Precise, confidence-inspiring engagement
- Great durability
- Large platform
- Extremely low profile
Flops
- Spare parts are relatively expensive
For more details, check out the OneUp website
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Words: Benedikt Schmidt Photos: Peter Walker, Jan Fock
