N8tive XC pedal 99 x 100mm
Review by Paul Thomas
Need to know:
- ยฃ74.99
- 350g a pair
- 99mm x 100mm concave platform
- 10 custom designed pins per side
- http://www.n8tive.de/
We see a lot of wild, innovative, funny looking pedals these days – the N8tive Trail Pedal isn’t one of those. It’s a no-fuss design that doesn’t look orย do anything wacky. Is that a bad thing? Absolutely not.
The Trail Pedal 99 x 100 is one of two very similar pedals from N8tive. This version is the smaller of the two with a 99m wide and 1oomm long body. The larger ‘105 x 100‘ version is for bigger footed pilots, you chose what you prefer.
N8tive’s Pedal ticks a few boxes straight away. First, 10 replaceable pinsย per side and a slight concave to the pedal body offer decent grip. They allow you to feel in control and ‘attached’ to the bike without restricting your ability to reposition your feet. The pins are positioned evenly around the pedal body and – thankfully – N8tive haven’t put any weird slippy lumps or bumps around the pedal axle that make so many other pedals fall short.
For a relatively light pedal (350g a pair) they seem pretty tough. Iโve been running them for a few months, including a good battering in Les Arcs, and they show little sign of bother. I’ve lost a pin to a French rock somewhere and there’s a few scratches but all in all, they’ve coped well. ย N8tive’s own “Tellerpin” pins can be removed with pliers via a small bolt head if they get mashed up. That’s a nice touch, with spares available.ย
At ยฃ74.99 the N8tive XC pedal is at the top end of the mid-price pedals. It’s cheaper than a DMR Vault or a Hope F12 but a good deal pricier than a DMR V12 or something from Superstar. It’s about the same price give or take a fiver than a full price Nukeproof Horizon Pro pedal.
N8tive have done a great job of creating a sensible, no nonsense pedal that ticks all of the must-have features we look for in a pedal. Weight is on par with some of the best out there, grip is good and the price is sensibleย alongside similarly performing pedals. If you don’t like the green colour they’re also available in a more sedate black or gun metal grey.
You can learn more about N8tive on their website hereย or you can buy online at Racing Planet here.
About our test pilot.
This review was written by Paul Thomas. Paul is a web developer from Bristol who spent his 20’s riding the Alps, road tripping some of Europe’s best mountain bike resorts and running a successful mountain bike holiday company in Morzine.
