We know dialing in your gear can be the difference between flowing through the trails feeling confident or making you want to kick rocks. So, let’s prevent you from kicking rocks and discuss four recommended traction pin pedal setups. Whether you’re chasing that aggressive grip, which is our recommended setup, aiming for a balanced ‘grippy’ feel, or simply want ease of connection with your pedals, we’ve got different setups to achieve these options. It’s all about finding what works for you so you can focus on the ride and not your gear.
Types of Traction Pins
We have two types of traction pins to help dial in your pedal setup – K9 and Shortie Traction Pins.
K9 Traction Pins
Dimension: Height 4 mm M4 x 0.7 pitch at thread side (height does not include thread length).
Shortie Traction Pins
Dimension: Height 3 mm M4 x 0.7 pitch at thread side (height does not include thread length).
Pro Tip: K9 Traction Pins are recommended to achieve a specific setup, such as when your shoe sole is not making full contact where a Shortie Pin is. Going hard inside the tape and adding additional K9 Pins is not always recommended, as it can lead to additional pedal strikes and shred the bottom of your riding shoes quicker. If you are about the shreddy life, literally, go for it, my dude. We go into more detail below on the recommended K9 Pin placements.
Aggressive Grippy Traction Pin Setup
Recommended Setup
Don’t let the name scare you. You might be getting a flashback of the shinner that made you contemplate your existence and current life choices. But need not fear, friend. This is not only our recommended REMtech Pedal Traction Pin setup but also our personal fav. This setup gives you the most optimal grip between your pedals and our recommended flat-soled, two-bolt riding shoes.
Aggressive Grippy Recommended
Place Shortie Traction Pins in all pin holes except for the two pin holes on the toe side of your pedal (see image below). Place K9 Traction Pins in those two empty pin holes. Fun fact – we send your pedals to you preset with this setup.
- Red Traction Pins: Shorties
- Blue Traction Pins: K9s
Aggressive Grippy Alternative
This is also an Aggressive Grippy setup, except for when the shoe needs to sit a little deeper on the pedal. For example, if you still have a little magnet body teeter-tot with the recommended Aggressive Grippy setup discussed above, then you may want to give this a try. This alternative setup can also help those who wear a larger shoe (roughly 12 and up).
Remove Shortie Traction Pins closes to the axis (closes to spindle). Keep K9 Traction Pins in the two toe side corner pin holes (see image below).
Grippy Traction Pin Setup
This is your go to setup for those who want a little bit less aggressive grip with the pedals. Place all Shortie Tractions Pins in pin holes.
Pro tip: This setup can help those who want less connection by also removing one or all shims from your cleat box. This traction pin setup plus shim removal will create space between your REMplates and the magnet body, therefore decreasing the magnetic connection.
Ease Of Connection Traction Pin Setup
Are you a smaller/lighter rider? Or maybe you’re looking for more pedal float that’s nicer to that knee surgery? This setup offers an “easier” release and more shoe float. Easier? I thought you guys said it’s intuitive to release from the pedals. Man, we’re glad you asked.
When we say easier, we mean it is easier to adjust your foot placement on the fly with less friction and simpler to release from the pedal. This setup is less aggressive and allows for more freedom. Achieve this setup by removing traction pins from pin holes closest to the spindle.
This setup can sometimes work for shoes with a shoe sole that is not “truly” flat and has a minor arch.
Still trying to get dialed in? Reach out to us at info@hustlebikelabs.com or drop a comment below with the shoes you’re running so we can diagnose your traction pin pedal setups.
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