When I couldn't find a suitable pedal for my enduro bike a few years ago, I began to build a combination pedal that was as perfect as possible - a prototype for one person, so a one-off thing. I never would have thought that the following developments would lead to one of the most important awards in the mountain bike industry.
So it happened to us:
After I gave up my career as a triathlete and had little free time between my job and family, my sporting activities became quiet. After 6 years a New Year's Eve resolution put an end to this "physical dilemma" and I bought my first fully. Various transalp tours followed and more and more the need to try supposedly inaccessible trails. My clipless pedals became more of a problem, because at the limit of my driving ability I didn't want to have a permanent connection to the bike. On the other hand, I didn't want to do without the efficiency and the defined shoe position of clipless pedals. The solution was a potent combination pedal, which was not available on the market for this purpose. Some modifications of existing pedals - these were milled out, equipped with PINs, provided with click, etc. - did not lead to the desired result. They were too heavy, had too little grip or too little ground clearance. One day, while cleaning my Shimano clickies, I noticed that I could remove the buckling mechanism on one side and use the thread to mount a flat pedal adapter. That was the solution, because I didn't have to develop an axle or bearing, but "only" a perfect platform - the idea for the ADD-FLAT pedal adapter was born and launched in 2017. Even then I was fascinated by the possibilities of developing a complete pedal. The result of this process is the TWO-FACE pedal, which has now been awarded the DESIGN & INNOVATION AWARD 2018, with 14 PINs on the flat side, 6 PINs on the click side, the first pedal ever with a rotation of the flat side to the click side for more ground clearance, a defined position to be able to select the side that corresponds to the driving situation and a weight of only 387 g for these powerful pedals (you can find more information about the TWO-FACE HERE).
Anyone who knows the history of mountain bikes knows that their origins lie in the development of products based on their own experience. Passionate bikers got together in 1973 to ride downhill as quickly and with as much fun as possible. Missing components were quickly built in the garage, screwed onto the bike and tried out, always with the aim of becoming a better biker. Without making the slightest claim to be on the same level as these pioneers, I still feel connected to the tradition of developing components in order to become a better biker.
Armin Hofreiter
founder TATZE bike components