Tioga Introduces World’s Thinnest Dual-Concave Mountain Bike Pedal

Los Angeles, California – August 8, 2011 – Tioga unveiled the new ZEROaxle® MT-ZERO, the world’s thinnest dual-concave off-road bicycle pedal. Measuring no more than 7mm thin, and 4mm at the thinnest, the MT-ZERO redefines thin.

“The breakthrough is made possible by Tioga’s ZEROaxle bearing system,” said Kai Cheng, Tioga’s global marketing manager. “With conventional pedals, the body must be tall enough to contain the axle and bearings that are within its body. The ZEROaxle system in the MT-ZERO removes this restriction by redirecting its axle and bearing away from the body, allowing for an incredibly thin profile.”

The leading-edge concept starts with the ZEROaxle bolt assembly which houses an outboard sealed cartridge bearing, precision machine-pressed into the bolt, to facilitate the pedal’s rotation. With the absence of the traditional axle or multiple bearings within the body of a ZEROaxle pedal, a special outboard bearing is equipped to handle the redirected load converging into a smaller area. Whereas typical pedal bearings are 13mm in diameter, ZEROaxle’s cartridge bearing is more than twice the size and capable of handling over five times the dynamic load of typical bearings – ZEROaxle bolts have been thoroughly tested to meet the Japan Industrial Standards (JIS) for pedal bearings.

The result is a pedal system with an entirely new form factor made possible by the ZEROaxle bolt.

Thinner is Better
A thin pedal profile positively affects ground clearance, foot stability, and pedaling efficiency; the thinner the body, the more positive these effects.

With new design freedom provided by the ZEROaxle bearing system, the MT-ZERO’s body is impressively thin at 7mm, and because the body platform is a dual concave design, which better adapts to the contours of the foot, it dips down to just 4mm in the center.

Although the MT-ZERO body is extremely thin and open, it’s neither flimsy nor fragile. The MT-ZERO’s body is a solid one-piece construction, investment-cast from chromoly steel, and tested to handle a wide spectrum of off-road applications from XC to all-mountain.

Fully Compatible with Standard Cranksets
The ZEROaxle MT-ZERO’s 9/16” thread makes it fully compatible with standard cranksets.

Aditionally, when designing the ZEROaxle pedal system, Tioga engineers were mindful not to disrupt the rider’s biomechanics. Width of the ZEROaxle bolt is comparable to the axle bolt on conventional platform pedals that upgrading to the MT-ZERO will have little impact on the user’s Q-factor, the distance between a rider’s left and right foot, measured through the bottom bracket.

Maintenance Free, Modular Design
The ZEROaxle pedal system is modular and designed to be virtually maintenance free. Should the bearing wear down, simply replace the ZEROaxle bolt. The same applies to the body. Replacement ZEROaxle bolt and MT-ZERO body are available individually, in left or right configurations. Its modular design will also allow users to easily switch different body designs from any current and future ZEROaxle pedals.

Pricing and Availability
The ZEROaxle MT-ZERO will be available within the next 60 days through professional, independent bicycle dealers nationwide. The pedals will be available in black, white or silver, for a suggested retail price of US$99.

ZEROaxle MT-ZERO
Investment cast 1-piece Chromoly body
ZEROaxle over-size bearing system
Dual-concave platform with replaceable pins
450g per pair

About Tioga:
With over 30 years in the cycling industry focusing on function with style, Tioga has created numerous industry advancing components from the Comp-III BMX racing tire to the industry standardization of the 1-1/8” steering system. Tioga’s new generation of components continue to blend progressive style with increasing functionally to enhance the riding experience of modern cycling enthusiasts.

Source: Kai Cheng, Tioga Bicycle Components
www.tiogausa.com

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