iSSi II Triple clipless pedals

ISSi 2 triple pedals are a dual sided SPD clone aimed at commuters, tourists, mountain bikers and of course, gravel riders. I've found their relatively low, yet supportive profile well suited to fixed duties too. However, our samples' soft paint was slightly disappointing.

Starting with cosmetics, their aluminium bodies are offered in no less than eight traditional and funky colours to co-ordinate with pretty much any theme. Ours were particularly striking blue, which was a perfect match for both my pared-to-the-essentials time trial and crosser/gravel fixer framesets. Chromoly axles turn on buttery smooth sealed bearings, which enjoy good spares backup and feel markedly smoother than the big S's counterparts.

Axles and cleat mechanisms sport black chrome finishes. Not just a pretty face, when properly applied this finish offers superior corrosion resistance to standard electroplating. ISSi have responded to earlier criticisms regarding cleat compatibility, redesigning the release angle to 14.6 degrees for improved dis/engagement with genuine Shimano cleats and their pattern brethren.

Aside from one heart-in mouth moment during our maiden voyage, when trickling through stop-start early evening traffic, clipping in and out has been instantaneous with VP, Wellgo, Shimano and cheap-as-chips store branded variants. My minimalist fixer usually sports Wellgo RC-703, single sided SPD homages.

During my initial 20-mile blasts, I attributed improved comfort to 'new contact point syndrome' but extending rides to fifty miles or so, suggested the iSSi 2 triple's marginally broader platform offers better support and less fatigue around the ball/arch areas. Float is genre typical too, thus knee friendly.

The nature of riding fixed wheel means if the wheels are turning, you are pedalling. Plenty of fast, sweeping bends confirmed cornering prowess wasn't an issue and the song remained the same off road too. Unless you are running a fixed-wheel conversion with a really low bottom bracket and 175mm cranks, likelihood of grounding is pretty remote.

Critics would point out that at 70kg, I don't challenge components in the same fashion as powerfully built 90kg sprinters. However, fixed ratios of 78 and 81 inches demand a fair bit of oomph when climbing.

With my full weight dancing on the pedals up one-in-four ascents, flex, squeaks and creaks were conspicuous by their absence.

Finish aside, the Issi 2 triples lost none of their charm when ported over to my rough stuff workhorse for some rides on the wild side.

Their mud and grit shedding prowess isn't on a par with Time Atac pedals in wet, boggy conditions but it's pretty good nonetheless and never led to clogging or difficult entry/exit.

I've really enjoyed using the iSSi 2 triple pedals for general riding. Shimano pattern fittings and plentiful spares are a definite plus but the finish is disappointing. Given the pricing and the fact spares for genuine Shimano pedals can be found pretty much anywhere, Shimano M540s would get my hard-earned, especially for touring.

Verdict

Pretty pedals with nice internals but expensive compared to Shimano benchmarks