In this article I’m going to give you my Deity TMAC review.
As much as I like vintage mountain bikes, some older parts are so bad compared to their current counterparts that only a true purist would not upgrade them. And caged pedals belong to that category.
I prefer upgrading to flat pedals, since I like the flexibility it offers and because I can simply ride using my running shoes. And I’ve dedicated an entire article to the best mountain bike flat pedals.
One of those picks was the Hope F20 flat pedal. But as good as that pedal is, it wasn’t my top pick on the list. Because that one goes to the Deity TMAC.
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Deity TMAC flat pedal pros
Even though a pedal is a fairly straightforward piece of equipment, the Deity TMAC is distinctive enough that it offers a number of advantages above the competition.
Grip
The Deity TMAC pedals have 28 top-loading pins. Whilst top-loading pins aren’t necessarily an advantage (rear-loading is), the fact that there are 28 of them pre-installed from the package is.
After numerous rides on various MTB trails I can vouch for the fact that my foot never came off the pedal, no matter how tricky the ride became. And if there’s one thing you want is that your foot stays in place when the going gets tough.
Size
The prize for biggest size goes to the Chromag Dagga pedal, but the Deity TMAC isn’t particularly small either. I run a size 12 shoe, so the 110 x 105 x 16.5 is perfect for those with bigger feet like me.
And the combination of size and pins adds to the overall grip I’m looking for in a mountain bike pedal. If you compare the TMACs to the VP-992A pedals that were on this bike you can see what a huge leap forward the latest flat pedals are compared to what you would be riding in the 90’s.
Aesthetics
The TMAC pedal is one of the few symmetric pedals on the market. I think the symmetric nature of the Deity TMAC pedals and their clean looks make them the most beautiful flat pedals on the market.
Durability
These are very expensive pedals so they better be good. After the first use I did see some grease being pushed out of the seals. The Hope F20, known for being the most robust pedals out there, didn’t show this behavior, which might say something about the durability of the seals.
I’ve had a number of pedal strikes and have ridden the pedals in muddy conditions multiple times, but so far I didn’t notice any significant wear on the pedals or any other issues that might signify the pedals might be compromised in some way.
Also the top-loading pins are all still in great shape, even after the pedal strikes.
Deity TMAC flat pedal cons
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room
Price
These pedals are incredibly expensive, especially for non-US customers like me. Including shipping costs and a 10 percent discount I still had to pay 217 USD, which is a huge amount of money for this part of your bike.
I never argue with people on the area of price, which is a subjective matter, but it’s a clear fact that there are rock solid flat pedals out there for less than half the money.
Pedal strikes
It’s a big pedal so expect pedal strikes to occur more often than with smaller pedals and a lower profile. I’ve had my share of them and so far the pedals held up great. But if you really want to minimize the risk you might want to opt for a smaller one.
Since I wanted maximum grip without going for the Dagga pedals this size works fine for me.
Concluding remarks about this Deity TMAC review
The Deity TMAC flat pedals are stunning pedals with a high-quality build for a hefty price. But I feel in this case you definitely get what you pay for.
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