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review
Pedals
Genetic Track Pro pedalspdge-track-grp.jpg

Genetic Track Pro pedals

8
by Shaun Audane
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Jul 25, 2009

0
£29.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Not a purist's pedal but for the money they’re pretty hard to beat.
Weight: 
0g
Contact: 
www.ison-distribution.co.uk
How we test

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Genetic's track pro are faithful copies of MKS’ high-end RX1 pedals approved by the Nihon Jitensha Shinkōkai (NJS), the Japanese Keirin association. Intended primarily for Velodrome duties, they may lack the NJS kudos but with low cage profiles and slick, sealed bearings they’ve broader horizons than track and wouldn’t look out of place on a classic 80’s road bike.

Featuring high lustre polished aluminium bodies and narrow cages drilled for clips and straps, our purple test pair looked straight out of 1994 but mercifully there’s a choice between five alternative colours (Black, silver, blue, gold and red). For such svelte pedals, they’re well suited to the rigours of winter thanks to well-sealed cartridge bearings turning on strong Cro-moly axles that should keep knees happy for several seasons. The finish, and particularly the anodising, is what you’d expect from this end of the market, quickly showing signs of wear thanks to coarse toe-straps straps, but it’s by no means terrible and you could always strip them clean with Nitromors when they get scruffy.

On the subject of aesthetics, they look sharpest sporting old school chrome clips and leather straps but unless you’re a polishing zealot the nylon mtb type are a more sensible choice for year round commuting.

Only surpassed in cornering prowess by some very low profile SPDs, you can carve into roundabouts and junctions at ridiculous angles without coming close to grounding. The extra clearance is handy off-road too should you fancy the scenic route home. Having undergone a wholesale clipless conversion back in 1992, re-mastering first-time pedal flip-ups at the traffic light grand prix took a little practice but in fairness, it’s no harder than with hybrid platform/SPD types.

Out of the saddle, my full 70 kilos dancing on the bodies revealed no sign of power robbing-flex, although heavier riders might tell a different story. Summing up, with horizons extending beyond track, they represent superb value for money and are thoroughly recommended for most road applications.

Verdict

NJS track purists will need to look elsewhere but for the money, they’re pretty hard to beat.

road.cc test report

Make and model: Genetic Track Pro pedals

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

These are budget copies of MKS'home market RX1 track models but with sealed bearings and solid cro-moly axles they're well suited to a host of other applications too.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Polished aluminium bodies and anodized cages turn on ultra smooth and weather sealed cartridge bearings.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Better than many costing quite a bit more.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10

280g pair

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10
Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

These perform superbly in most contexts-designed to cope with steep banking, they're equally at home on the high street scramble offering fantastic clearance when negotiating roundabouts and other features of the urban landscape. Sealed bearings mean they're well suited to four seasons use- in particular road fixers and winter bikes.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Good bearings, weather sealing and axles coupled with low profiles and mosdest weight.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing but finish wasn't on a par with more expensive offerings.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 35  Height: 1m 81  Weight: 70 kilos

I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset  My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

Track Pro
track pedals
Pedals
Genetic
flat pedals
Shaun Audane

Shaun Audane is a freelance writer/product tester with over twenty-eight years riding experience, the last twelve (120,000 miles) spent putting bikes and kit through their paces for a variety of publications. Previous generations of his family worked at manufacturing's sharp end, thus Shaun can weld, has a sound understanding of frame building practice and a preference for steel or titanium framesets.
Citing Richard Ballantine and an Au pair as his earliest cycling influences, he is presently writing a cycling book with particular focus upon women, families and disabled audiences (Having been a registered care manager and coached children at Herne Hill Velodrome in earlier careers)

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