Yoshimura Chilao SS Flat Pedal – Reviews, Comparisons, Specifications – Flat Pedals

LLegendary moto aftermarket tuning company Yoshimura entered the MTB market four years ago with its Chilao flat pedal. There was a lot that I liked about this pedal, even though our testing at the time identified a few small points of potential for improvement. Fast forward to the present: Yoshimura is releasing a new version of the Chilao, called the Chilao SS. The “SS” stands for “Static Spring” and refers to a clever preload system that keeps lateral forces away from the bearings and ensures that the pedal stays in place feels fresh and free of any bearing play (Yoshimura has a patent pending application for this design). . Yoshimura also made a number of minor changes to the design, from the machining of the body to the length of the spindle, which overall represent a significant advance. Read on to find out more!

Yoshimura Chilao SS highlights

• The newly refined, ultra-thin Chilao SS body is CNC machined from 6061-T6 aluminum and loses 18 grams per set in Large compared to the previous generation of Chilao pedals
• The new Chilao SS spindle features a 3mm increased Q factor. They are manufactured in-house from proprietary alloy steel that is heat treated and ceramic coated to ensure they are strong and resilient
• The machined concave profile keeps the rider’s foot “in” the pedal and not on it
• V-ring dust seals
• Triple bearing and one bushing per spindle
• Ten 7075-T6 aluminum pins on each side provide excellent grip and are designed to release with a pedal stroke
• Front-to-back pins for improved bite
• Recessed 6061-T6 alloy end plugs are impact resistant
• Large pedal body (110mm L x 107.25W)
• Small pedal body (100mm L x 95.5W)
• Made in Chino, California, USA.
• Type 3 – Hard anodized surface for durability
• Laser-etched Yoshimura branding
• Each set is serial numbered
• Available in YoshiKote, Pewter, Black and Ice (raw machine)
• 360 grams per set (large)
• Intended use MTB, dirt jumping, BMX
• Fully functional. Service kits available separately
• Limited Lifetime Warranty on Chilao SS (was 1 year on original Chilao)
• MSRP: $229.00 (Size L) // $219.00 (Size S)

First impressions

The new pedal looks very similar to the old pedal as it adopts the overall shape of the housing from its predecessor. However, upon closer inspection, a number of changes become apparent, the biggest of which can be found inside the pedal. With four years of experience, Yoshimura’s team wanted to find a way to keep the pedal feel fresher for longer, and so the concept of “static spring” was born. By holding the pedal body against the outer bearing race with a spring, you avoid excessive lateral loads on the bearings, whether from preloading with the retaining screw or from a side impact. This makes the design more tolerant of machining irregularities and less susceptible to wear over time. When the pedal is compressed from the side, it has some lateral play (about 1 mm) before it rests on a special flange on the spindle. The system also protects other components such as the dust wiper.

After gathering feedback from riders (and perhaps taking Vital’s own feedback into account as well). Flat pedal face-off Based on these criteria, Yoshimura decided to make the spindle 3mm longer in order to increase the Q-factor (and correspondingly the “Pin-to-Axle” number that we use here at Vital to measure the available effective platform area). increase your feet – it is now 108mm compared to 105mm on the original version). They also removed a little more material from certain areas of the pedal body without drastically changing the overall shape. The effective concavity (bottom of the platform to the top of the pins) is now up to 4mm (compared to 3 on the previous version), while the pair’s overall weight has dropped by 15 grams (it now weighs 360 grams). is one of the lighter pedals currently on the market). The pins come from a new manufacturer; They have slightly sharper edges compared to the previous version. As before, they screw in from the back and are designed to break off if misused. The finish is a high-quality anodized surface with new, laser-etched graphics.

Ease of maintenance was also at the top of the list of requirements for the new pedal. Yoshimura offers service kits for purchase, including the special tools needed to extract the sockets or cut out pin holes should they become damaged. As a testament to their confidence in this redesigned pedal, Yoshimura has increased the warranty on the Chilao SS to “limited life,” an improvement over the original Chilao’s one-year warranty. A few more nice little details; The flange on the spindle is also used to install new seals into the pedal body, and to spice things up a bit, end caps and pins are available in a variety of colors.

On the path

On the trail the pedal feels very similar to the original version, just with a little more of everything. There’s a little more grip, probably thanks to the new, sharper pins, and the effective concavity really hugs your foot. The additional 3mm of pin-to-axle clearance was very welcomed by this tester, who has fairly large feet and likes a wide stance on the bike. This definitely makes the pedal feel a little less cramped compared to the original version, although still not as spacious as some of the largest pedals we’ve tested. On the other hand, the compact dimensions and aggressively sloping leading edge allow the pedal to sneak past certain roadside obstacles that might cause problems with a larger platform.

Then what about this spring-loaded, floating axle system? Well, you don’t really feel the sideways floating in action and there are no significant noises when driving. If you sit on your bike and push the pedal from side to side on the spindle with your foot, you can see the 1mm movement and hear a slight “knock” as the pedal bottoms out on the flange, but like this however, nothing that you will notice while driving.

The pedal feels super soft under your feet, spins freely and is always solid in action. We initially wondered whether swimming would be disruptive at all, but our fears soon proved unfounded. It seems like a pretty clever solution to increase bearing life and also keep the pedal feeling fresher for longer as it eliminates the negative effects of sideways floating that can occur with other pedals when the bearings wear out are. We’ve only been testing the Chilao SS for a few months at this point, but so far the system actually seems to be working as intended. Time will tell how it performs with more miles on the clock.

What is the end result?

Yoshimura took a good pedal and made it better. The Chilao SS offers slightly more foot space, improved grip and, most importantly, an innovative (patent pending) axle system that virtually eliminates the effects of sloppy bearings and worn bushings. The price has gone up a bit, but the attention to detail, workmanship and performance offer excellent value for money. If you’re looking for a pedal that offers a secure and positive feel underfoot while being compact yet capable of overcoming trailside obstacles, the Chilao SS is worth a closer look. Check it out now Yoshimura Cycling’s online shop (Yoshimura is also opening for business through select retailers who want to be part of Yoshimura’s cycling saga, so keep an eye on your LBS too.)

About the reviewer

Johan Hjord – Age: 51 // Years of MTB rider: 19 // Weight: 190 pounds (87 kg) // Height: 6 feet 0 inches (1.84 m)

Johan loves bikes, which strangely doesn’t make him any better at riding them. After years of practicing falling off cliffs on a snowboard, he took up mountain biking in 2005. Since then, he has mostly ridden bikes with too much suspension travel to cover up his many mistakes as a rider. His 200-pound body weight, coupled with his unique ability with poor line choices and awkward landings, make him an expert in durability – if parts survive Johan, they’re pretty much fine for anyone. Johan rides flat pedals with a riding style he describes as “none” (although in reality he rips!). Since he doesn’t like most of the trail elements, Johan uses much of his free time to build his own. Johan’s other achievements include surviving this far and helping keep the Vital Media Machine’s stoke dial firmly at 11.

Photos by Johan Hjord and Darina Privalko