There is definitely no such thing as being too visible, right? That point is being made by RedShift Sports with their new Arclight Pro Smart LED pedals. After RedShift asked if I wanted to check them out in person, I was on board. About this same time last year, I wrote a review on their Original Arclight City Pedals and found them very useful.
The unique thing about their lighted pedals is that they offer 360 degrees of visibility compared to a standard bike light that just provides front and/or rear visibility. It’s said that lights moving in a circular motion are said to make a cyclist 57% more likely to be seen by a motorist, more so than a standard bike light.
During the review period of the Original Smart Pedals, I did find that I felt safer on the road amongst traffic while using the pedals, I definitely felt more “seen”.
Overall, it was a positive review, and I still use those pedals. But, I did conclude that although the pedals worked well at holding soft-soled shoes to the pedal, I thought they would benefit from the addition of traction pins for future iterations of the pedals.
According to the press release for the Arclight PRO Pedals, I wasn’t the only one that felt that way. Now, the PRO version of the pedals is packed with cool features and versatility including the option to add traction pins if you’d like.
A big shout out to RedShift Sports for listening to their end users!
New Pedals, Same Smart Features
The SmartSet Technology that was built into the Original Arclight City pedals was unique and really put the OGs in a class of their own. The good news is, the PRO version comes with the same SmartSet Technology. The PROs use the included 4 USB rechargeable light modules and an included recharge hub. The 3 beam pattern options (steady, flash, and eco) last up to 36 hours.
The new Arclight PROs SmartSet technology is the brain of the pedal. This tech instantly knows the orientation of the pedal and can switch the light that’s front-facing to white and turns the light that’s rear-facing to red. The auto on/off is controlled by the same technology.
Co-Founder Erik de Brun says, “Customers are constantly telling us that cars are finally giving us a wide berth and slowing down while passing, and the motion of the lights grabs attention, even during the daytime.”
Archlight PRO Smart Pedals – Flats or Clipless
The new pedals look pretty nice. And although their profile is a bit clunky looking, they do look rugged and utilitarian in the fit and finish. They spin great with the use of three internal sealed bearings, and they are fully serviceable and rebuildable. They are a bit hefty, to be expected, and weigh in at 367g.
First Look: What’s in the Box
The Arclight PRO Pedals are fully modular making them super versatile and rebuildable. The pedals come with everything you need to do all of the available customizations that are available.
The PROs are so versatile, you can pick and choose what kind of pedal configuration you want – flat or clipless. Even clipless on just one side! You can run these pedals as they come out of the box, clipless with a platform. Or, you can run them fully flat with the included traction pins, or remove the light wings and run them fully clipless, or flat on one side, and clipless on the other.
Arclight PRO Smart Clipless Pedals
Using a T25 bit, you can loosen and remove the four screws to dismantle and remove the outer wings, leaving the SPD-compatible “clip”. Doing so, you lose the ability to use the light pods. These wings will now be available in black (shown) or silver.
Archlight PRO Smart Flat Pedal
Using a T10 bit to remove the SPD-compatible clip and adding the traction pins with the included tool, you can transform the Arclight Pro into a flat pedal. The pedals come with a bag of traction pins and a little tool to install and remove them. The pedals hold 12 pins per side, making it a pretty aggressive flat pedal.
Arclight PRO Smart Touring/Commuting Pedal
After taking off one side of the SPD-compatible clip and adding the traction pins and leaving the other clip assembled, you now have, what I would call a touring pedal. One of my favorite types of pedals. A pedal you can flip over and ride with regular shoes or sandals, or flip it over and clip in for a serious commute with cycling shoes… your call.
Arclight Pro Features
- Fully CNC machined aluminum
- 3 high precision, low friction sealed bearings
- Clipless (dual-sided clipless with removable wings)
- Flat – includes 12 traction pins/side and removable wings
- Silver or Black replaceable wings
- Fully rebuildable
- SmartSet Technology – Pedals sense when you are riding, stopped or parked and auto-select white/red color
- USB rechargeable – use any USB charger (hub for 4 lights included)
- Long battery life – up to 36 hours of run time
- 3 light modes – flash, eco-mode, solid
- Weatherproof – IPX 64
- 1 year warranty
Arclight PRO Retail
Retail:
- PRO Clipless: $175
- PRO Flat: $160
Arclight PRO pedals ship with pedals, rechargeable lights, and a charging hub. Arclights work on all types of bicycles; road, MTB, gravel, urban, and e-bikes.
Keep an eye out here for my full review of these new Arclight PRO Clipless Pedals.
