Tatze Contact DH and Contact Combi in Review

13.01.25 08:13 1.7392025-01-13T08:13:00+01:00Text: Gipfelstürmer, Cornelia Holland (translated by AI)Photos: Erwin HaidenXC racers off the beaten path come to platform pedals through detours. Cornelia Hollands and Martin Rauscher's practical experiences with the new combo pedals from Tatze.13.01.25 08:13 2.1502025-01-13T08:13:00+01:00

Tatze Contact DH and Contact Combi in Review

13.01.25 08:13 2.1502025-01-13T08:13:00+01:00 Gipfelstürmer, Cornelia Holland (translated by AI) Erwin Haiden

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XC racers off the beaten path come to platform pedals through detours. Cornelia Hollands and Martin Rauscher's practical experiences with the new combo pedals from Tatze.13.01.25 08:13 2.1502025-01-13T08:13:00+01:00

Background: We both come from the XC segment of cycling, and up until now, Shimano XTR and XT pedals have always been our go-to solution.
Brief trials with the trail variants of Shimano classics left us rather puzzled: How is this miniature cage, which hardly makes sole contact even with soft shoes, supposed to help? Alternative SPD systems (Ritchey, Xpedos, etc.) were also not a serious alternative in terms of performance.

Then came the first Enduro World Championship in Canazei (ITA). There, I, Cornelia, had the honor of representing Austria. At the same time as the competition in September 2024, the first snowfalls of the year began. The stages were shortened, and the snow lessened. But the mud remained.
I do own an Enduro bike by now; however, I still haven't managed to get the proper pedals and shoes.
On some sections, it was barely possible for me to avoid unclipping. Clipping back in, however, turned out to be even harder. Consequently, it was quite a struggle to find grip on the small XTR pedals with the minimally-soled carbon shoes.
So it was very fortunate that NoPain told us about a new product from Tatze …

Large platform, sturdy pins, fully SPD-compatible, just under 500 g
The first contact with the downhill clipless pedals from Tatze

Test kick-off: Unboxing & Setup

Already during the unboxing of the Tatze Contact DH, the large platform and the massive pins stood out. Additionally, Tatze cleats were included in the package. However, the pedal is supposed to be fully SPD-compatible.

The package from Tyrol also included a second pair of pedals: the hybrid model Tatze Contact Combi - more on that later.

The platform measures 88 x 97 mm (incidentally, also for the Contact Combi), making it almost square and, for example, just as wide but 2 cm shorter than the universal MC-Air flat pedal from the same manufacturer. The pedal body has a relatively low profile at 14-17 mm in height - which is great for avoiding unwanted ground contact.
Installation was as straightforward as with probably any other pedal: grease the threads, tighten with the appropriate tool (8 mm hex key), and you're done!

First of all, it must be said that pedals with a large platform and aggressive pins can only work well if the shoe is suitable. I swapped my beloved Shimano XC901 for the Northwave Escape Evo WMN.
Already during the first "entry" into the pedals, I noticed that I had to use a lot of force. This was due to the two front pins – they were simply too long for my shoe. However, these can be quickly removed with a hex key. Nice detail on the side: all pins were mounted with sufficient thread-locking adhesive. After that, both entry and exit worked absolutely smoothly.
Adjusting the release tension could also be done quickly and as usual.

Tatze Contact DH

Material:	CNC-milled aluminum, high-strength steel axle	Bearings:	14 mm wide needle bearing, large ball bearing
Size:	88x97x14-17 mm	Colors:	Black, Red, Orange, and Blue; also freely combinable, resulting in 10 variants
Grip:	9 optional and height-adjustable pins per side	Weight:	498 g
Fixation:	SPD-compatible click mechanism, cleats included	Price:	€ 99,-

Test ride

It doesn't take many words to describe the performance of the new Tatze Contact DH.
Basically, they offer a much more secure connection between foot and platform thanks to cleats compared to pure flat pedals — with all the associated advantages, especially pedaling efficiency.
Clicking in worked perfectly after adjusting the pins to the shoe, while clicking out, as expected, was slightly more difficult than with pedals without pins.

As for the actual reason why I wanted to try these pedals: If you ever need to get out of the pedal in a tricky situation and can't immediately find it again, you can still stand on the pedal for a few meters without slipping off right away or feeling "poorly connected." A real game-changer in terms of riding safety!

The greatest compliment you can probably give the Tatze pedals is the following: Their click mechanism feels just like Shimano's.
No other pedal manufacturer I know of has managed to tune the SPD mechanism as well as the original. Either clipping in and out feels "clunky," or the durability is absolutely terrible. However, in a blind test, no one would likely be able to distinguish the Tatze pedal from a Shimano pedal.

Conclusion after two months and 1,000 test kilometers: The Contact DH will definitely stay on my enduro bike. Furthermore, I hope that the Tyroleans will apply their expertise to develop a lightweight XC pedal in the future...

Tatze Contact Combi

Some swear by them, others see no point in them ... we're talking about hybrid pedals: one side clipless, the other flat.
I - Martin speaking - have to admit, for sporty use, I also see little sense in using such combo pedals. I'm simply not aware of any clipless shoe that provides flawless grip on the flat side of the pedal.

However, Tatze has tried to largely solve this problem with the Contact Combi by removing material on the platform side directly above the axle, i.e., where the shoe cleats are located. This ensures that there is no contact between the cleat and the pedal body in this area. However, this only applies as long as you are perfectly centered on the pedal.

Tatze Contact Combi

Material:	CNC-milled aluminum, high-strength steel axle	Bearings:	Needle bearing + ball bearing
Size:	88x97x14 mm	Colors:	Black, Red, Orange, and Blue; also freely combinable, resulting in 10 variations
Grip:	10 pins with 3.5 mm protrusion; recess for cleats on the flat side (no metallic contact)	Weight:	414 g
Fixation:	SPD-compatible click mechanism, cleats included in the package	Price:	€ 89,-

Of course, I also tested the pedal on my enduro (see photos above). However, I really came to love it on my cargo bike.
The Omnium Minimax is not only suitable for short distances (flat) but also for longer trips (click).

I already had combination pedals on my cargo bike before using the Tatze models. However, the SPD side of those was clunky, and the grip on the flat side was simply a joke, especially in wet conditions.
Since I mounted the Contact Combi, I’ve been enjoying the colorful, flawlessly clicking in and out, yet pleasantly grippy pedals from Tatze almost daily – whether it’s for shopping or a longer trip with luggage.

Practical test: Tatze Contact Combi pedals on a trekking bike

When it comes to combo SPD pedals, I had so far been entirely in agreement with my predecessor – and that was with resignation. Particularly, the widely-used Shimano PD-M324 left an unconvincing impression: The click mechanism felt undefined, stepping in without looking was often unreliable, and the platform side noticeably lacked grip, especially with narrow XC shoes. The actual advantage of a combo pedal – flexibility – was hardly evident.

Accordingly, I had long written off the concept. It was only through the review by Gipfelstürmer on the Tatze Contact Combi Pedals that my interest was reignited – and with it, the hope that something has indeed changed in the last 20 years.

So I ordered a set of black Tatze Contact Combi pedals for our trekking shoots. Sometimes with regular shoes during a city stroll, sometimes with MTB shoes on altitude-heavy off-road excursions – and occasionally even with the cleat on the "wrong," meaning flat, side of the pedal. The pedals, developed and tested in Tyrol, were designed to do it all.

And what can I say? The Tatze delivered from the very first meter. Whether with sneakers on the flat side or with mountain bike shoes in the clip-in mechanism – the correct side was found blindly every time. Even with cleats on the platform, I had unexpectedly good grip. So good that I can easily recommend the pedals to serious mountain bikers as well.

The concave platform side with short pins provides secure grip without immediately splitting your shin in the event of a misstep. Additionally, a central recess reliably prevents metallic contact between the cleat and the pedal body.
The concave platform side with short pins provides secure grip without immediately splitting your shin in the event of a misstep. Additionally, a central recess reliably prevents metallic contact between the cleat and the pedal body.
On the clip-in side, the large contact area provides a solid feel between the pedal and the shoe. The clip-in mechanism is based on the SPD standard, with adjustable release tension, 5° float, and a release angle of 12°. The functionality: precise, pleasantly defined, but not finicky.
On the clip-in side, the large contact area provides a solid feel between the pedal and the shoe. The clip-in mechanism is based on the SPD standard, with adjustable release tension, 5° float, and a release angle of 12°. The functionality: precise, pleasantly defined, but not finicky.

Foot down from above...
Foot down from above...
... Shoe stands on the platform.
... Shoe stands on the platform.
Pushing the foot forward from behind...
Pushing the foot forward from behind...
... Click.
... Click.
... every time.
... every time.

On top of that, the whole package is available for a fair 89 euros - in ten color variants, including specially tuned cleats, which I honestly only discovered when disposing of the paper packaging. But let's be honest: any more perfection would have almost been cheesy.

Clear conclusion: For me, a definite purchase recommendation and perhaps also the perfect gift idea for your better half.