Tatze DC and DC Titan pedals on review

After a string of pedals aimed more at gravity and trail riding – flats, clipless, and combo pedals – Tatze now has its first model without a "cage" in the line-up. The manufacturer promises a high-quality, CNC-machined aluminium body with a large, stable platform. Inside sit three bearings, meant to keep the pedal spinning smoothly while also delivering good durability. The SPD-compatible release mechanism has adjustable release tension from 6 to 12 Nm, offers 5° of float and a 12° release angle. Tatze quotes the Q-factor at 55 mm.

The "standard" Tatze DC comes in at an RRP of 99.00 Euro. It's available in a small selection of anodised colours and, with its steel axle, weighs an official 339 grams (340 grams on the BIKEBOARD scale). That puts the pedal marginally above a Shimano XT pedal in terms of weight. Riders up to a maximum of 130 kg are cleared to hammer across XC courses and gravel roads on it. Weight weenies up to 90 kg can instead reach for the DC Titan, 60.00 Euro more. Thanks to its titanium axle, the flagship model brings the weight down to 288 grams (294 grams per our measurement). The Ti-axle version saves about 25 grams over an XTR pedal. Worth noting: the XTR pedal is a touch heavier and offers slightly less platform, but in return has almost 3 mm less stack height.

The Tatze DC Titan feels more grown-up than a classic XC clipless pedal right from the first metre. That's down less to the SPD mechanism itself than to the generously sized, CNC-machined pedal body. While many race pedals support the shoe almost exclusively via the cleat, the larger platform spreads the pressure noticeably more evenly. Especially on long gravel stretches or rough gravel descents, this gives the pedal a calmer, more secure feel without diluting the direct power transfer.

The clip mechanism also leaves a mature impression. Clipping in and out works cleanly, and release tension can be fine-tuned. Tatze markets its Easy-Out system as an advantage over classic SPD systems. In our real-world testing the mechanism worked reliably and never snagged, even under load – but we couldn't detect a clear advantage over a good Shimano SPD.

The combination of low weight and everyday practicality strikes us as particularly well judged. At 288 grams including the titanium axle, the DC Titan even undercuts a Shimano XTR race pedal, while staying well below it on price. At the same time, the triple bearing setup, available refresh kits and individually available replacement axles suggest that Tatze designed this pedal as a durable component rather than a disposable one.

There is one real catch, though: the titanium version is only approved for riders up to 90 kilograms. Anyone above that limit, or who rides particularly hard off-road on a regular basis, should reach for the cheaper steel-axle version instead.

Ever since I got the chance to review the Tatze Contact DH and Contact Combi, I'd been waiting eagerly for a "classic" caged-free SPD pedal from them. For me, those two SPD-equipped pedals were the first contenders that could genuinely go toe to toe with Shimano's original in terms of function. A few times I was tempted to bolt the McFly onto my XC bike – which only made me more curious about the DC: a cageless SPD pedal with an above-average platform size.

As you'd expect from Tatze, the pedal mechanism feels very assured. In other words: the standing feel, the free float, and the release feel are all right up at the top of the class. There is one small snag for me though – pun intended. In race situations, during the frantic clip-in at the start or when getting back on after a loose corner, it keeps happening that my cleat lands on one of the two upright pedal edges. The foot then sits so stably there that clipping in on the correct side is only possible by lifting the shoe off and setting it down again. If the same mis-step happens with a Shimano pedal, it simply flips over and you slide into the mechanism. This is presumably down to the more "flat-faced" design of the Tatze pedals – at least the same issue crops up with the similarly shaped Favero power pedals, for instance.

If this problem – which for me as a "racer" is quite significant, and downright dangerous in a mass start – didn't exist, I'd give this worthy Shimano alternative an unreserved recommendation. That said, I'll keep riding the pedal hard outside of racing, and will report back in a few months with some insight into its long-term durability. After all, the bearings and hardware still need to prove they can go the distance against Shimano. And away from the chaos between the start flags, these pedals ultimately cut a very assured figure.

We'll keep testing diligently... and report back here in detail.