FIRST RIDE REVIEW & RELEASE

YOSHIMURA CHILAO SS FLAT PEDAL

Words by Robert Johnston  |  Photos by Max Rhulen & Sourpatch

Since 1954, Yoshimura has been crafting performance products for two wheel vehicles. In 2020 they added mountain bike components to their USA-made lineup, with high quality CNC-machined Stems and their Chilao Flat Pedals. Today, April 1st, 2024, Yoshimura is introducing the new Chilao SS pedals, with reduced weight and innovative patent-pending internals that promise to boost durability. We were stoked to put these new pedals to the test, and so far they’ve left us impressed.

SPECS

• Made In California
• Static Spring Internals
• CNC Machined 6061-T6 Body
• Proprietary Steel Alloy Spindle With Cerakote

WE DIG

WE DON’T

ABOUT THE YOSHIMURA CHILAO SS PEDAL

Yoshimura’s new Chilao SS pedal builds on their existing and successful flat pedals, sharing many of the same features and aesthetics that have gained their fans, but improving upon the original design with some tweaks both inside and out.

BODY | The Chilao SS body is still machined from 6061-T6 aluminum in their Chino, CA facility, and Type 3 Hard Anodized for a durable finish. With some tweaks to the design, Yoshimura was able to shave 18 grams from the body. This body is available in two sizes: the Large tested at 110mm Long x 107.25mm Wide, or the Small at 100mm Long x 95.5mm Wide for riders with smaller feet. The overall body profile is concave both fore-aft and laterally, encouraging the foot to sit “in” the pedal. Ten 7075-T6 pins feature on each side of the pedal, threading from the other side of the pedal to ensure they can be removed with ease and with a breakaway design to prevent hang-ups in a pedal strike.

INTERNALS | Inside you’ll find a three-cartridge bearing and one IGUS bushing setup to facilitate the pedal’s rotation and allow Yoshimura to achieve its thin overall body profile. The spindle at the heart of the Chilao SS is made from a proprietary Steel Alloy that’s given a Cerakote finish to boost durability. Yoshimura added 3mm to the Q-Factor of these pedals to reduce the likelihood of riders suffering from crank rub issues. Sealing the pedal is a V-Ring dust seal, which is claimed to ensure maximum protection from the elements. Yoshimura offers comprehensive service kits to keep them running smooth.

FEATURES | Yoshimura placed a focus on durability with the new Chilao SS, implementing a new patent-pending axle system they’re calling “Static Spring” (hence the SS in the name). The Static Spring system makes use of a coil spring within the end of the pedal body, between the end cap and the outer bearing, which is designed to apply a consistent preload to the internals to avoid damage from over-tightening and to account for any wear over the pedal’s lifespan. This minimizes side load on the pedal dust seal and cartridge bearing races, which should enhance durability in the long haul.

The second design point that’s unique to the Chilao SS pedals is the impact flange on the spindle. In a pedal strike instance, loads are transferred from the pedal body directly into the spindle, avoiding the bearings. This should avoid damage and wear and tear sustained from crashes and side-on pedal strikes, helping to prolong the bearing life further.

OPTIONS | The Made-In-USA Yoshimura Chilao SS pedals are available in a choice of four colors and weigh in at a claimed 360g for the Large size. Retail prices are $229 for the large and $219 for the small size – available from the Yoshimura Cycling website directly. The Chilao SS flat pedals do come with Yoshimura’s limited lifetime warranty which you can learn more about on their site.

THE WOLF’S FIRST IMPRESSION

We’ve had a set of the new Yoshimura flat pedals on rotation for the last couple of months, between mountain bikes, eBikes and with considerable time on my new BMX to ensure strength is suitable. So far they’ve passed with flying colors, but this is not a long-term durability report and we’re currently unable to comment on the effects of the Static Spring technology on their bearing life. What we can comment on is their feel and overall impressions of quality. Both of these are places where the Yoshimura Chilao SS pedals rank very highly, though you’d hope so given their premium price tag.

Platform size sits in a happy place for me, giving my US 11.5 feet plenty of real estate to work with. The slightly increased Q-factor will be much appreciated by some – especially those wearing bulkier shoes – as it allows for comfortable and centered foot placement with reduced likelihood of crank rub. They now sit in a fairly average position that’ll likely work for most riders.

The pins strike a nice balance between aggression and shin-friendliness. Their slightly larger diameter prevents them from being overly dangerous, but the threaded top ensures the pins stick fast to your sole rubber. The thin platform is notable and will undoubtedly help to avoid a few pedal strikes compared with bulkier offerings. I appreciate the angled leading edges too, helping the pedal to slide over impacts.

Overall feelings of quality are about as high as it gets from a mountain bike flat pedal. The anodizing is durable and the finish exudes premium construction to match their high price tag. The ability to customize pin color and body color independently will be appreciated by riders looking to add a touch of class (or bling) to their bike.

The Static Spring system had me a little concerned initially, as it allows for a 2-3mm of axial movement of the pedal, albeit with the resistance of the spring. Much to my relief, I was unable to feel this movement when riding, and there was never a sound out of the pedals both when weighted and when off the bike.

I did wonder if their impact flange design may make the pedal more susceptible to “sticking” when loaded axially and trying to rotate – imagine pedaling aggressively across an off camber – but I was unable to make this issue manifest.

We’ll be logging many more miles – both in the air and on the ground – on the Yoshimura Chilao SS pedals to report on their long-term durability, so stay tuned for that. But for now, we’ve got no reason to question their suitability to sustain abuse for the long haul. 

Price: $229
Website: Yoshimuracycling.com