Silca’s all-new 3D-printed titanium two-bolt mountain bike clipless pedal cleats are claimed to last four times longer than brass cleats.
The $85 cleats are 3D-printed from 6Al 4V titanium using a ‘hollow’ construction, with the void left behind filled with a gyroid lattice.
The key claimed advantage of titanium cleats is increased strength, with these said to be around two times stronger than stock brass cleats. This adds up to a life expectancy of around three-to-four times that of a standard brass cleat.
!["Silca]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2021/11/CleatIsoSection-sw_1800x1800-1b4e69b.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Silca")
Brass cleats are used on Time Atac and Link pedals, as well as Crankbrothers pedals. However, the product page for the cleats does not specify how the cleats compare to stock Shimano SPD cleats – which are made from steel – in terms of longevity.
We’ve asked Silca to clarify and will update this article when we have more information.
The cleats are also claimed to save a modest amount of weight, with the whole titanium cleat and hardware kit claimed to shave off up to 30g compared to a stock set of steel Shimano cleats.
!["Silca]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2021/11/SILCA-Shimano-Cleats-Blue-Shoes_1800x1800-4c37303.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Silca")
The titanium cleats are said to be slightly less strong than the steel retention plates used in clipless pedals. This means they are still the wear/disposable item in a typical pedal system.
!["Silca]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2021/11/SILCA-Cleat-Collection3_1800x1800-1-9a65605.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413" "\"Silca")
The cleats are available for standard two-bolt Shimano SPD systems, Crankbrothers pedals and 10-degree Time Atac pedals.
Naturally, the cleats come with matching titanium hardware. Unusually, these use a T25 head (a 4mm hex head is more commonly employed on cleats), with Silca claiming these are less prone to long-term wear.
The $85 cleats are said to have been tested by half a dozen athletes at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The cleats will ship in late November with international pricing TBA.