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Wolf Tooth ALT Performance Pedals: First Look
Wolf Tooth’s latest addition to its family of clipless pedals is the ALT Performance XC Pedal, offering many of the same features as the higher-tier options at a more affordable price. Find everything you need to know about the Wolf Tooth ALT Performance Pedals here…
Wolf Tooth Components introduced the Performance tier six years ago with the launch of the Premium Headsets and Performance Headsets. The idea is to offer the same high-quality components at a lower price point, with fewer bells and whistles. This summer, they added their Performance CTRL clipless and Waveform flat pedals to the lineup, and today, the ALT clipless pedals are receiving the Performance treatment.
Released last year, the Wolf Tooth ALT is a double-sided XC clipless pedal that uses a standard Shimano-style two-bolt cleat. Wolf Tooth provides its own cleat, but as Neil shared in his original review, they are essentially identical. The ALT pedal is currently available in a standard “premium” tier, an ultralight MKØ version, and, as of today, a lower-priced Performance version. Although the ALT Performance pedal shares a similar overall look to its higher-end siblings, its streamlined construction and feature set drop the price to $159 USD instead of $219 USD for the standard version.
The most notable difference is that Wolf Tooth designs the ALT Performance pedals in-house, then has a manufacturing partner in Taiwan machine and assemble them. Instead of Wolf Tooth’s go-to CNC-machined construction, the ALT Performance pedals use forged, post-machined aluminum, and instead of a stainless steel axle, they use a chrome-plated Chromoly steel axle. A standout feature of the high-end ALT pedals was their user-adjustable Q-factor system, but the Performance version ditches that for a fixed 55mm Q-factor.
Otherwise, the 15mm thickness is the same, and the shoe contact area is slightly larger, likely due to manufacturing limitations of forged vs. CNC-machined parts. Even with the changes, the ALT Performance pedals still weigh a touch less than my well-used Shimano PD-M8000 Deore XT Pedals, coming in at 338 grams (11.9 ounces).
Wolf Tooth ALT Pedals Compared
| Pedal Tier | Q-Factor | Weight | Construction | Axle | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALT Performance | 55mm Fixed |
11.5 oz
327 g
|
Forged/Post-Machined Alloy | Plated Chromo Steel | $159 |
| ALT Premium | 51/55/59mm |
10.3 oz
294 g
|
Fully CNC-Machined 6061-T6 Alloy | Stainless Steel | $219 |
| ALT MKØ | 51/55/59mm |
8.6 oz
245 g
|
Fully CNC-Machined 6061-T6 Alloy | DLC Titanium | $379 |
Like most Wolf Tooth products, ALT Performance pedals offer individual components as replacement parts, including the axle, bearings, and more. An owner’s manual and online video guides help customers disassemble, service, and reassemble the pedals at home. The pedals come with a two-year warranty covering defects in materials or workmanship from the date of purchase. The more expensive models come with a five-year warranty. They are available in six anodized colors: Black, Red, Orange, Gold, and Raw Silver.
It’s too early to share any first impressions or thoughts on the ALT Performance pedals, but I’m excited to see Wolf Tooth expanding the number of budget-friendly components in their lineup. Neil didn’t notice a massive difference in feel compared to Shimano’s SPD pedals, and I’m eager to log some mileage on these to form my own opinion. More specifically, are they worth branching out from Shimano’s tried-and-true SPD pedals?
Until then, the Wolf Tooth ALT Performance pedals are available now from WolfToothComponents.com or their network of dealers and distributors worldwide.
Further Reading
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