Deity T-Mac Flat Pedal Review

The Deity T-Mac has a very square pedal body which is extruded and machined from 6061-T6 aluminium using Deity’s unique symmetrical design.

• Brand: Deity
• Product: T-Mac Flat Pedal
• From: Zyro Fisher
• Price: £149.99
• Tested by: Ross for 6 months

The Deity T-Mac is the signature pedal of Californian freerider Tyler McCaul. Deity claim that the T-Mac was developed over more than two years, using multiple moulds and prototypes, along with months of real world testing to get the “perfect shape and performance”

The platform measures up at 110mm x 105mm – the biggest pedal Deity have made – and is a symmetrical, non-offset design on the axle. This is designed to give an even weight distribution in front and behind the axle, increase the “size feel” of the pedal, to give more contact and make for a more stable footing. 

Each pedal features 14 dual sided, pre-threadlocked pins each side in a symmetrical layout. The pedal itself features a highly concave profile (2.5mm). The pedal measures in at 14mm thick at the centre. The axle is made from heat-treated cromo which runs on “micro sealed” bearings along with Deity DU bushings. The axle also features something called a “load distribution system” to prevent excessive bearing loads.

The T-Mac is available in nine different colours and comes supplied with a spare set of pins. Fitting and removal can be done with either an 8mm hex or a standard 15mm spanner. 

Performance

I’ve been running the Deity T-Mac flatties for around six months now and they’ve seen their fair share of mixed weather and mixed terrain. From baked-dry dusty goodness to monsoon-like slopfests, from loamy local tracks to high French alpine rockfests. They are still spinning freely with no notchiness or play in the bearings.

The platform on the T-Mac pedals not only looks big, but it also definitely feels big. It’s a reassuring footful that offers loads of support and is a huge target to aim for when you drag a foot. As it’s so big you can generally just slam your foot down and get a good position without feeling like your foot is hanging off the edge like you can get with a smaller platform.

The grip on offer is also up there with the best. I’ve used them with a range of shoes (Five Ten and Ride Concepts mainly) and the grip is genuinely top end. The aggressive and plentiful pins, along with the concavity of the platform give the T-Mac flats a huge amount of grip; I can’t remember any instances of slipping a pedal. Ever.

That mega-grip means that it’s more of a lift-off maneuver to reposition your foot if needed, as opposed to the quicker/safer ‘shuffle’ you can execute on other less tenacious pedals. 

The concave shape is comfortable under foot, and my feet remained comfortable and hotspot / numbness free whether it was an extended pedal, or a 20 minute alpine descent. I found that the ball of my foot would sit just in front of the axle, which seemed to aid grip and comfort, without ever feeling like I had to try and ‘grip’ the pedals with my toes. 

My issue has been that the size – or is it possibly that super symmetrical square-edge design? – doesn’t lend itself to shrugging-off pedal strikes. Partly because they are so big, I seemed to experience a few more pedal strikes than is typical with the T-Mac pedals.

And it’s hard to say with pedal strikes, but I do wonder if it’s because of the platform’s square profile has been a contributory factor a couple of these strikes ending up with pretty hefty crashes. An angled leading edge (found on pretty much every other flat pedal) would have potentially helped brush these off, letting the pedal glance off rocks/stumps/etc a little easier. 

Overall

The Deity T-Mac flatties are definitely some of the best flat pedals currently out there in terms of grip and feel. They offer bucket loads of grip combined with a massive, reassuring platform. They’ve so far also proven to be pretty tough and durable. If you’re looking for some big, confident, grippy pedals then these could well be what you want. If you ride in places that are potential pedal strike zones, a more traditionally shaped pedal would be a safer bet.

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Review Info

Ross Demain

Ad Sales Manager

Ross pairs his childlike excitement for bikes with a complete disregard for the wellbeing of his ribs, or his rims. Best known for riding cheeky trails, his time is also spent trail building in his local woods, drinking beer, eating pies and entertaining his two children.

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