The American brand Wolf Tooth has made a name for itself in recent years with high-quality bike components. At its headquarters in Minnesota, the company develops and manufactures a large portion of its products in-house, placing great emphasis on well-thought-out designs, high manufacturing quality, and long-term spare parts availability. With the Waveform, Wolf Tooth offers a flat pedal designed to cover all applications, from trail riding to downhill.
The Waveform pedal is made from CNC-machined 6061-T6 aluminum. A striking feature is its thoughtfully designed platform: instead of a simple concave, Wolf Tooth uses a double concave shape that securely holds the shoe in place both lengthwise and crosswise. The pedal also boasts a generously beveled front edge designed to absorb impacts from rocks or roots and prevent snagging. The Waveform is available in two sizes: a 105 x 99 mm platform and a larger 112 x 106 mm version, which we used for our test. This allows riders to choose the appropriate platform size based on their shoe size. The pedal is also available in a variety of anodized colors, from understated black to eye-catching orange, gold, or purple.
The high level of development is also evident in the internal components. Each pedal features three fully sealed industrial bearings and an Igus bushing, reliably protected from dirt and water by a special radial seal. A total of 22 stainless steel pins, screwed onto the back of the pedal (eleven pins per side), provide grip. Conveniently, Wolf Tooth includes six spare pins with the pedal set, allowing for quick replacement of damaged ones.
On the trail, the Waveform makes a thoroughly convincing impression. The grip is excellent and provides a great deal of confidence both uphill and downhill. The pronounced concave is particularly noticeable on climbs: the shoe sits firmly on the platform and is noticeably easier to control when pulling up through the pedal stroke. At the same time, the grip is pleasantly balanced. The pedal holds the foot securely in position without making it feel glued down. Those who want to slightly adjust their shoe position while riding can still do so easily – a plus compared to particularly aggressive flat pedals.
Fortunately, we didn't have to put the beveled front edge to the test unintentionally. Nevertheless, we are convinced that the heavily rounded design serves its purpose when pedals strike rocks or roots, absorbing hard impacts better than more angular designs.
