With the Cyclo, Time Combines The Best Of Its Road And MTB Tech For Gravel

Time Cyclo gravel clipless pedals

Time created its first clipless pedal in 1986 and has brought us quite a few memorable models over the years: The Equipe Titan Mag, DH, Impact, RXS, iClic, ATAC, etc.

Time Cyclo gravel clipless pedals

I spent most of my time riding Time ATACs on dirt. I still have the original pair that my local shop mechanic, Tyson, recommended back in 1997/8. The bearing’s a bit rough now, but it’s still one of my go-to bikes even though I have a pair of XC6. They perform just as well on mountain as on gravel.

Time Cyclo 10 gravel clipless pedals
The carbon-bodied Cyclo 10

2019 marks the french firm’s entry into gravel-specific pedals and I am pretty stoked. It is as if Time decided to fuse together the best of their road tech with their mountain bike to create the Cyclo.

Time Cyclo 6 gravel clipless pedals
Bottom view of the mid-tier Cyclo 6

What you’ll get is a single-sided ATAC clamping mechanism (and together, the proven two-bolt ATAC cleat) with a refined IClic retention system that pre-opens the clamps whenever the user unclips for easier entry. For all you number nerds, the Cyclo comes with a 1090 mm² of contact area, +/- 5° angular freedom, +/-2.5 mm lateral freedom, 19mm stack height, plus a 53mm Q-factor.

Time Cyclo 2 gravel clipless pedals
The entry-level Cyclo 2

Three models will be offered starting late November: A $130, carbon-bodied Cyclo 10 with a claimed 128 grams per pedal; a $110 composite-bodied Cyclo 6 at 129 grams per side; and lastly $70 for the 145 gram Cyclo 2. All three models roll on steel bearings with hollow steel axles. The 10 and the 6 come with micro adjustable tension systems while the 2 will be preset at the factory.


Time Alpe d’Huez: A Climbers Dream

Time Alpe d'Huez Ulteam
Photo: Time

Named after the legendary Alpe d’Huez, aka that climb with 21 switchbacks in the Tour De France, the equally legendary Time is back with a bang with their all-new Altitude line of climbing bikes.

At 840 grams (small, unpainted), the Alpe d’Huez is the lightest frame ever produced by the French carbon specialist. Compared to its already feathery predecessor, the Izon, Alpe d’Huez is not only lighter but also boasts a 25% increase in stiffness-to-weight ratio.

Time Carbon Braiding
Photo: Time

What makes Time’s offering unique, however, is its proprietary manufacturing technique. Each frame starts with Time braiding their own fibers in-house to their own specifications including placement of fibers, fiber orientation and fiber material use such as Vectran fibers to absorb vibration and kevlar where high tensile strength is required. Such braiding allows Time to precisely tailor its construction.

Time Alpe d'Huez bike
Photo: Time

The sock-like weaves then undergo what Time calls Resin Transfer Molding (RTM). With RTM, the weaves are wrapped onto a solid fusible core, then resin is injected into the assembly to form their signature uniform, void-free weave. There’s a lot more than doing it just for good looks, as the RTM yields lower weight and more consistent results from frame to frame over the traditional bladder construction. Each Alp d’Huez uses as much as 3km of fibers. It’s also a labor intensive process that takes 22 hours to produce one frame. But Time firmly believes that the extra work produces a better bike overall.

Here’s a video that gives a look into the construction of an Alp d’Huez frame:

Three models in six sizes will be offered: a limited run of 50 bikes for the top of the line UL team ($16,200 complete); the 01 frameset for $5,150; and the 21 as a complete bike starting at $3,500.

Time Alpe d'Huez bike
Time Alpe d’Huez 01. Photo: Time

For the Ulteam and the 01, riders will be able to choose the optional Aktiv fork that places a mass damper within each fork leg to dampen out the road buzz. The Aktiv fork option adds an additional 200 grams, but it’s a proven system that might appeal to those who frequent rough roads. All Alpe d’Huez frames can be further individualized with custom paint and components on Time’s website. If you’re wondering where the disc-brake version is… it’s in the works.

Time Alpe d'Huez 21
Time Alpe d’Huez 21. Photo: Time