TESTED: FUNN Ripper SPD Pedals

Words and photos: Georgina von Marburg

FUNN have been producing mountain bike components since the mid-90s, so despite their size, they have nearly two decades of experience to draw from. They even had riders such as Sam Hill and Greg Minnaar riding for them in their early years, a testament to their racing roots. Their pedals in particular having been catching eyes with their glossy finish and wide platforms, so I was very eager to get my hands on a set from Aussie distributor KWT Imports. I’ve used a host of SPD pedals in the past, but never found one that I really love. Whether it is lack of float or durability, I’ve always had some minor gripe with various pedals in the past. 

Out of the box, the FUNN Rippers have a high-quality finish and feel to them, as you would expect for $229.95. They tipped the scales at 572g without pins. The removable pins come with their own socket tool in the box, with eight pins for each pedal. The pins were extremely pronounced when installed, so much so that there was zero float when I eventually got my Ride Concept Hellions to clip in over the pins. This might work for different shoes or when a spacer is used under the cleat, but it was not the kind of grip I wanted. So I removed the pins and ran the pedals without them for the duration of the test.

While other brands such as DMR also use this system, the Funn pedals use a spring-loaded angular engagement system to allow to easy clip-in. The SPD unit is tilted upwards while not engaged, but then returns to a horizontal position in line with the cage when under load.

On the trail

Pedals are one of the most important touch points on a bike, alongside handlebar grips. These connect you to a bike, providing trail feedback and determining how you ride. So it’s essential that features such as grip, float, and spring tension are totally in-sync with the rider’s needs. 

My first time on these pedals was non-other than race day at the Mount Beauty round of the Victorian Enduro Series. Those who know, know: this round is as sketchy and steep as they get on mainland Australia. It had rained the night before the race, and there was still plenty of moisture in the air. I was apprehensive about trying new pedals on the day, but I was desperate for a bigger platform than the Shimano M9120 pedals I had been running on practice day. 

Despite leaving the pins out, my confidence was inspired with the amount of grip with  the pedals. I never felt like my foot was sliding across the platform unless I intentionally directed it. Which brings me to float: there’s an impressive amount of float on these pedals, enough to turn your knees adequately for awkward corners. Of course, there will never be as much float as flat pedals. However, I’d conclude there is definitely more float than Shimano pedals. Some riders may hate this, others will embrace it. It depends on your technique and riding style, but these provided the perfect amount of float for me. 

On trails that constantly demand a foot-out, the spring tension and general quality of the SPD system is integral to riding performance. Despite riding clips, I naturally put a foot out though many flat corners, and Mount Beauty is full of these. The FUNN spring tension works exactly the same as Shimano, and it took 4-5 turns clockwise before I found the perfect tension. The Ride Concepts Hellion shoes clipped in and out quickly, utilising the same knee sweep and foot action I used for years on Shimano pedals. It was easy to get used to the new Ripper pedals straight out of the box. 

Even in those sketchy moments where I could not clip back in in time, the platform was wide and grippy enough to be ridden for a couple seconds without clipping in. This is exactly what I was looking for in a set of gravity pedals, and the Rippers delivered. I continued to test the pedals at enduro races in Mount Buller, the dust pit that is Mansfield High Line, and the Enduro World Cup itself in Maydena. The pedals performed consistently across all locations. However, I am yet to test these pedals in extremely muddy conditions, so I will be curious to see their mud-shedding capabilities.  

Our take

After weeks of heavy-duty testing, it’s hard for me to fault these pedals. No play has formed in the axle, and while there are plenty of cosmetic scratches from hard hits, the Ripper pedals have withstood an absolute beating. I did notice some slight resistance and a very quiet creak forming where the axle meets the angular engagement system; however I’m not surprised with this given the conditions the pedals have been subject to. These pedals are also fully serviceable with KWT selling spare pins, clip mechanisms, and axle kits for all FUNN SPD pedals. 

And last but not least, these pedals are available in a beautiful array of different colours. You can stick with conservative black, or match and offset the colours of you bike with green, red, blue, orange, or silver. 

If you’re not quite happy with your current gravity pedal setup, I’d highly recommend trying the FUNN Ripper pedals. They’re incredibly durable and provide the perfect amount of float and grip on the gnarliest of trails.

RRP $229.95
From: kwtimports.com.au

Hits

• Wide platform
• Angular engagement system
• Extremely durable
• Serviceable 

Misses

• Pins are too long for most shoes