The UCI bans the new Ekoi pedals and cyclists have to buy second-hand equipment

Ridiculous situation experienced by the cyclists of the French team Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur in the hours leading up to the second stage of the Étoile de Bessège when the UCI informed them that they were not authorized to use the Ekoi pedal prototype that they have been testing for several weeks.

Ekoi's giant pedals surprisingly banned by the UCI

The UCI has done it again. A few days ago it came to light that the French team Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur was testing a prototype of pedals built by the component and accessory firm Ekoi. Pedals characterized by their large platform and with a new cleat and anchor system to obtain the best force transfer that the brand itself valued at a gain of around 8 watts.

Surprisingly, the UCI decided to ban the use of them arguing that, although the use of these pedals had been correctly requested, the file had not yet been resolved. All this on the eve of the second stage of the Etoile de Bessège, hardly giving the team time to react whose riders had to ask other squads to lend them pedals and shoes to be able to compete that day using the Ekoi pedal system a proprietary system that requires specific shoes for its cleat system.

Some cyclists went to the extreme, not being able to find anyone who would lend them shoes and pedals to their size, to have to purchase these elements at some of the cyclist material sales stands that are usually set up at the start and finish of the race, a real nonsense.

Again, this calls into question the attitude of the UCI, very concerned about certain bureaucratic aspects being met, especially when the French team had been using the new Ekoi pedals for several weeks without any problem and it has been the publication in the media of this novelty that has brought them to their attention. Meanwhile, as is still criticized from the peloton, certain goals that are not compatible with cyclist safety are still allowed.

In any case, Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur and Ekoi have no other alternative but to wait for the relevant file to be resolved to continue testing these innovative pedals.