At the heart of this feat is Time’s ATAC retention system. This uses a twin-bar design, similar to Crank Brothers (although Time has been using it much longer than the U.S. brand). A ramp at the back end of the unit also helps guide the cleat into place and all but eliminates guesswork. It isn’t a positive engagement – there’s no loud snap like a Shimano SPD pedal – so you do have to wiggle your foot to see if you are secured.

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The brass cleat is also similar in style to Crank Brothers but has a considerably lower profile. Normally, depending on the shoe combination, this would mean shimming the cleat away from the sole would be necessary, but thanks to the design and function, this isn’t the case with the MX6. There’s around five degrees of angular float to provide a natural feel when clipped in, but without any slots in the cleat itself, you can’t tune the Q factor – how close your feet are to the cranks.

The composite body helps reduce the overall weight of the MX6. While it’s not the largest platform on the market, it does provide a solid connection to the shoe. This is most obvious when pushing hard through corners when the whole of the rear portion of the pedal engages solidly with the shoe. It also places the foot close to the axle, making it feel pretty efficient when pedalling.