Pick the pedal by where you ride
The Wolf Tooth ALT XC and the Wolf Tooth DEL are both SPD-compatible clipless pedals, and both come with Wolf Tooth cleats in the box. The difference is the riding they are built for. Wolf Tooth designed the ALT XC for trails and gravel roads. The DEL is a gravel race pedal with a one-sided binding, built to feel like a road pedal while you still wear walkable, mud-friendly SPD shoes.
If your rides mix singletrack and gravel, or you want your shoe to rest on the pedal body and not just the cleat, start with the ALT XC. If you race gravel, or you ride fast gravel and want the lightest, most road-like setup, look at the DEL.
How are the ALT XC and DEL different?
Here are Wolf Tooth's own numbers for the two standard pedals, side by side.
The Wolf Tooth DEL is the lighter of the two. Wolf Tooth lists the ALT XC at 294g and the DEL at 216g.
The Wolf Tooth DEL has the larger platform area for power transfer, at 559mm² against 443mm² for the ALT XC.
Both Wolf Tooth pedals are thin. The ALT XC body is 15mm thick and the DEL body is 14.7mm, which keeps your foot close to the axle.
The ALT XC is built around a different idea. Wolf Tooth points out that on many SPD pedals the cleat is the only real point of contact, and the ALT XC is shaped so the lugs of your shoe also rest on the pedal body. That gives a more stable feel on rough ground, where you are moving around on the bike.
The DEL has one binding side. Wolf Tooth says the single side keeps weight down and gives better cornering clearance, the room between the pedal and the ground when you lean the bike over in a turn.
The Wolf Tooth DEL shown here has its SPD binding on one side only, like a road pedal. You clip in on that side every time. Wolf Tooth built it this way to save weight and add cornering clearance for gravel racing.
Do my SPD cleats work with Wolf Tooth pedals?
Yes. Wolf Tooth says both pedals work with your existing SPD cleats, and both are tuned for the Wolf Tooth cleats that come in the box. Those cleats fit standard 2-bolt mountain shoes, release in more than one direction, and give you 5 degrees of float with a 12 degree release angle. Float is how far your heel can swing while you are still clipped in, and release angle is how far you twist before the pedal lets go.
Your shoes matter too. Wolf Tooth says the shoe needs hard rubber lugs on either side of the cleat, at the right height, so the shoe actually rests on the pedal body instead of rocking on the cleat.
SPD, 5° floatBoth Wolf Tooth pedals take SPD cleats, with 5 degrees of float and a 12 degree release using the included Wolf Tooth cleats.
17-4 PH stainless axleBoth use a heat-treated stainless steel axle running on three cartridge bearings and one igus bushing, the same design as Wolf Tooth's Waveform flat pedals.
51, 55 or 59mmBoth pedals let you change Q factor, how far the pedal sits from the crank, between 51, 55 and 59mm. They ship at 55mm.
5-year warrantyWolf Tooth warranties both pedals against defects for five years from purchase, for the original owner.
Setting the Q factor
Q factor is how wide your feet sit. On these pedals, Wolf Tooth measures it from the axle flange to the center of the binding, and you change it by moving spacers on the axle. The spacers always have to add up to 8mm. A separate kit of 2mm spacers adds 53mm and 57mm settings. Wolf Tooth says the change takes about five minutes with a couple of hex keys.
Two notes from Wolf Tooth worth knowing. The narrow settings can make unclipping harder with wide trail shoes, because the shoe can touch the crank arm. And if you ride both a mountain bike and a gravel bike, you may want the wider setting on the gravel bike.
Wolf Tooth's diagram shows where the spacers go on the pedal axle for each Q factor setting on the ALT XC and DEL. Moving spacers from one side of the bearings to the other moves the pedal in or out.
Installing and caring for them
- Grease the pedal threads.Wolf Tooth says to grease the threads before the pedals go on the crank arms. Both pedals fit standard 9/16-20 threaded cranks.
- Tighten with an 8mm hex.Wolf Tooth specifies 35 to 40 Nm on the pedal axle, set with a torque wrench.
- Set the cleat with tension backed off.Wolf Tooth says to turn the binding tension all the way loose while you set cleat position, then tighten the cleat bolts to 6 Nm and adjust tension to taste.
- Oil the rear binding every 50 hours.Wolf Tooth recommends a drop of oil on the rear binding every 50 hours of riding, and never pressure washing the pedals or spraying water into the seal.
We carry the Wolf Tooth ALT XC Clipless Pedal and the Wolf Tooth DEL Gravel Race Clipless Pedal, both in Black or Ultraviolet Purple. Wolf Tooth machines both in Minnesota from 6061-T6 aluminum. New to clipless altogether? Start with our post on choosing clipless pedals and shoes.
Common questions
What is the difference between the Wolf Tooth ALT XC and DEL?
The ALT XC is built for trails and gravel roads and is shaped so your shoe rests on the pedal body. The DEL is a one-sided gravel race pedal that is lighter, at 216g against 294g, with a larger 559mm² platform.
Are Wolf Tooth ALT XC and DEL pedals SPD compatible?
Yes. Both work with SPD cleats, and Wolf Tooth includes its own cleats in the box. The included cleats give 5 degrees of float and a 12 degree release.
Is the Wolf Tooth DEL one-sided?
Yes. The DEL has a single binding side. Wolf Tooth says that saves weight and gives better cornering clearance for gravel racing.
Can I change the Q factor on Wolf Tooth pedals?
Yes. Both pedals adjust to 51, 55 or 59mm using axle spacers and ship at 55mm. A separate 2mm spacer kit adds 53mm and 57mm.
What torque do Wolf Tooth pedals need?
Wolf Tooth specifies 35 to 40 Nm with an 8mm hex for the pedals, and 6 Nm for the cleat bolts.
What warranty do Wolf Tooth clipless pedals have?
Wolf Tooth covers defects in material or workmanship for five years from purchase, for the original owner. Normal wear is not covered.
Before you order pedals
Think about the rides you do most. Trails and mixed gravel point to the Wolf Tooth ALT XC, and gravel racing points to the DEL. Check that your shoes have rubber lugs beside the cleat. Wolf Tooth's clipless pedal user manual covers cleat setup and Q factor in detail.
Questions about your shoes or cranks? Ask us. If you want the lab to install the pedals and set your cleats, that is billed bench work.
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