TriRig Mercury: Installation and F.A.Q.
article & images by Nick Salazar
Jun 27, 2013  hits 60,142

Mercury is now in production! Head to the TriRig Store to get yours.
Just three parts per pedal. It doesn't get simpler than this.

The highly-anticipated TriRig Mercury pedals are finally here. Head to the Store to pick up a pair for yourself. This article contains installation information, as well as frequently-asked questions about Mercury. We have made some significant changes since the first production batch, and the new Mercury pedals are better than ever. There's a lot going on with the new hardware. If you aren't familiar with Mercury, we definitely recommend having a look at the in-depth introduction articles to get a sense of just why they're so special.

For those of you who are already familiar with what Mercury is all about, here is what has been updated for production going forward:

Mercury: What's New?

    Spindle
  • Solid core
  • No rider weight limit
  • The first change we have made to Mercury is to convert the hollow-core spindle into a solid piece of titanium. The additional material adds just 9 grams of weight to each spindle, but makes a world of difference in terms of strength and durability. And most importantly, it allows us to remove the Mercury rider weight limit! That's right, now anyone can get on board with the coolest pedals on the market.
    Bearing
  • Streamlined construction
  • Higher-quality nylon
  • Perhaps the most noticeable change in terms of design is the new bearing. The original Mercury bearings included the flanges that function to prevent lateral cleat movement. But they were subject to damage if the user clipped in incorrectly. So, the flanges were moved off the bearing and onto metal features, which means the bearing is now just a simple cylinder. The elegance of this solution had me wondering why we didn't just do this in the first place.
  • We have upgraded the nylon from the original version of the Mercury. The new PTFE material is stronger, exhibis lower friction, and has a beautiful aesthetic finish.
  • Also, every Mercury assembly now includes two sets of bearings. The standard bearings come pre-installed on the pedals, and a second oversized set of bearings ("OS bearings") is included in the box. These may be necessary in cases of poor cleat retention. Please refer to the installation page for more information on the OS bearings.
    End Bolt
  • Replaces Bearing Flange
  • Standard and reverse threading
  • As mentioned above, the first-gen bearing flanges were moved off the bearing. They've been placed instead onto existing features of the Mercury design. The outboard flange is now part of the end bolt which holds the whole pedal together. This ensures that no matter how poorly a user clips into the pedals, everything will remain undamaged.
  • Moreover, those end bolts now have individual thread directions. The drive-side end bolt is reverse-threaded (left-hand threaded). The non-drive-side end bolt uses standard (right-hand) threads. This ensures that even if the pedal end bolt is under-torqued, no amount of improper pedal technique could possibly cause the pedal to come apart during a ride.
    The Rest
  • Same great pedals
  • The rest of Mercury's great features remain the same. The ultra-low stack height, Q-factor adjustment, and minimal cleat design are all unchanged. The complete system (pedals, cleats, and ALL fastening hardware) comes in at a scant 151g. The pedals alone are 93g. And yeah, that's 93g for the PAIR of them.

On the next page, we'll go through detailed instructions on how to install, adjust, and use your Mercury pedals. Also, have a look at the image gallery and refer to the captions for additional installation details.

Next: Installation

Tags » mercuryinstall,  mercurypedals,  pedals,  tririg
  • This is the TriRig Mercury - our take on the perfect pedal.
  • Mercury pedals are simplicity defined. Just three parts per pedal, and they look oh so good. The revised bearings are now just a simple cylinder. The lateral retention flanges have been moved to metal components for greater durability.
  • The new nylon bearing material we've selected is more durable than before, and almost looks a bit like carbon fiber. Works for me!
  • The system is held in place by an M8 End Bolt that also provides lateral cleat retention. The non-drive side bolt (left) has the stripe, and standard threads. The drive-side bolt (right) is plain, and reverse-threaded.
  • Mercury's cleats are as simple as the pedals. The one-piece nylon construction is simple to use and simple to clean. And there's just a touch of TriRig class with the TR logo embossed into each cleat body.
  • The non-drive-side pedal (right) is identified by the small stripe on the spindle.
  • And here is the money shot. Just 93g for both pedals, and no rider weight limit.
  • Just 151g for the complete system including cleats and all hardware.
  • When using the black Spacers (left) to adjust the pedal's Q-factor, you must also slide the corresponding aluminum washer (right) onto the End Bolt. For each pedal, you can choose +0mm, +3mm, +6mm, or +9mm of Q-factor adjustment.
  • Shown here is the 6mm spacer being installed on the non-drive-side pedal. The 6mm washer is on the End Bolt.
  • The cleat bolts are very straightforward. The oval Sub-Washer (far right) is installed first, to distribute load evenly on the nylon cleat. Then the M5 washer (center) slides on the bolt, and you tighten as normal.
  • Here's the cleat with just the oval Sub-Washers installed.
  • It can be confusing to talk about reverse and standard threads without a visual to help wrap your brain around it.
  • Another detail shot of the stripe which helps to help differentiate the drive-side from non-drive-side pedal.
  • The standard grey bearings come pre-installed on the Mercury pedals (left). A second set of dark brown Oversized Bearings are included with the Mercury pedals for use if your particular installation results in low cleat retention and/or unintended clip-outs.

Related Articles
The Mercury pedals are getting very close to a public launch. Have a look at the installation video and pictures of the first prototype set.
The revolutionary Mercury pedals are going to surprise you. And they're offered with a SIX MONTH return policy!
Our biggest sale all year. Save BIG on Omega X, Alpha X, Alpha Classic, and Mercury.
It's time to have a serious talk about pedals. We're going to review a wide variety of pedal types, as well as talk at length about fixed vs float.
A little Black Friday preview! Snag 15% off the most innovative bike in triathlon. Sale lasts until Sept 28th or while supplies last, subject to change without notice.