CONSPIT CPP APEX Hydraulic Pedals – Review

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CONSPIT CPP Apex Hydraulic Pedals – Review

CONSPIT has launched a new entry-level pedal set on the market with the CPP APEX pedals. Similar to the recently tested steering wheels, it is an absolute price-performance hit. You can find out how it performs in the review here.

Prices and Ordering

CONSPIT offers the CPP APEX pedals as both a 2-pedal and a 3-pedal set. The pedals can now be purchased directly from the manufacturer’s own shop as well as from official partner shops.

CONSPIT quotes the following prices excluding shipping costs and any applicable taxes and customs duties:

CPP APEX Two-Pedal: $319 | €274 | £233
CPP APEX Three-Pedal: $369 | €317 | £272

You can get the pedals from the German shop Sim-Motion at the following prices including shipping and VAT.

CPP APEX Two-Pedal: 329 €
CPP Clutch: 59 €

CPP APEX Pedals (CONSPIT)

CPP APEX Pedals (Sim-Motion EU)*

5% Sim-Motion Gutscheincode / Coupon code: simracingpc-5

The product tested here was provided by the manufacturer. No influence was exerted on this review at any time.

Scope of Delivery

CONSPIT includes the usual components with the pedal set and is very generous, as it contains everything you need. In addition to replacement elastomers and springs, it also includes the right tools and a screw set for mounting on the rig.

Pedals
Base plate
Bracket
Elastomers and springs
USB-C cable
Screws and bolts
Tool kit
Stickers

Compatibility and Connections

The pedals are designed exclusively for use with a PC. The enclosed USB-C cable is connected to the PC in one of two ways.

Pedals -> PC: The pedals are connected directly to the PC.
Pedals -> CONSPIT base: The pedals are connected to a CONSPIT base via a CAN port.

In addition to the USB port, there is also a connection for the optionally available M-DVF Vibration Modules from CONSPIT on the right-hand side of the base plate. To operate the vibration motors, however, the pedals must be connected directly to the PC.

Mounting

The pedal set has a very well thought-out design: either two or three pedals (with an additional clutch) can be mounted on the base plate made of plastic and aluminum. The corresponding threads are prepared for this so that the pedals can be screwed into various positions. For easier wiring, the metal cover can be temporarily removed so that the connecting cables between the individual pedals and the controller unit can be conveniently plugged in and routed. Overall, the base plate is very well designed and significantly enhances the pedal set, also thanks to the integrated heel rest.

The entire base plate can be easily screwed to the rig of your choice with four screws thanks to its easy accessibility from above. Both screws and nuts are included; for aluminum profiles, you only need the appropriate slotted nuts. CONSPIT has also thought of desk drivers: there is an optional bracket that allows the pedals to be leaned directly against the wall behind the desk, for example. In theory, this makes the pedals less likely to slip away. In practice, however, it is still ideal to have a fixed rig or at least a wheel stand.

Unfortunately, due to the design, it is not possible to adjust the distance between the pedals and the driver individually. Additional washers or adapters would be required for this.

Pedals

The individual pedals are very compact. Except for the purple accents and the rods, they are made entirely of black anodized aluminum. They are very cleanly beared and have no annoying lateral play. The design is very similar for all pedals, with the brake standing out due to its hydraulic system. However, there is no provision for adjusting the (well-choosen) end stops.

There are two holes on the underside of each pedal for mounting on the base plate.

Brake Pedal

The highlight of the set is the brake pedal. It uses a hydraulic system, which is extremely unusual for a pedal set in this price range. The vertically mounted hydraulic unit uses an automotive-grade hydraulic sensor designed for a maximum force of 10 MPa (100 bar) and a combination of elastomers and springs that create the actual braking feel. The latter are inserted into the upper part of the hydraulic system, which can be loosened by unscrewing it using the tool supplied. The process may well take a few minutes. You can then also set the preload of the system, which primarily affects the initial braking feel. To do this, turn the purple cover from its starting position (see image) clockwise or counterclockwise. A preload of around 4 bar was selected for the test.

There are two ways to customise the braking feel to your own needs:

Pivot point: Here you select one of the three possible positions. The selection influences the required and at the same time maximum possible force that can be exerted on the brake pedal. At the lowest setting this is approx. 500 newtons, at the two higher settings the value changes in the ratio 1 : 1.2 : 1.45. In the middle setting the force thus increases to approx. 600 newtons and in the highest setting to approx. 725 newtons. The latter corresponds to a maximum force of around 75 kg on the faceplate of the brake pedal. For comparison: The Heusinkveld sprint pedals rely on a 120 kg load cell, which allows a maximum braking pressure of 65 kg.
Elastomer and spring: The braking feel can also be changed by replacing the installed spring (which mainly affects the initial braking feel) and the elastomer. In addition to the installed parts, CONSPIT includes two additional springs and elastomers in the scope of delivery.
- Elastomers in descending order of hardness: black, yellow (18 mm diameter, installed), yellow (16 mm).
- Springs in descending order of hardness: brown, green (installed), red.

Each set includes a spring, which primarily affects the initial braking feel in “Stage 1,” and an elastomer, which primarily affects the braking feel in the remaining range. For a desk setup, for example, you should opt for the combination of a red spring and the softer yellow elastomer, while otherwise you can try out the various combinations as you wish. For the review, the original green spring was used in combination with the black elastomer (at the highest pivot point and 100 bar calibration).

The resulting braking feel was exceptionally good for a pedal in this price range and made it possible to hit braking points repeatedly and safely. In this respect, the pedals perform significantly above their price level, similar to the CONSPIT steering wheels we tested recently. At the same time, however, the documentation provided could be more detailed in some areas.

Throttle Pedal

A throttle pedal is of course also included in the scope of delivery to match the brake. This has a closed design to provide protection against external influences such as dirt and dust, according to CONSPIT. The required force can be adjusted in three stages by selecting the pivot point. To do this, the pedal assembly can be compressed by hand in a few seconds and snapped into another hole. The required force is within the typical range and the maximum strength is slightly above that of MOZA’s CRP2 pedals, for example. The pedal’s deflection is measured using a wear-free Hall sensor.

The pedal runs very smoothly and can therefore be adjusted very finely. However, what cannot be adjusted is the starting point of the pedal or the position of the end stop. If you are looking for a pedal that is outside the norm (the travel is subjectively optimally selected), you may be better off with other pedal sets.

Clutch Pedal

The clutch pedal has the same design as the accelerator pedal, but offers slightly harder resistance. The pedal was only tested briefly during the test, but at an additional cost of just €59, it is almost a must-have upgrade. The functional pedal does not feature a complex design with pivot points or multiple springs for a more clearly defined friction point.

Face Plates

Two (or three) identical aluminium face plates, which can be screwed into different positions (height and lateral offset), ensure contact with the feet. If necessary, the angle of the pedals can be adjusted slightly in relation to each other via two slotted holes on the sides of the mount. For use at a desk, however, the maximum angle could be slightly greater. Otherwise, the plates do not stand out either negatively or positively and offer a medium grip thanks to the holes.

Software

In addition to the hardware, the right software is of course also required. CONSPIT relies on its own solution called CONSPIT Link. This offers four setting windows for the pedals.

Overview: The pedal traces and the current brake pressure in bar are displayed here.
Calibration: Here you can calibrate the three individual pedals, create pedal curves and also set the maximum force in bar for the brake pedal.
Vibration: The function of the optional vibration motors can be defined here. You can currently choose between ABS, TC, Wheel Lock and Wheel Slip.
Launch Control: Here you can define an automatic launch control with a predefined curve for the clutch pedal, which can be called up using a hotkey.

Overall, the software is functional and everything works perfectly once it has been set up. However, it lacks convenient features such as selectable profiles, (easier) dead zone selection and pedal curves with more than three points.

Driving Impression

Conclusion

The CONSPIT CPP APEX Pedals are an excellent piece of hardware. Like the manufacturer’s recently tested steering wheels, the pedals offer outstanding value for money and utilize materials typically found in much more expensive hardware. This makes the limitations in adjustability easy to overlook, especially given the excellent brake feel and very good throttle pedal. Overall, the CONSPIT CPP APEX Pedals are a clear purchase recommendation and sensibly expand the manufacturer’s pedal lineup downward.