Test - Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Sprint crankset

At AUTOhebdo, we talk to you about racing games, but also about hardware. Here is a crankset that should catch your attention if you want to get into simracing.

Published on 11/09/2020 à 14:46

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Test – Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Sprint crankset

By Laurent DEHEPPE

There are dozens of steering wheel/pedal sets, each with its own distinct characteristics. To put it simply, there are indirect steering wheels (the least expensive) and direct steering wheels (Direct Drive). For cranksets (apart from hydraulics), it's the same thing.

There are those with Load-Cell and those without Load-Cell. To transcribe the value of the downforce in a game, we use the Load-Cell. You must also remember that the crankset is the most important element in your configuration, because as you know, the difference is made when braking.

A brake that wants to be realistic must be able to withstand a maximum pressure of around 60 kg for GTs and more than 100 kg for single-seaters. And not many of them offer this. We therefore present to you here a pedal board which has its characteristics, thus wanting to be very realistic.

For those who don't know Heusinkveld (HE), this Dutch manufacturer is a reference in the world of simracing, in particular thanks to its cranksets, but also its shifters and hand brakes.

Each pedal is designed differently and the quality of the materials is evident. ©Heusinkveld

A customizable set-up

We have tested many pedal boards (see article “ What equipment to get started ), but of this quality, rarely. And yet, the HE Sim Pedals Sprint is not the brand's top of the range. However, it is far above the standards. First of all, it is made entirely of micro-blasted steel and benefits from impeccable manufacturing quality.

Then you have to consider that you are going to do your own configuration. Either three pedals or two pedals, accelerator and brake of course if you don't use a clutch in your games. Then you need to add a plate which will attach to your chassis and on which you can position the pedals as you wish. More or less forward and more or less apart.

For example if you do heel-toe, you can perfectly adjust the accelerator and brake. As for the pedals, they are all adjustable in terms of angle and hardness. The clutch meanwhile has a regressive spring mechanism to simulate a typical concave curve. But what interests us is obviously the brake.

That of the HE Sprint absorbs up to 65 kg of maximum real braking force, which is quite sufficient. The two-stage braking system consists of an initial adjustable coil spring, simulating the gap between the pads and discs, and elastomeric rubbers provide the feeling of braking by compressing under pressure. The firmness of the pedal is adjusted by choosing from six different rubber heights.

You can therefore have a hard or soft pedal with variable travel. Once on the track, the crankset turns out to be absolutely incredible. The feeling is without comparison with what currently exists at Thrustmaster, Logitech and even Fanatec.

The brake is the most important part of the assembly. It supports 65 kg of real load, but it is possible, thanks to SmartControl, to vary this force. ©Heusinkveld

That's not all !

Now that we have covered the mechanical part, let's move on to the software part which, again, is very interesting. The HE Sprint is compatible with the SmartControl software dedicated to it. Rest assured, you don't need to be an engineer to configure the pedal board, it's even very simple.

This is what SmartControl software looks like, you can do absolutely everything.

SmartControl allows you to set an instant map of the pedal output curves (non-linear), dead zones but also the force of the brake pedal. Each pedal can be adjusted independently. You can map non-linear output curves using 6 distinct areas.

Each setting can be saved. If you play several games, simply load the appropriate profile and that's it! HE also provides pre-sets for the most popular simracing games like iRacing or Assetto Corsa Competizione.

It is these elastomeric rubbers which will define the hardness of the pedal. You have different erasers for 6 different set-ups. Then simply turn the black dial to compress them more or less and define your braking attack. ©Heusinkveld

Verdict

The HE Sprint is the best crankset we have tested to date. On the border between professional pedalboards and those called “general public”, it is perfectly configurable and offers an excellent steering sensation. If you want to do simracing, invest in a high-performance set offering you sensations close to reality, we strongly recommend it.

Certainly, the price may seem high, but given the quality offered by HE, you should consider the Sprint as a long-term purchase.