I recently had the chance to get an early hands-on test with the new Simucube ActivePedal Sport at the Sim Racing Expo, and my first impression is pretty simple. This could end up being the ActivePedal that makes the most sense for a lot more sim racers.
It uses the same software platform and supports the same effects as the higher-end ActivePedal Pro and Ultimate, but the hardware has been simplified to bring the price down. After actually driving with it, surprisingly little of the core ActivePedal experience feels like it has been lost.
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The ActivePedal Sport uses a more compact design that reminds me somewhat of the Moza mBooster. More importantly, Simucube has significantly improved the mounting situation compared with the enormous structure used by the Pro and Ultimate, making the Sport considerably easier to integrate into a normal simulator.
Build quality still feels rock solid. The main compromises are 60 mm of pedal travel and up to 100 kg of force, both lower than the more expensive ActivePedal models.
For a brake pedal, I really do not think the shorter travel is a major issue. Most people are not using huge amounts of brake travel anyway, and during my testing it never felt like something was obviously missing.
Using the Sport as a throttle or clutch could be a different story. Those pedals generally benefit from more physical movement, so 60 mm may start to feel a little short depending on your preferred setup.
This is where the ActivePedal Sport impressed me most. The actual response and overall feel were remarkably similar to the ActivePedal Ultimate I am already familiar with.
The software on our test rig offered the same adjustment and telemetry features, and all of the effects I tried felt just as convincing. ABS feedback, pedal characteristics, resistance curves, and the ability to completely change how the pedal behaves are still here.
The bigger limitation is force. 100 kg is absolutely achievable during normal use, and I was able to reach and exceed the Sport’s available force during testing. For most people that should still be plenty, but anyone who likes an extremely heavy brake pedal could genuinely run into its limit.
That is probably the main specification I would think about before buying one. The reduced travel barely bothered me as a brake, while the lower maximum force was something I could actually find while driving.
My first experience with the Simucube ActivePedal Sport was very positive. You still get the software, adjustability, telemetry effects, and much of the pedal feel that makes the Ultimate so impressive, but in a smaller package and at a much lower price.
There are compromises. The shorter travel may be less appealing for throttle or clutch use, and drivers who prefer an unusually heavy brake can reach the 100 kg limit.
As a brake pedal, though, the Sport makes a lot of sense. Based on this early test, it delivers a surprisingly large portion of the ActivePedal Ultimate experience without requiring you to buy the most expensive version.
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