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Submitted by
Jari
a Weekend Warrior
from Tuusula, Finland
Date Reviewed: September 7, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Mätäkivi | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | Pyöräliike Lindgren | | Strengths: | Reliable | | Weaknesses: | Mud clearence worse than with Cranbrothers | | Similar Products Used: | Older SPD's with and without platform, Crank bros Candy, Smarty | | Bike Setup: | Specialized stumpjumper comp, factory specs(except. pedals) | | Bottom Line: | Good and reliable product. Bough these when I was returning from ride when I broke my Smartys(OEM pedals) and shop didn't had Eggbeaters on their shelve. Same construction than XT and XTR pedals but cheaper price. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
NA1NSXR
a Cross Country Rider
from Tustin, CA
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Strengths: | Same design as XT/XTR versions | | Bottom Line: | This pedal is excellent, straight up. It is functionally equivalent to the XT and XTR pedals above it, weighs practically the same, and is just as durable. You save money on materials but the difference is minimal and the 540 is so much more attractively priced. If you are looking for a new SPD pedal and don't usually pay hefty premiums for very dimished returns then this is your product. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
slyder327
a Cross Country Rider
from Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 15, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Albion Hills..Black | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$75.00 | | Purchased At: | Cyclepath | | Strengths: | Great price, and easy to disengage | | Weaknesses: | A little heavy...but great price | | Similar Products Used: | Lot's | | Bike Setup: | 08 Giant Trance 2 | | Bottom Line: | Great unit for the price, and I haven't had any problems coming unclipped on my way over. I did have to practice with them on the lower setting until I felt comfortable enough to really lock myself in, but no issues yet.
I ride mostly trail with long painful hills, and what goes up must come down .....usually along with some drop offs, mud, and roots. Never have these babies let me down. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chewman
a Cross Country Rider
from Burnsville, MN, USA
Date Reviewed: July 20, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Lebanon Hills | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$85.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Easy in & out, Moderately light, ok for beginners. Reasonable price | | Weaknesses: | Very shoddy springs, broke after less then 1 mile, 1st time out on the trail. | | Similar Products Used: | platforms, 1st clipless pedal used. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Rockhopper 08, mostly stock. | | Bottom Line: | At first was quite happy with them, got used to the clipping in and out very fast for a first timer on clipless.
Then i went to go riding on the trails with them to see how well they performed.... Didn't get more then half way down the trail before my right foot suddenly pulled out of the pedal on a short uphill climb. Didn't think anything of it, just thought it was due to having them adjusted on the easiest to get out of setting.
Kept going and started hearing a new clicking sound. I pulled over and couldn't seem to locate it so was just about to take off again and i noticed that i couldn't get my right foot to click into the pedal. Got off the bike and to my great surprise found out that the spring on one side(including the retention screw) was broken in half and the other half missing....
I would not have been so upset if this had happened a year from now or longer, but come on.. the 1st time out?
Not sure if was just a fluke and got a bad spring in one of my pedals or not. But i will definitely be returning these tomorrow and possibly getting Time ATAC XS or XT pedals. I just hope my LBS doesn't jack me seeing as i need good working pedals in two days. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Aaron
a Cross Country Rider
from Columbia, MO, USA
Date Reviewed: May 4, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | eBay | | Strengths: | Durable, great bearings, adjustability, cleats last a long time | | Weaknesses: | A little too heavy, but that results in increased strength and durability, so I guess it's worth it | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano PD-M545, PD-M424, Bebop Stainless | | Bike Setup: | Rigid XC racer | | Bottom Line: | I traded my Bebops for these pedals so my wife's and my bikes would have compatible pedals. Since I'd ridden SPDs in years past, they took no time at all to get used to. Unlike the Bebops, where you have to step directly down to clip in, SPDs allow you to push forward, which makes for a more natural engagement during pedaling.
Weight is the only obvious downside, but I can live with it. Some of that is made up by the smaller, lighter cleats as compared to the Bebop cleats. The cleats are also recessed enough to make for easier walking.
Since the majority of MTB'ers ride SPDs, you're more likely to be able to jump on a friend's bike without worrying about cleat/pedal compatibility.
Bottom line: mount these pedals to your bike and pretty much never think about them again. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a Weekend Warrior
from Southern California
Date Reviewed: March 3, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Marshall Canyon | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$55.00 | | Purchased At: | online somewhere | | Strengths: | Reliable, strong, light. Simple to use, even for first time clipless users. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano 520s | | Bike Setup: | '05 Specialized FSRxc | | Bottom Line: | They're simple and dependable. It's got the same design as the XTRs but less than half the price. Much lighter than the 520s, which are stock on many bikes. I've had zero problems with them for almost two years. Find a good price online and go with it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steven
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas
Date Reviewed: February 24, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Dorba Trails OCNP | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay | | Strengths: | Great pedal. Easy to get in and out of even with some sand or a little mud. Spins fast and not too heavy for the money. | | Weaknesses: | Haven't found any yet. Am sure for the weight people they would say these could be lighter. | | Similar Products Used: | Nashbar atb clipless which sucked!!!!
And platforms. | | Bike Setup: | Trek 4300 with some aftermarket stuff. | | Bottom Line: | I would highly recommened these pedals to anyone looking to start clipless.
I bought the $20 nashbar clipless pedals becuase I could see myself dropping $70 on some pedals I might not want. But the Nashbar pedals got my in and I saw how bad they sucked. Were hard to get in and out. And broke in about a month.
Have had these pedals for 6 months now and not one problem.
Once I had installed them I could instantly feel the less rolling resistance and easy of us!!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kyoseki
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Angeles, CA
Date Reviewed: November 13, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Guadalasco | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$75.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Attack | | Strengths: | Does exactly what it says on the tin | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Bike Setup: | Intense 5.5 | | Bottom Line: | These things work great, absolutely as advertised, they've put up with my Clyde ass for the last 2 years and despite many many pedal strikes still work as well as the day I bought them. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bepe
a Weekend Warrior
from UK
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Anywhere with trees and mud | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$55.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | I can clip in & clip out | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | PD-M515 | | Bike Setup: | Orange 5 | | Bottom Line: | I got these after taking the M515's back to the shop (see my review of those things!), and these are my first experience with clipless pedals. You can decide whether a review from a first-timer is relevant to you.
I'll quickly summarise what kind of riding I do...
I don't do downhill or freeride big drops, because I'm too old for that kind of excitement. But I do go cross-country and I don't shy away from much on the trails - I'll happily hit all kinds of mud, water, tree roots, rocks etc, and I go fast when I can.
Anyway, my experience with these has been great so far. I started by setting the tension at roughly half-way, to let me exit fast when I need to. They were fine from the start - in fact for a while I just cruised along like a fool just doing emergency unclipping practice, saying "BANG" each time I pinged my shoes off the pedals. (Yeah, I know!)
The times when I've genuinely needed to free my feet in a hurry - they've worked every time. No fuss, no panic. It's surprising how fast it becomes instinct, when you can set the pedals to a cooperative tension.
I'm gradually increasing the tension, but honestly I don't think I'll ever get anywhere near full tension (or even three quarters), because I haven't found them unclipping involuntarily.
I haven't ridden these pedals in really sticky mud yet, but they've been ridden in everything else from dust to liquid mud, and I've had no problems so far.
And that's the reason I'm only giving them 4 chillis overall rating - I don't know what they're like in really sticky mud, so I don't feel I can say they're outstanding. But, for everything I've experienced first-hand, they've been great. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Corstian Devos
a Cross Country Rider
from Philadelphia
Date Reviewed: July 25, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Any trail is a good trail | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycle Sonic | | Strengths: | Sheds mud and dirt as well as 858s/959s for a lot less $$. | | Weaknesses: | None found yet. I imagine that given the design they will not hold up for the 7 years that my 858s did but hey... they are also less than 1/2 the price. | | Similar Products Used: | Numerous SH Spd and knock-off pedals. SH 858s (much maligned but worked great for me for 7 years.) | | Bike Setup: | Stock Giant Glory Freeride except for the following: Giant grips replaced with OURY DH. Seat replaced with Fizik Atlas. Pedals, SH PD-M540. 2.5 Kenda tires switched for Conti Double Fighter frt and old faithful WTB Tyrannoraptor bk. Replaced stock Fox DHX 4.0 450 X 2.80 rear shock coil with 650 X 3.19 coil to get proper sag. ( As per Fox rep.) | | Bottom Line: | For the money and performance can't go wrong!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Richard
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney
Date Reviewed: May 26, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | sparrow hill | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Very easy to clip in and out. Have bashed them into rocks and they dont break | | Weaknesses: | Sometimes on tight corners i accidently clip out, however i only have the tension on the middle setting. | | Similar Products Used: | Time | | Bike Setup: | Trek fuels Ex8 with Gravity Dropper | | Bottom Line: | These pedals are great for those new to clipless. I tried Time Atac Z (the platform ones) and i could never clip out in time, which began to scare me, so i sold them. My friend has some old time atac's that were much easier to clip out of than the time Z's and had better float than shimano's so i am tempted to try some of those. These M540's seem like a great balance between being secure enough for general trail riding and easy exit for when you get into trouble. If you hammer through trails you may occasionaly find they dont have enough float for tight twisty stuff. If they had a little more float and the same ease of entry and exit they would be perfect. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Ballarat
Date Reviewed: April 12, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$75.00 | | Strengths: | eays to clip in and out of, they dont get clogged up easily when riding in the mud. | | Weaknesses: | If the tension isn't fairly tight your foot will come out when you try and deliver some serious power. | | Similar Products Used: | Numerous platforms | | Bike Setup: | hardtail xc | | Bottom Line: | A good performer once you get them adjusted properly. Very happy with them. May not suit someone who is really weight conscious but for eveyone else they are a great pedal. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeremy Bryan
a Weekend Warrior
from Black Hawk SD
Date Reviewed: April 7, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | anywhere | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$90.00 | | Purchased At: | Two Wheeler Dealer | | Strengths: | Very easy to learn on. Nice loud "click" upon engagement, holds you solid when you want to and let you go just as quick when you need them to. Easy to adjust. | | Weaknesses: | None that I've found. | | Similar Products Used: | Just a bunch of platforms. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Hardrock (2000) w/Truvativ 3.3 Team cranks, Avid SD5 brakes and levers, XO rear derailleur, XO carbon trigger shifters, XT Cassette, PC-991 chain, Mavic wheels with Deore hubs, SPD-540 pedals, Specialized Fast Trak Pro tires. | | Bottom Line: | This is my first attempt at clipless and I'm impressed. I'm now kicking myself for not taking the plunge seven years ago when I bought the bike.
Going from platforms to clipless is probably the easiest, most noticible upgrade that you can do for a bike! The increased power and control is amazing compared to platforms.
I haven't tried any other brands of clipless so I can't honestly compare "brand to brand" but I doubt that any of them out there are really any "better" than these.
I highly recommend them if you're looking at going clipless. These pedals look the same as the 520s but I got the 540s because of the smoother bearings. The 540 just seems like a much better product that will last a lot longer.
While I'm not a huge Shimano fan, I have to give these things 5 flaming jalapenos on each, they're really good! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City, UT
Date Reviewed: March 31, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Strengths: | These pedals are very reliable, just as you should expect from shimano. Tension adjustment is quick and easy. Clip in/out also did not present any problems. | | Weaknesses: | These pedals occasionally let go when you're really pedalling hard. It's frustrating - I wish they didn't do that. | | Similar Products Used: | I have some speedplay zero's on my road bike - they never clip out unintentionally. | | Bike Setup: | 2000 Kona roast hardtail, hayes hydraulic disk brakes, xtr derailleurs, marzocchi fork | | Bottom Line: | These are good reliable pedals for the money, but they will let you down when you need them the most. If you're just a beginner rider, you'll never have problems with these pedals. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Garry
a Cross Country Rider
from Virginia Beach, Virginia
Date Reviewed: December 28, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Seashore State Park | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson USA | | Strengths: | Very well built pedals, easy in easy out, great bearings that are serviceable by the user, good float. | | Weaknesses: | Just make sure you take the time to adjust the tension for your style of riding but thats not a weakness but it dose help wth the ride in the long run. But other than that they rock!! | | Similar Products Used: | Time, Crank Brothers. | | Bike Setup: | Vektor Orion, with Avid Juciy five breaks, XLT componants. | | Bottom Line: | These pedles need time to adjust and set up right but when they are set up right they are well worht the money. The Bearings are very smooth and they came out of the box with a very silky smooth roll. They are easy on the knees thanks to a very generious float. They were going to be a temp upgrade until I could get the Time ATAC Carbon but instead they turned out to be a better choice and they are going to stay on the bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Farizal
a
from Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
Date Reviewed: December 25, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | eBay.com.my | | Strengths: | Look good. Easy to get on and very easy to get off. | | Weaknesses: | Weight | | Similar Products Used: | VP-M140 | | Bike Setup: | Hard Tail | | Bottom Line: | Same style with PD-M959 pedals but half the price and only 6 grams heavier. Easy in and out, but stay put when climbing or jumping.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ralph
a Weekend Warrior
from Boulder, CO USA
Date Reviewed: November 2, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | new on eBay | | Strengths: | Clipping & unclipping works okay. | | Weaknesses: | Failure prone. | | Similar Products Used: | Will replace with Time; the larger clip-in should prove quicker. | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale hardtail | | Bottom Line: | Mine broke. I used a pair both for road and MTN riding, and owned these for about one year when a retention spring broke when on a riding holiday overseas, rendering one clip useless. A torsion spring is a easy thing to design and manufacture, so there is no excuse. Worse, ShimaNO does not make spare parts available for their products like this, they are a throw-away brand (even though the spring is removable). | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Max Fortree
a Weekend Warrior
from UK
Date Reviewed: October 1, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | as long as it's all mountain | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$75.00 | | Purchased At: | action bikes | | Strengths: | relatively light, good in mud, easy to unclip and clip, easy adjustment | | Weaknesses: | a bit pricey for spd, heavier than eggbeater | | Similar Products Used: | dmr v8, various flat pedals | | Bike Setup: | rockhopper frame, reba fork, avid brakes, m540 | | Bottom Line: | Good beginner pedal for first time clippers and works well in most conditions, with it being easy to unclip and clip back in. Great clipless pedal but racers should go for something lighter. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
TOM
a
from FRANCE
Date Reviewed: September 30, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | EASY IN EASY OUT,VERY GOOD VALUE. ONLY 6 GRAMS HEAVIER THAN 959 AND MUCH CHEAPER.TRIED EVEYTHNG AND THESE ARE THE BEST COMPROMISE.
USED TIME- GOOD FOR MUD BUT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO GET OUT OF, EGGBEATER- LIGHT AND GOOD IN MUD BUT CLEATS WEAR FAST AND NOT ENOUGH SURFACE AREA;RITCHEY POOR BUID QUALITY; | | Weaknesses: | DESPITE DESIGN IMPROVEMENTS CAN STILL GET A BIT CLOGGED UP IN VERY MUDDY CONDITIONS.EGG BEATERS LOOK COOLER. | | Similar Products Used: | SEE ABOVE | | Bike Setup: | SANTA SUPERLIGHT, MAVIC CROSSMAX SL'S,CHRIS KING,THOMSON,SDG BEL AIR,HOPE MINIS | | Bottom Line: | I REALLY HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING BUT IF YOU WANT A SMOOTH, RELIABLE,SAFE PEDAL THAT IS NOT TOO HEAVY OR EXPENSIVE THIS IS IT;IF YOU ARE LOADED GO FOR 959 OTHERWISE YOU CAN'T DO BETTER; | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan
a Cross Country Rider
from CA
Date Reviewed: September 20, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson | | Strengths: | reliable predictable | | Weaknesses: | non yet | | Bike Setup: | trek 6700 with m540's | | Bottom Line: | When I bought my bike it came with shimano spd 505's and after riding them for a couple of weeks I was not gaining confidence on technical parts of the trail.(my first time on clipless) The 505's were not predicable enough and I couldn’t get out when I needed too. So I bought the m540's and almost right clipping and unclipping became natural. I road whatever I wanted not worrying about the pedals. They clip in and out very predictably and smoothly. These pedals make a big difference in how much I enjoy my rides. Buy them because they work well! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stephen Darrel
a Cross Country Rider
from Longmont CO
Date Reviewed: September 17, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything cross country Colorado wilderness | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | |
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$ 75.00
