Shimano PD-A530 SPD Dual Platform Pedal

by Shimano

Product Features

• Chromoly spindle with a steel pedal body.
• 383g.
• Item: 5043-PD-A530

Product Description

The Shimano PD-A530 SPD Road Dual Platform Bike Pedal makes the ideal choice for your around-town bike that sees both long rides to work and short trips to the store. An SPD cleat on one side lets you clip in when you leave the house for your 40-minute morning bike commute, and the platform side lets you hop on with your regular shoes for a quick coffee run.

Product Features

• Material: Aluminum, steel
• Cleat Type: SPD, platform
• Float: Adjustable
• Entry / Release: Adjustable
• Weight:
• Recommended Use: MTB, Road cycling
• Manufacturer Warranty: 1 Year

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B002NVJEOM
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (107 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,127 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)
  • #2 in Sports & Outdoors > Bikes & Accessories > Components & Parts > Pedals

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good pedal, excellent price, June 16, 2011

By 

A. Altman (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shimano PD-A530 SPD Dual Platform Pedal (Sports)

I bought this from Amazon, having never purchased cycling gear from Amazon before, because Amazon had by far the best price on the product. The pedal is exactly as I expected based on reviews, for better and for worse. I'll go over the pros and cons.

Pros:
(1) Very inexpensive for the functionality you're getting - flat pedal for commuting or casual rides, SPD pedal for longer rides.
(2) Relatively light weight (380g on my scale), much lighter than most mountain bike-specific SPD pedals, which until recently were your only choice for a dual-sided pedal (for example, the Shimano PD-M324 Clipless/Clip Pedals).
(3) The pedals look very sleek.
(4) The bearings are much better than the inexpensive pedals I had been using before on my commuter. The "spinup", for lack of a better term, requires much less effort. This may be both a combination of weight (these are much lighter than many metal platform pedals), as well as the bearings.

Cons:
(1) The platform side is quite slick, as others have mentioned. I bought the pedals despite knowing this because my prior pedals, which were studded, were ruining the soles on my work shoes. These pedals will not damage shoes, but at the same time, offer little grip. That's not such a problem with sneakers that have grippy soles, but with flat-soled shoes, you really have to be careful about how much pressure you put on the pedal and can't easily stand up while pedaling. In addition to the slickness of the platform, the size of the platform also contributes, as it is much narrower than a standard flat pedal, so if you're not careful, your foot can slip off the edge, not just the front or back. This is a trade-off for a sleek-looking, functional SPD pedal.
(2) The clip-in side ships at a default tension that is far too tight, even for experienced riders. Anyone new to riding an SPD-style pedal should immediately adjust the tension to the opposite extreme to get a feel for using them. At default tension, they are uncomfortably hard to get out of (and I have 15 years of experience on Shimano's SPD pedals, dating back to the M535, released in 1995).
(3) I purchased the black pedals because they matched my black bike better, but as expected, the paint on the platform chips off easily. This is especially true when using it with SPD cleats, which can tear up the paint very quickly if you're using the platform side momentarily while riding.

Overall, I'm very satisfied with the pedals. They offer a lot of performance for the price. Just be aware of the slickness of the platform if you intend to ride with dress shoes, the problem with the default tension, and the issue with the black paint chipping.

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great versatile pedals, June 7, 2008

By 

Kim (Rochester, MN) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

I chose these pedals because I could use them as clipless pedals with cycling shoes on one side and with my regular shoes on the other side. They are weighted so that they automatically spin to have the clip-in side up. If you are riding without your shoes, you just have to flip them. Since I most often ride with my cycling shoes I like it this way. They are adjustable so that you can make them easier or harder to clip into. I have never used clipless pedals before so I can't compare them to other types of clipless pedals, but I love the flexibility and quality of these and I love using the clipless pedals. They are great!

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Versatile Pedal, November 16, 2008

By 

A Stone - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shimano PD-A530 SPD Dual Platform Pedal (Sports)

I ride my bike almost every day. Some days just around my college campus. Other days I go out training for triathlons. These pedals fit this problem perfectly. One side is the standard platform, and on the other is the clip. The standard pedal side has a nice base with great traction. The clip side is easy to get into and get out of. Pedals are light weight and all metal. Great quality you would expect from Shimano. Well worth the price for the versatility.

2115|RWRUHQXBR0JQ2;2115|R30R5ZV0D42VTY;2115|R15GPT6DRH9A4V;