Customer Reviews

Shimano SPD-SL Road Pedals, Black

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'll start off by stating that I am new to clipless pedals. I put these on my new road bike and have to say I am very impressed. When I got the bike I must have clipped in and out 100 times before I even ventured out with them and the payoff has been well worth it. Clipping in and out is a cinch. I like the SPD pedal as it had a relatively large area to clip in. Another interesting finding that these pedals weigh in at 330 grams. The Shimano Dura Ace SPD pedals that run near $300 weigh 278 grams. That is a 52 gram difference for almost $250 more money. That is 1.84 OUNCES. I am riding a $1700 bike not a $6000 bike so I can deal with an extra 1.84 ounces weight on my bike. I know it is not only about the weight but you get my point. That is why I think these pedals are the best bang for the buck as they are relatively inexpensive for what you get.

I had been off of the bike for almost this entire millenia. 20 years ago, when I was riding fairly seriously, I always thought about upgrading to some clipless pedals, but I just never did. Upon a recommendation from my local bike shop, I placed these on my 1986 Raleigh Grand Prix, added some new Specialized Sport Road shoes, and away I am going. The pedals hold my feet in very nicely, allowing a little bit of play as I'd like, and I did not have to mess with the tension adjustment - I was able to unclip with the normal rotation of the foot. Why anyone would pay so much more for other types of pedals is beyond me. Yes, they are pretty large, so they may add an extra microgram to your total weight, but seriously folks, us common riders can't possibly tell!

For the money, I don't think you can do better. Easy in, easy out, really no trouble and just enough float. I like these and the look style is the easiest to learn for those new to clipless. Don't be scared. If you're ready for the switch to clipless this is a good pedal. You won't believe the difference in speed and power from your clips.

I started cycling just a little over two years ago and over time I have progressed from platform pedals, to toe clips, and now to clip in pedals. I can say right from the start that I really like the feeling of being connected to the pedals on the upstroke and being able to power most of the way through the cycle. I could really hear the difference when I first put the pedals on the bike I use in my magnetic trainer. No matter how hard I tried to be smooth with platform pedals there was a definite pulsing in my pedal stroke. That seems to be greatly diminished with the use of these pedals telling me my pedal stroke is much smoother.

Having gotten used to these pedals while on a trainer and having used toe clips, I haven't had the misfortune of the sideways fall from forgetting to unclip.... yet, but in a sudden situation I can see it happening. In real life application they are very good and keep you feeling connected to the bike.

The only fault I could find with these pedals is their balance. When you unclip a foot to stop at a stop sign or traffic light the pedal takes an almost vertical nose up position making it a bit difficult to clip back in. The clips have no grip of their own so if you misalign them you have hard plastic shoe clip on the metal pedal surface and the strong likelihood that your foot will slip off trying to get started before you can get clipped in. If you are going to use these anyplace where you may have to frequently unclip it may be a good idea to pay a few extra dollars for pedals that balance level. Or maybe learn to do a strong one pedal acceleration and then clip in.

Just started riding more seriously and they work well. Like that you can use it with out clip-ins on casual days (flip-flops are great)

I commute by bike a few miles most days, and I race a few local tris in the summer. But I would rate myself as only casually competitive or gear-savvy. So with those caveats, I'd say this is a perfectly adequate product. All I wanted was a pair of the Shimano spd-SL style pedals, cheap. I found this model used, so I jumped on it. Shimano probably makes this style lighter and with other float angles, but I'm just not that picky. I was using the regular spd-style (the little round metal cleats) and I wanted to switch because the spd-sl cleats have three rubber contact points when you walk in your bike shoes. Now I can make it from the bike racks to the gym door without a slip and fall. Also the pedal has a lot more contact area for when I'm riding without bike shoes.

A good, solid all-around pedal. They have a stiff platform and the click-in and click-out engagement is crisp. I have these pedals on both my wife's and my triathlon bikes. One pair is over 3 years old and still working perfectly. They perform flawlessly, look great, and can take a beating. Not to mention you don't feel as bad scraping these up on a curb or accidently laying the bike down on them at a $50 price point. If you want to shave the grams step up to a 105 or Ultegra.

These are pretty much the standard shimano road platform pedals. About the best value you can find for road pedals, without going into no-name brand pedals. If you can afford the extra $20, I would definitely advise upgrading to a least 105 pedals, though. Small things like a plastic bumper plate and bad bearings make these base level pedals a little disappointing compared to 105, ultegra, and dura ace(but still the best you can do for road pedals for the price)


Pro's:
-large platform to the pedal --> no hot spots
-Distinct "click" sound when you enter or exit
-Pedals are nearly bomb-proof (aside from bumper plate)
-Tension is strong enough to hold feet in during hard sprints, and can adjust higher
-INEXPENSIVE!

Con's:
-Bearings are a little stiff, which means the pedal isn't ALWAYS positioned right to click in
-plastic bumper plate on the pedal gets scuffed and damaged easily
-Cleats wear quickly if you walk on any kind of gravel etc.

First of all, for $43 plus tax this is pretty unbeatable value. I bought a Motobecane bike on-line as it represented good value and after completing several hundred miles with the free SPD pedals and cleats, I wanted a larger platform from which to pedal from.

The R540's have not disappointed, very easy to clip in and out of, no need to look down constantly unlike my old SPD pedals. The pedals have a nice large platform and can also be used with normal shoes.

I knock off one star for the cleats provided. I do not want fixed cleats as they will batter your knees but the floating ones included have too much lateral play for my liking. A cleat in between their current floating and fixed designs would be ideal.

This is my first pair of clipless pedals. Out of the box, the installation was easy for both the cleats and pedals. I like the feel of the larger platform. This style is very easy to get in and out of for the first time users like myself. Plus, you can't beat the price.I'd definitely recommend these.