How to service Shimano SPD pedals — video | Bike Self Locking Pedals

Shimano GR7 This shoe has a cool stretch-mesh ankle collar that keeps debris out of the shoe. Claimed weight 366g in size 42. $130 USD.

This is important! Don’t wait until the last minute to unclip. "As you’re rolling to a stop, shift your weight to the foot that stays clipped in," Compton explains, "and then unclip the foot that you’ll put on the ground and just leave it gently on the pedal, so when you do come to that stop you can put your foot on the ground quickly."

The dual system does mean that these pedals are a little heavier than other options, so they’re not really favoured by those after pure performance.

The 10 adjustable pins provide ample traction, but I couldn’t feel any noticeable concavity at all. At times, the pedals felt like riding on giant square blocks. The large footprint also proved to be an issue when riding tight rocky trails.

I’ve been testing them for many months, through the winter and into the summer, with riding that has included cyclocross, mountain bike and gravel riding. They’ve stood up to everything I’ve thrown at them exceedingly well. The upper material cleans up after muddy rides really well and they dry out quickly too. They’re not the airiest of XC shoes for the higher temps we’re dealing with at the time of writing though.

‘Flat pedals are for beginners’, goes an insult I’ve only rarely heard. People can get staunchly tribal about it, pointing all the way up the leader boards to justify their stance. It used to be that downhill World Cup podiums were dominated by flat pedals, but, it seems, no longer, with more riders nowadays running clipless (Sam Hill being a notable exception). At the same time, bike geometry has become more aggressive, and cross-country courses, mostly dominated by clipless riders, have become more extreme than they used to be. In the midst of all that there seem to be plenty of recreational riders who prefer flats.

So it’s important not to get your left and right pedals mixed up. With many clipless pedal systems, such as those from Shimano and Look, it’s pretty obvious which way round they go as the pedal has a definite front and rear.

Selling for £89 for the pair, the XT flat pedals can be had in two platform sizes to suit different shoe sizes. I’ve been testing a set of the Large size for the past three months, which come in at 491g as tested.

Five Ten is known for its grippy flat shoes, particularly the Stealth rubber it incorporates on all of its models. The Maltese Falcon uses a Stealth S1 rubber compound sole that is stiff enough for riding yet flexible enough for walking on rocky trails. But this flat riding shoe also comes with an SPD cleat, giving you the option to clip in while still retaining a casual, relaxed look. A lace-up closure gives it a skate-style look, and a Velcro strap helps with mid-ride adjustability. Sitting between the company’s heavier and more downhill-oriented Hellcat and stiffer-soled, more race-oriented Kestrel, the Maltese Falcon is an all-around, comfortable mountain bike shoe. Soft padding throughout keeps your feet from getting too hot during the summer months but also keeps them warm all winter.

The low weight is achieved by the use of every lightweight material you can think of: carbon-reinforced thermoplastic bodies; ceramic bearings; titanium axles; titanium bolts; and aluminium top plates. The cleats have been lightened too with carbon fiber replacing the plastic and aluminium fasteners instead of steel. They’re bonkers expensive, but you have to admire the fanaticism.

Watch the video below to learn our mechanic Al’s top tips on clipless pedal installation and removal.

My triple crank is Deore XT 48/36/26 . Works beautifully, I have Synchro-shift enabled which keeps cross chaining to a minimum.  The setup you see, i use for mountains with a 11-40 cass.