Review: Shimano Saint PD-MX80 Flat Pedals | Bike Flat Pedals

Lots of riders struggle to get used to clipless pedals for fear they’ll fall because they won’t be able to get out of them. But there’s a secret that makes life much easier and safer for clipless beginners.

"I would also expect to see an uptick in a smaller platform pedal that has a higher quality to it," he said. "Currently platform pedal trends are for large platforms but this rule affects younger riders who will have smaller feet and won’t need an extra-large platform pedal. They will still want the traction of modern pedals so I would expect to see a few size options there."

And if all else fails and the puncture doesn’t seal, it was either because you let the sealant dry out (so it is ineffective) or because the hole is large enough that you ought to replace the tyre anyway. Plus, you can always stick a tube in it. The bead retention ledges in the rim tenaciously hold onto the tyre beads, so riding them flat is also much safer than a clincher.

Joining the Deore XT SPD pedals, the XT flat pedals are pitched at the trail, enduro and e-MTB markets. This is a bit of a shift for the Japanese brand, which up until now has only marketed flat pedals for BMX and DH racing. As more everyday trail riders look to pedal with flats rather than clips however, Shimano has sought to expand its range of flat pedals and shoes accordingly.

First off, these are not the super-lightweight option core racers seek. But at about 4.5 ounces (127.5 grams) per pedal, they’re not overwhelmingly heavy either. For comparison, these are nearly 100 grams heavier than the lightest AeroLite option. But they’re still about 100 grams lighter than the Shimano Ultegra carbon-steel pedal.

“These were the shiniest pedals in the grouptest, both literally and metaphorically, as they were polished to a mirror finish and loaded down with almost all of the features you’d expect from a high end flat pedal.They run fully on bearings with no bushings. The crank end contains two…” Read the full review here.

Or, if you simply must hear music while riding on trails, perhaps someone will invent some sort of high-fidelity apparatus that allows you to play your favorite band as loud as you’d like without anybody else around you being able to hear it.

Shimano classifies the XC5 as a mixed-terrain shoe, pointing toward gravel, cyclocross, cross country mountain biking and commuting. And while I agree with much of that, I’d add in touring (aka bikepacking, for the new-age crowd) to the mix, too.

Really I’d only recommend them to riders who will find that learning curve worth the touch of extra speed off the lights or side of the road. To me it was.

In use, it feels similar to CrankBrothers’ mechanism, with lateral tension building progressively until the pedal unclips. It’s a different feel to SPDs, so try before you buy if you’re a Shimano user looking for a change.

There isn’t a triple option for EPS. In fact I don’t think there’s a triple option for any e-shifting system.

You don’t see HT pedals around that much, though their popularity is steadily growing. Launched in 2005 by parent company Hsing Ta Industrial, HT Components is still young. With over half a century’s worth of manufacturing experience in bicycle pedals behind it, however, it certainly isn’t lacking in experience. And thanks to high-profile sponsorship of the likes of Aaron Gwin, Jared Graves and Jerome Clementz, the brand is getting plenty of attention.