Review: The New Shimano AM901 Top Shelf Gravity Shoes Promise… and Deliver | Road Bike Clipless Pedals

I’ve now been on flats for a year (maybe I need a self help group) and although getting use to them I do miss the ultimate control and 360 power transfer that SPD’s bring.

There are also practical issues that come with wearing open-toed footwear on a bike: inclement weather, muddy terrain, and the odd errant bee that may want to lodge itself between your foot and the insole of the sandal are the main concerns for the sandal-toting cyclist.

The exception — and a very good choice for SPD beginners — is Shimano’s PD-M324 combination pedals. These have a flat platform on one side and an SPD mechanism on the other, and you get multi-release cleats in the box.

Some shoes use one or two Boa dials in conjunction with thin plastic covered steel cables or ‘laces’. The dial can be released instantly loosening the shoes and then pushed down and rotated to tighten at small increments. These are easy and quick to use but can be vulnerable to breaking in a crash, this hasn’t happened to us though on shoes we have tested and we quite like them for their ability to distribute pressure evenly.  

As CXR94Di2 has demonstrated and I can confirm that road shifters do work with the XT mechs, but as I said you must use front and rear. I took my advice from CXR94Di2

There isn’t quite such a firm ‘snap’ as you get when clipping into a Shimano pedal (the sound is a bit more subtle, like I perceive most Look-compatible pedals to be), but I think it’s easier to ‘find’ the Time pedal without having to really look down. This is helped by the improved pedal surface area compared with the Xpro’s predecessor, now a nice and wide 725mm2.

A single stainless steel bar, the pedals offer the most basic clip-in platform possible. Paired with the patented hook-like cleats, Lohmeyer’s system, dubbed “Pitbull Pedals,” touts itself as the quickest-to-engage clipless setup out there, and one that addresses concerns over similar designs of the past.

At the top of the pile sits Shimano Dura Ace. If you need the best that money can buy, then this is the option for you. Thankfully we’ve also managed to find a bit of a discount.

Five Ten Impact Pro The Impact pro is a fast-drying shoe with a synthetic upper and thick, shock-absorbent sole. Claimed weight 439g. $160 USD.

Well TimothyD you’re right and for road riding where you basically hold a position for most of the time I can see how that works. For mtb where you’re changing position all the time I just have concluded that flats are better for riding and better for your knees.

Just like the Looks, the cleats come in three different colours, each denoting a different level of float. Again, like the Looks, it’s a system that is well used within the professional peloton, and they aren’t the easiest to walk around in, especially on shiny floors.

The brand will need to address the walkability and dial in the durability to really woo the market. But if it does, as Lohmeyer has said he has, Pitbull pedals may well find their way into group rides and weekend pelotons.