Review: The Shimano AM901 is good enough for Rachel Atherton, but is it good enough for regular trail riding? | Road Bike Clipless Pedals

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 thought so as well. Where did I not say that its OK for you to like them, continue to use them or advocate their use? I’ve tried them over a relatively extended period and I think they are shit in comparison to other options. I’ve tried other pedals that I think are better to way better than the speedplay. I expressed that view on the forum, which is how this all began. You use them and you think they are great for reasons that you explained.  So do others, and that’s OK as well.

These could potentially be salvaged by using a helicoil kit, but it’s still a bummer given that this is a product that is basically going to spend its life getting intimate with rocks and roots on the trail. With a platform that’s as large and as thick as these, those encounters are going to happen more frequently than they would with thinner-bodied pedals.

While some of the team arrived to Shimano pedals from their first road bikes, others got here through issues or failure elsewhere. For example, Neal recalls his break-up with Speedplay vividly.

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.

My eastbound train heading toward downtown #Phx, right on time. #carlesscommutepic.twitter.com/5GMyEF7tLK

That includes many of us at The Arizona Republic, even though our employer has frequent prize drawings for those who use alternative modes of transit to get to work. 

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With basic setup markings, the cleat attaches with Shimano’s typical four-hole cleat plate, allowing plenty of fore-aft adjustment. The cleat is protected with a two-compound rubber tread, with a more durable material used at the pedals’ contact point. Just past this, the tread is separated, allowing a more natural step instead of the usual flat-foot stomp of performance shoes. The tread height is generous enough to allow near-silent walking on a hard surface, whereas racier shoes often leave the cleat slightly exposed.

Off road: still have a soft spot for Time Atacs, use ‘em for CX and XC (with the carbon soled disco slippers). Otherwise Shimano SPDs can be found cheap, work reliably and go on forever.

The guts of the pedal is a well-finished Aluminium body that houses serviceable cup and cone bearings. A metal cage is bolted on for riding in flats, and on the other side you get an adjustable tension SPD binding for when you’ve got your cleats on. The pedals are very well finished and run smoothly from the off, and the fact that they’re easy to strip down is a bonus.

Most riders will want to pair the Hellcats with a clipless pedal that offers a decent platform, like the Crankbrothers Candy or Shimano M530 pedals. In spite of the deep recess, clipping in took very little extra effort compared to shoes with a more front-and-center cleat placement.