Shimano M8000 XT Race vs M8020 XT Trail pedals: comparison and review | Spd Pedals

GCN tested this in the lab in a recent YouTube video and found that clipless did not increase power – they seemed a bit shocked that the common precept that clipless are better for power and efficiency could was not proven in testing.

Both the pedal and cleat appear to be impressively durable – after months of use they still look like new.

The rounded underside looks sleek, but it makes for a sketchy surface to stand on if you try to rush away from a stoplight without being properly clipped in.

The Hellcats work fine, even with Eggbeater pedals. However, they feel even better with a clipless pedal with a bit more platform. photo: Leah Barber

Essential for road riding, racing and sportive participation, here we look at some of the clipless pedal systems available for cyclists

One of the other advantages of clipless pedals is that you can get more power out of your legs by being able to pull up on the pedal stroke in addition to pushing down however, this highlights the disadvantage of multi-release cleats since if you pulled up on these your foot would come out of the pedal. 

Even with cleats, the Hellcats work pretty well with flat pedals, thanks to the deep cleat recess in the sole.  I had some concern about the cleat catching on the pedal, but didn’t find this to be an issue in limited testing. This is probably off-label use anyway, so take this with a grain of salt.

Ride Concepts Skyline The Skyline is the burlier low-top offering from Ride Concepts, with a higher medial collar. $150 USD.

That said – definitely not a beginnner setup. Tightening the cleat screws even .5nm too much and you can compress part of the housing enough to give you issues with the spring. Breaking in the spring must be a hell of a time for a light rider, and if the missus moves on to them (I have bought her some, but after realising the initial learning curve she lost interest), I’ll have to break the spring in for her. Also actually finding the pedal isn’t just step down and go – you have a few cm wide circle under you foot that you need to mount so like Keo’s etc, you still need to develop muscle memory.

SPD-SL pedals are much like Shimano’s groupsets: reliable, functional, easy to use, readily available, and without significant cost. As I’ve covered in my review of Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 pedals, Shimano is simply the best once you factor in all-out durability and dependability. They’re not the lightest or most adjustable, but they just work. Adding to their popularity is the fact that they’ve often been included as standard equipment on many entry-level road bikes.

With the tension adjustment left untouched for my first couple of rides, I found unclipping tricky. Even with the tension screw backed off completely, things still felt quite tight. Thankfully, after a few more days on the trails, the mechanism bedded in, things loosened up and clipping in and out became easier.

If you prefer the Shimano ‘Trail’ design, the M530 pedal is the budget option for you. The cage design provides some impact protection whilst riding, as well as offering a little more support for your shoes when clipped in, or for those loose moments when you have to unclip.