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

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.

As the pins are of the grub-screw variety and screw in from the top, they fill with dirt easily, which makes them harder to adjust. I extended them to just over 5mm and was impressed with the traction on offer, bolstered by the incredibly stable platform. I’m yet to dislodge any pins, even after numerous rock strikes.

Inside the shoe you’ll find an insole that cushions your foot and spreads the loads around. These vary in sophistication from a simple layer of foam to liners with multiple densities and adjustable support to heat-mouldable insoles that can be shaped to fit your foot. You can also buy new insoles to improve the fit and comfort of your shoes.

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Usually a variant on one of two basic shapes: full-length axle and three-quarter (ish) axle. Full-length axle bodies have an end cap on the outer end, then a hole all the way through it to the crank end (the DMR, Superstar, and Spank pedals in this grouptest are examples of this). It’s a simple and time-tested design that’s typically, but not always, built around bigger and more long-lived moving components than thinner pedals have.

First introduced to the off-road world in 1990 by Shimano, clip-in pedals (formerly and incorrectly labelled as ‘clipless’ pedals [Wil is willing to take this assertion to the pub – Ed]) promptly rose amongst the pro ranks in mountain bike racing. Offering more efficiency and better power transfer by way of stiffer clip-specific shoe soles, for many competitive types there is no other choice.

The distance between pedal axle and shoe sole is known as the stack height. A lower stack helps make your foot more stable on the pedal, and by lowering your position on the bike will make it slightly more stable in corners.

“With nylon bodies, the Race Face Chesters were one of only two plastic pedals on test. Nylon isn’t the absolute toughest plastic, but it is cheap, tough, and can be molded in a lot of different colours. I don’t think anything else in this grouptest comes in the seven colour array Chesters do, so if you’re primarily looking for…” Read the full review here.

During this test, we rode 17 pairs of flat pedals, with many being passed out to Singletrack contributors for a while to get as much wear on them as possible. None of the pedals we tested were bad, just different to each other, with varied price points and feature sets, and some more suited to certain types of riding or grip preference over others. As the bike industry gets more experience, it’s getting better at designing pedals than it’s ever been.

The XC5s are available in either black (as tested) or a lighter grey/orange option. Additional laces are provided, with our black sample supplied with both orange and grey laces. The shoes span a size range of EU38-50, all in a single width option. A women’s-specific version is available too, spanning sizes EU36-44 and in a black/magenta colourway.

I have SPDs on the full suss and flats on the hardtail, but I ride the susser more frequently so answered clips.

It has been 10 years since light rail came to Phoenix. Here are a few things you probably didn’t know about the impact light rail has had on the area. William Flannigan, azcentral