Watch: How to service your Shimano SPD SL pedals | Spd Pedals

If you’d like to learn more about why this is true (or even if you don’t) I recommend reading Just Ride by Grant Petersen. He also dispels lots of other bike myths, like the one about how if you ride your bike while wearing underpants you’re not a real cyclist and you will die.

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.

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

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.

Priced at US$150 / AU$199, the XC5 is not the typical performance shoe you commonly see reviewed on CyclingTips. Instead, they represent a mid-level option for those that just ride rather than racing. So, you know, the majority of us.

The winner of this award doesn’t necessarily go to the thinnest, lightest or most adjustable pedal on test, but one that is able to balance all of those attributes with durability, functionality, and value for money. That’s a pretty tall order, but there were no doubts about the winner here.

Many pedals will have both allen key sockets in the end of the spindle and spanner facets where the threads end. Using a pedal spanner will afford much more leverage than most allen keys.

I still believe that laces aren’t the best pick for trail riding, or cross country and cyclocross racing. They hold dirt, get caught on things and are finicky to get off when you see a leech enter your shoe (perhaps too specific of an example, but the event is still fresh).

Giro Jacket II The Jacket II uses a Vibram Ecostep rubber sole, specifically designed for flat pedals. Claimed weight 415g in size 43. $90 USD.

The A600 pedals even manage to impress on the scales. Actual weight for a pair is just 292g, plus another 51g for the cleats. For comparison, a set of current Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 pedals and cleats weighs in at 305g — a saving of just 38g with a huge increase in cost.

Crankbrothers takes a very unique approach toward their flat pedals. Rather than making a single pedal for everyone, they make them available in different sizes based on foot size. The large Stamp pedals that I tested are designed for US shoe sizes 10-15.

Granted, there are caveats. That stability and rotation performance are heavily dependent on how well the shoes interface with the pedal, and perhaps not surprisingly, shoes designed for cross-country MTB racing work best in that situation given they’re usually made with fairly hard tread blocks and stiff carbon fiber soles that provide added support.