Plus bonus thoughts on the new Shimano CL-MT001 cleats.
- Brand: Shimano
- Product: XTR M9200 & M9220 SPD pedals
- Price: £159.99 & £179.99
- From: Freewheel
- Tested by: Chipps for 5 months
Our rating
The M9200 reflects the fact that Shimano’s engineers have looked at every single bit of metal, looking for ways to shave whatever they can remove from that already skinny profile. As a result, the pedal looks about as pared back as you’re going to get, resulting in a 318g weight (or 316g for the shorter axle option). It’s refreshing to see that the pedals retain Shimano’s excellent loose ball bearing arrangement, which can be both adjusted and also flushed with fresh grease. Combined with the replaceable parts, you can expect literally decades of loyal service from these.
The M9220 Trail and Enduro version of the new XTR pedals feature, as you’d expect, a bigger (though slim) cage fore/aft of the pedal mechanism. The pins on the pedal aren’t actually for grip while clipped-in; they’re to keep your feet in place while they’re unclipped. I’ve been running both sets of pedals on a range of bikes. Firstly – with any fresh SPD cleat, the click in and out of both pedals is superb, regardless of spring tension. There’s a perceived crispness to it that instantly reassures you that spending north of £160 on a pair of pedals was a wise move. In reality, beyond the sculpted and svelte alloy pedal bodies, the XTRs pedals use the same steel hardware as XT pedals, but there’s still a more precise perceived feel.
I did pull the pedals apart to check on the bearings, and the precision of the fit of the axle in the pedal body is definitely something to shout about. You’re unlikely to need to see the insides of these for a good couple of years, unless you’re a winter ’cross racer with a jetwash-loving pit crew, but when you do pull the axles, I still reckon you’ll see some pretty fresh grease.
In summary: In my opinion, Shimano is still the undisputed king of clip-in pedals, and the new XTR offerings continue that legacy. Just how much more Shimano can pare back the weight and size, I’m not sure, but these are definitely the best-ever SPD pedals, which surely makes them the world’s best clip-in pedals?
Shimano CL-MT001 Cleat review
- Price: £19.99
- From: Freewheel
- Tested by: Chipps for 5 months
Recently, Shimano, for the first time this century, revised its cleat design. The new CL-MT001 cleats offer a wider entry window than just ‘toe in and step down’ – adding new options like ‘just mash down and you’ll engage’ – which can be super-useful. Does it work? Can you just stamp down and get in? Yes, they do, and yes, you can, without the subsequent unclipping motion feeling any less positive or secure. You can rest your foot on the pedal and, without much wiggling around, you’ll be in, still with that positive ‘snick!’ to let you know you’re in.
To be fair, if you’ve been clipped-in since the nineties, these new cleats aren’t going to be a worthwhile investment, as you’ll be so hardwired to the ‘push forward and then down’ motion that you’ll not feel the benefit of the ‘stamp and clip’ action. If you’re new to SPDs, or you ride steep tech, where sudden side-dabs are common, you’ll appreciate the ‘down and in’ motion more, especially riding platform pedals like the PD-M9220 – where, fortunately, the new cleats are included with the pedals.
RATING: 3/5