Forum menu
currently running shimano 540 spds on both bikes... took the yeti to afan and felt that life would have been a little easier if i had a bit more metal around the cleat... do these trail pedals actually make much difference?
the cheapy ones are just £25 from parker international at the mo, so am thinking they may be worth a punt... i read that they are not massively heavier than the xt versions.
thoughts/experiences?
Not really worth it and certain shoes won't work with the wider platform without chopping at the sole.....
Depends on the shoe
The extra metal isn't much more, (the front and rear loops do nothing)
I found with Spesh Tahoes they 'hot-spotted' around the cleat and flexed very easily with M520's. With M530's (basic trail one) they're much better for this, though clipping in is a touch more fiddly as you don't find 'home' quite as quickly but tbh I still don't think they're as good as 'XC/race' style spesh shoes and M520's, which apart from some overall cramping/aching from long descending I still prefer. XC/race style shoes on M530s offer no benefit as far as I can see
My brother prefers M530's over M520s (but still uses them) with the new(er) Shimano DX/MP66 replacements
i managed to pick up a pair for £20 of ebay. once i realised the extra bits front and back didnt do anything, i cut them off. still left with a pedal that has a better platform than the non trail version
The cheaper plastic caged ones are pretty crap. The cages always end up splitting. When you come to service them they have that plastic sleeve that you can never get out without it cracking. The more expensive 647's are lots better, they have an alloy collar. The alloy caged ones are ok, but they too have the plastic collar.
or Time Xroc/Z
or Flats :p
I went from standard diddy spds to the 'trail' versions and find them loads easier to engage. The diddys rolled like a bastard nearly every time I wanted to clip in. The extra profile of the trail pedals however just don't roll in fact I really can't remember them rolling once since I bought them about 6 months ago, instead they simply engage.
Recommended.
I have been running M540s for a while and really like them but I was getting a 'hot spot' at times. Tried messing with cleat position but didn't help.
Then tried the M530s and instantly loved them. Work perfectly with my shoes (Shimano M123) and feel a lot more stable. Easier to find the clip in spot too but slightly harder to engage than my M540s but I suspect that is linked to them being new unlike my M540s that were 2nd hand as they are harder to disengage too despite being on minimum tension.
My only regret is not buying the more expensive thinner model.
Did 2 days at Afan this weekend and a few rock strikes but they do seem to deflect rocks quite well - much better than a blunt normal SPD.
Worth it in my opinion. Others may feel different.
Been using the basic cheap version of the trail, amazing! The extra metal either side of the cleat mechanism really adds support, so much so i now use mine for DH as they feel so solid underfoot. Even with stiff race shoes i can feel the difference, Ive given up CrankBross and now have Shimano trail pedals on all my bikes (great for CX as they give a nice big target for mounting on a run).
I don't understand people who say they feel more support. I looked at my shoes in some XT trail pedals and the shoe doesn't touch the outer cage. Perhaps it's my shoes, or perhaps the advantage of these pedals is all in the mind. The one advantage I can see though is that rock strikes are less likely to disengage your foot.
Fivetens and decent flats 😉
My feet can't budge with the weight on the rubber so riding cleats again felt strange given the float (for the road and track, it's complicated).