Shimano PD-M520 pedals review
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Shimano PD-M520 pedals review

No-nonsense, clipless cross-country pedals

Our rating

5

45.00
36.99
65.95

Oliver Woodman / Immediate Media

Published: August 7, 2017 at 1:00 pm

Our review
Legendary pedals that offer genuine Shimano SPD performance at an amazing price Buy if, You want all the benefits of SPD pedals without digging into your beer money

Pros:

Keen pricing, straight forward adjustment, reliability and simplicity of maintenance

Cons:

They aren't much to look at, but that's being really fussy

Shimano's M520 pedal has to be the most popular clipless option out there for mountain bikers, and their double-sided entry means that they're also a favourite with commuters and among the best gravel bike pedals.

The pedal uses the exact same mechanism to control entry and release as its more expensive Shimano XT and XTR brethren, with only materials down-specced to meet the price.

Talking of price, the M520 costs little (prices online can be found as low as £20 / $25) so should complete failure occur, and it’s practically unheard of, you could bin them and buy more without too many tears being lost. At 374g a pair the weight is reasonable, too.

Shimano's PD-M520 is a great pedal at a great price Oliver Woodman / Immediate Media

But it’s the consistent performance this pedal offers that really earns it its five-star rating. On the trail, a new, well-lubed M520 is very hard to tell apart from the XT and XTR. The tuneable release tension is the same, and while it can be a bit stickier when new, we’ve run them for years without ever feeling that we were hampering either our performance or the ride.

Those who appreciate the support of a cage around their pedals should take a look across to Shimano's M530s, which are also a superb choice.

Service is certainly required annually, on par with most other pedals at this price, and is something that takes the average rider about half an hour to do per pair thanks to the simple cup and cone bearings inside. Here's a guide for those with SPDs in need of a service.

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