Shimano PD-M520, Double-sided SPD Pedals, black

Been riding with these pedals for about 9 months now, so thought it was about time that I actually reviewed them!

Although I ride a road bike, I'd decided to go with MTB shoes and SPD pedals/cleats, predominantly for the ease of walking around in (I have to walk up and down steps at each end of my commute, and didn't fancy the risk of sliding around on SPD-SLs!). I'd read many reviews that had suggested that Shimano M520 pedals were particularly good for riders using clipless pedals for the first time, so opted for these.

The tension on the pedals is adjustable, so I adjusted them to make them a bit easier to clip out of (just for my own peace of mind!). Took them for a few rides up and down my road to practice getting in and out of them, and then I was ready to go. It was surprisingly easy to get used to riding with these, and it quickly became second nature to unclip coming up to traffic lights, etc. without even thinking about it. They're durable and hard wearing, and great value for money.

Even though I'd no longer consider myself a "beginner", I'm so happy with these pedals that I've just bought another set.

I spend a lot of time on several different bikes, and for the commuter, these are perfect - they aren't intended to be a top-level racing pedal, and that's fine. They're great for riding 8 miles to work in full kit and shoes, then hopping on it to ride to lunch in casual clothes and flip-flops before the commute home in kit and cycling shoes.

These are my first clipless pedals, I bought them together with the Shimano M065 SPD Mountain Bike Shoes and I am never going back to flat pedals. They were easy to fit, the most difficult part was getting off my old pedals. Once fitted I loosened the adjustment screws on both sides of each pedal to the loosest setting. Then I attached the cleats to my new shoes. I just started with it in the middle of the possible locations, front to back and side to side. I had a few practices sitting on the bike. Clipping in and out was actually much easier than I imagined. On the road I had had no problems, I just clip in one foot, set off, then clip in the other once underway. When stopping I just clip out before I stop and need to put a foot down. After my first ride I adjusted the location of the cleat slightly on the shoe, which was really easy. There is a noticeable difference in pedalling, you can transfer a lot more power to the pedals as you can pull up as well as push down. I highly recommend this combination of shoe and pedal, I am sure there are benefits to more expensive pedals, but at the moment there are exactly what I needed.