Review on Black SHIMANO SPD-SL PD-R540 Cycling Pedals by Jeff Driscoll

I'll start by saying there will be a lot of reviews because I'm a harsh critic when it comes to my purchases and I will try every product before deciding on helmets I tried for example Kask (winner), Specialized, Giro, Catlike etc. Similarly, with pedals, I've tried everything to find the perfect combination of elements. Tried Speedplay, SPD Mountain Style and SPD SL (don't search for reasons below). In no particular order: 1- Easy boarding and disembarking. As an urban racer, I want to feel safe driving, but if a dog, car, or pedestrian jumps out of the car, I need to be able to get out quickly. The tension range of these pedals is perfect. It offers enough range to really lock itself if you turn it all the way up, but at the same time if you lock it at the bottom of the range it offers enough security but it'll tear out really hard (yes, even after above if you pull hard enough). With a normal pedal stroke, this is not a problem as it is gentler than a diagonal jerk. However, I experienced no unexpected disconnects while driving and set it about 25% above the low end. I also tried the accelerated play which honestly I really liked for how easy it is to get in and out of as it's two-sided. , and crashes when needed, although unfortunately this isn't adjustable if you gain confidence and need a little more/less. Also, their buoyancy range wasn't as good as Shimano's (see below). 2 - Adequate swimming - yes, I know that swimming is not done by pedals but by spikes (except for speedplay). It should be noted that since you can reduce the tension, you can actually get a little more lift out of the spikes since the re-centering system is easier (although it does get a little sloppy if you go too deep and too hard). ) Even though speedplay has the maximum available hover movement available, this doesn't take actual walking/pedaling style into account. In other words, you have x degrees to the left and x degrees to the right. This means that if you rock more than you go in and need more outward movement and less inward movement (with the diff center) then this isn't possible as the tip is 4 screws with no rotation so when looking straight ahead you're looking at the max Range are limited ahead. However, on these (as on other 3-hole SPD-SL systems) you can rotate the tip outward (or inward) to provide the correct central point of alignment. , but don't offer any more lift or security than regular road cleats, so after a year of riding I switched to them. What about Look Keos you ask? On the other hand, while I like the SPD SL-like three-bolt look, their spikes don't offer a wide enough platform for comfortable walking (like the Shimanos). Also, you wear down the same surface that comes in contact with the pedal. , unlike a Shimano where you're running on three colored cleats that don't directly affect pedal travel. Yes look there are rubberized versions but I've found that rubber wears out quickly and is also significantly more expensive to replace than Shimano's (which last a while and are cheaper replacements) 4 - color - doesn't really matter but nice to have Black and white options for bikes with a difference5 - price - you really can't go wrong with this combo. Unless you want to be a weight banger and quibble over a few grams here and there (yes I'm a little banger and ride full carbon and try to keep things light). Honestly, for under $50 you can't go wrong, but I think the steak I had for lunch is holding me back more than the small gram difference between the 105/ultegra and these pedals. So if you're not racing like a pro, don't worry - not to mention that if you were racing like a pro you wouldn't need this rating. Have fun driving!