SHIMANOPD-M324 // SPD Pedal (im Karton)

These are my first foray into the clip on pedal world and they're a great pair for a novice! I bought them specifically because they are double sided and I wanted the flexibility of being able to jump on the bike wearing my trainers on if I wanted to pop down the shops etc. But...... since I bought them I've only used them with cycling shoes because it's so much easier.I've now done about 700 miles on the bike since I bought these. I ride a hybrid mountain bike and the majority of my cycling is done on the road or cycle paths, the pedals are solid and sturdily built but quite big in comparison to lots of other versions out there (again though I chose this size deliberatly). Clipping in and out the pedal is really easy once you get the hang of it, they are tensioned perfectly and haven't need adjusting since they were fitted.Couple of things things to note if like me you've never used SPD pedals before....1) It will take your legs a while to get accustomed to the new and better cycling position, they will ache a bit first though! 2)You will at some point forget you're clipped in and fall over (I can't say fall off because you will most definitely still be attached to the bike) if you can practice getting on and off the pedals, you need to master that technique to avoid embarrassment! All in all, great beginner pedals at a great price and really well engineered. Seen a few people asking, so just to confirm, pedals come with cleats in the box.

I ride both for commuting and the occasional long distance leisure cycle. When I changed from my heavy hybrid bike to a road bike I wasn't too sure if I would like clip ins so I opted for these as this gives me the option to ride in normal trainers as well as clip ins. What a great move this was! I love being able to just get on my bike and ride without worrying if I've got the right shoes on but also I really enjoy taking my bike out on longer rides and having clip ins are so much more energy efficient.Also the clip in mechanism can be adjusted so you choose how tight/loose you want to be. These pedals are designed to fit mountain bikes so the shoes aren't those super hard road racer shoes but more like trainers which gives it a more casual feel.I really recommend this to anyone who 1) isn't sure if clip ins are for them and 2) wants flexibility in their cycling habits

This is my 2nd pair of these pedals, for a 2nd bike (the originals are still going strong) I bought these as I wanted a budget option to clip into my 2nd bike, they are not the lightest on the market, but for a commuting / excercise ride more than ideal, the clip in side works faultlessly and work first time every time, I've adjusted the clip in tension as I like to feel secure in the pedal when pulling uphills, with these newer ones the release was a little stiff to start with but after a few rides settled down and so far I've had no incidents with trying to release. I seldom use the non clip side, but the sheer convienience if I just want to jump on for a quick trip to the shops without the hassle of finding my bike shoes is too goo to miss.

Not much to add that hasn't already been said about these fantastic pedals except to say that there's a whole extra level of flexibility on offer when they're paired with an SPD shoe that has flush cleats such as the Shimano MT3. With the one pair of shoes on any given trip, I can ride on the flat side of the pedal when I'm having to stop and start in town or on a busy shared path, then flip the pedal over and clip in for longer uninterrupted stretches. During a stop off the bike I can walk round unhindered on the MT3s. I use my PD-M324s with a 20mm extender to suit my wider gait.

I have little to compare these too, except the Brompton pedals they have replaced, and the Look pedals that I used over 25 years ago.Compared to the Brompton pedals, these are heavier, as the outers are not aluminium, so if you're trying to save weight, you are not going to. Also, you will lose the ability to fold the left pedal. However, the efficiencies totally outweigh this feature for someone that doesn't take his bike on the tube/train very often.However, compared to my memory of the Look pedals that I had all those years ago, is that they're a little more difficult to get your foot out, and don't necessarily provide quite the same efficiency. But they do let you use them without having cleated shoes, without difficulty.For commuting, these pedals are ideal. I went for some Giro shoes with a recess for the cleats, rather than a full road shoe, so both sides of this pedal work well. Riding without cleated shoes, it tends to be a 50-50 chance that when I stick my food on the pedal, I'll get the SPD side, but when riding with cleated shoes, I tend to take my foot off the left pedal near the ground, and the SPD side tends to stay up so that I can quickly click back in.It's only been a week with them, but so far, I'm pretty happy. Maybe I've ruined my Brompton a bit, but with cleated shoes, everything is more efficient, even with the extra weight. In traffic, is easy to unclip, and use the other side of the pedal instead. Maybe not quite the same as I remember the Look pedals, but I'm happy all the same.Update: They're not necessarily the best quality. After about 1000km or so, already getting a little clicky. Also, for longer rides, I'd probably go with larger cleats, like Look or SPD-SL that spread the pressure out a little more. But as a commuter pedal that gives you the option of not using cleated shoes, I'm still pretty happy with them, although annoyed with the clicking.