Shimano PD-R540 SPD-SL Road Pedals

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Product Specifications

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Road bike pedal with large binding target that makes clipping in fast and easy
Made of aluminum and chrome, SPD-SL cleat type, with yellow 5deg float cleats included
Cleat-dependent float, wide pedal platform for foot-pedal stability, and low maintenance sealed cartridge axle unit
Road bike pedal with large binding target that makes clipping in fast and easy
Made of aluminum and chrome; SPD-SL cleat type, with yellow 5deg float cleats included
Cleat-dependent float, wide pedal platform for foot-pedal stability, and low maintenance sealed cartridge axle unit
Large binding target for quick engagement and adjustable cleat tension with indicators; 11.6-ounce (330-gram) weight
Includes limited two-year manufacturer’s warranty

Product Description

Trickle-down technology brings a pro-level, Shimano SPD road bike pedal to the everyday cyclist.

Wider platform gives you more efficient power transfer and comfort Wide bearing placement provides stable, uniform load distribution Sealed cartridge axle unit is low maintenance The Shimano road bike pedal’s adjustable entry and release tension settings with indicators for a custom fit Large binding target makes pedal engagement a cinch 34 road clearance enables quick, tight cornering

Product Reviews

All you wanted to know but were afraid to ask about these pedals

I’ll start by saying here comes a mountain of a review because I’m a tough critic when it comes to my purchases and try just about every product out there before deciding Helmets for example i tried Kask (winner) Specalized, Giro, catlike, etc.. And similarly for pedals i tried everything to find that perfect combination of elements. I tried speedplay, SPD mountain style and SPD SL (not look for reasons indicated below). In no particular order:1- Ease of entry and exit - As a city rider I want to feel secure when I’m powering along, but when a dog or car or pedestrian jumps out, i need to be able to get out quick. The range of tension on these pedals are perfect. It provides and ample range to be able to really lock yourself in if you crank it to the max but at the same time if you secure to the bottom of the range it provides ample security but a really hard yank they will come out (yes even upwards if you yank hard enough). On a normal pedal stroke this will not be an issue as it is smoother than a diagonal yank. That said i have not had any unexpected clipouts when riding and i’ve dialed it to around 25% above the bottom of the range.I also tried the speedplay which frankly i liked a lot for ease of entry and exit since they are double sided, and fly out when necessary, though unfortunatly it is not adjustable as you gain confidence and need a little more/less. Also their float range was not as nice as shimano (explained below).2 - Ample float - yes i know that pedals do not provide float but rather the cleats (with the exception of speedplay). It should be noted that since you can dial the tension down you can actually get a little more float out of the cleats since hte re-centering system is lighter (though it gets a bit sloppy if you go too low and are a bit too strong) While speedplay have the most float available this does not take into consideration actual walking/pedaling style. In orther words you have x degrees left and x degrees right. which means if you toe out more than toe in and you need more out float and less in (with a diff centerpoint), its not possible, as the cleat is a 4 bolt without the ability to rotate, thus you are limited to the maximum range when looking straight ahead. However, on these (as for other SPD SL 3 bolt systems), you are able to rotate the cleat outward (or inward) to allow for the proper center point of alignment.3 - walkability - Sure the SPD mountain cleats are the most walkable, but dont provide the most float, or secuirty that the standard road cleats do, so after a year of riding them, i switched. You may ask, what about the Look Keos. While i like the look’s 3 bolt style similar to the SPD SL, their cleats on the other hand do not provide a wide enough platform for comfortable walking (like the shimanos) Also, you are walking and wearing out the same surfacce that contacts the pedal, unlike shimano which you are walking on the 3 colored tabs which do not directly impact the pedal stroke. Yes, look has the rubberized versions but i’ve noticed the rubber wear out quick and are also significantly more expensive for a replacement than the shimanos (which last a while and are a low price replacement)4 - color - not really important but nice to have options of black and white for diff bikes5 - price - there is really no way to go wrong with this combination. Unless you want to be a weight weenie and squabble over a few grams here and there (yes i am a little bit of a weenie and ride full carbon and try to keep things light). Though frankly, for under 50 bucks you cant go wrong, I assume the steak i ate for lunch is holding me back more than the small gram difference between the 105/ultegra and these pedals. So unless your’re racing as a pro, dont worry about it - not to mention if you were racing as a pro, you wouldnt need this review…Happy riding!

Great pedals for not alot, really!

I placed these on my spinning bike to test them out; its winter here & snow is covering the ground, so I had to try them before the season starts in a couple of months.I noticed on Shimano’s website these are a “standard tension adjustment” & the tension is nearly perfect. I did adjust to the middle line on the tension “window” at first thinking that they may be somewhat light but definitely not; I reset them to lowest then adjusted from there & for me it was about 3 clicks down, which was perfect!I lined up the cleats on the shoe sole to my specs then jumped onto the spinner & away I went; I pulled up as hard as I could on my upstroke with a good deal of resistance & the cleats/shoes held tight; unlike the M-Wave that I previously tried (see review of M-Wave). But, with a quick outward twist of the heel the cleat disengaged. When reinserted there was a definite click that told me the cleats engaged & again I worked on my upstroke to see if I would come out of the pedal but not at all. No front to back play or up/down play. These are secure pedals; plenty of tension if needed & I can get some real power in my upstroke. I did get the black just because, well, they are less expensive then the white, my bike is black, my shoes are black & my shorts are black. Now I’ll be ready to put them on my road bike come spring thaw but for now I will really do some tough spinning!The price, I guess is right in there & as the description says they come with SPD-SL 5 degree cleats.Not since the 90’s have I had clipless pedals & now I realize what I was missing with toe-clips, the upward power stroke with my feet & not with the top of my feet!I would highly recommend these pedals! The exceed the M-Wave but cost about $10 to $20 more but well worth it!They go well with my GIRO Treble II black “patent leather like” shoes, too! I also got cleat covers, KOOLCOVERS.03/24/15Still using these on my spinner; holding up well; the tension on the release mechanism has not been changed & is holding well when needs to & releases well when I need to release! Great pedal!Keep the Roll Going!!

Worth while investment

These are great and they fixed a problem I was having with my road bike. For a while I could not figure out where a clicking sound was coming from. First thought it was my shoes and was dreading that it was in the crank but it turned out to be worn out pedals. It was amazing how much difference it makes when you get rid of the slop in the old pedals. Feels like a new bike.

Great pedals amd super sharp looking

Replaced a local store brand with these after getting new cleats that would not clip out, even after multiple adjustments. These were perfectly adjusted right out of box. I did not have to tweak at all - perfect tightness to keep me safely in while allowing a clip out that took just enough effort to feel safe but not trapped. I able to generate a lot of power with these and you can’t go wrong with Shimano products. My bike is white with red/black trim and I have received several comments on how sharp the white version looks on my bike. Love these!!!

Great product, very very fast shipping

Cant complain, fast shipping, great pedals, cant beat the price.. i like them because if your new to clip-less pedals it has an adjuster on top so you can adjust the tension, helps with the release of the cleats and the white pedals actually set the bike off (my .02). if your new to clip-less pedals this is the way to go and even if your not new i would highly recommend these pedals. will update after a few months or so.Put aprox 3200 miles on the pedals as of May 09 2015, pedals still holding strong…. still would recommend these pedals.

Great entry level pedals

Was looking for entry level cycling pedals and these were exactly what I needed. For the money these are great for improving your ride quality.

Great affordable product.

It is a pair of shimano road clipless pedal, comes with a pair of cleats. Works great, looks and feels well built.

Five Stars

can’t go wrong with shimano

Easy to get used to

Read several reviews about getting used to the clips before heading out on the road. Tried it a few times and it was like we were peas and carrots.

Five Stars

Fit nicely with my bike and shoes

Five Stars

Perfect

Five Stars

Awesome pedal for the price.

Five Stars

Perfect, I received in a good condition

with a good solid feel and a wide range of possible tensions

Pedals function as intended, with a good solid feel and a wide range of possible tensions. The pedals with the included cleats work very well together and allow for a small amount…