XT-M785 Trail pedal v M530 trail pedal

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I'm planning on switching from flats to SPDs (which I used to use before I stopped riding) when the weather gets a bit drier, however given the sale on at CRC I figured I'd get pedals now and shoes in a month or two.

Is the only difference between the two pedals really just the weight of 408g (XT) v 455g (M530)? They look very similar and I guess the actual mechanism is the same so its just a case of a heavier material for the cage? I think that the bearings are better in the XT too but not 100% it will make a difference in reality.

£20 difference in price on CRC, worth spending the money on the better pedals or on a nice indian takeaway ?

rockmonkeysc

I have both. XT are lighter and the XT bearings seem to be lasting better.

Ferrals

Lasting better to justify £20 quid?
I guess at the end of the day I was going to drive to glyncorrwg today which would have been a fiver in petrol, three quid on parking and a fiver on food after so I've basically just saved the extra by riding from home :-)

rockmonkeysc

Not really worth the extra.

peter413

I also have both and I'd spend the extra on the XT's. They are lighter, thinner and have a nicer, more positive action so the mechanism isn't the same. The bearings are also better and they don't require any special tools to service. The tool for the M530's only costs a few quid but it's not always easy to find them.

The XT's only use an 8mm hex key to install them but the M530 has spanner flats as well as a 6mm hex key IIRC. Actual weights of the XT and M530's are 407g and 451g. You won't notice the difference between the bearings riding but the M530's wear/develop play faster IME.

Ferrals

Yeah went with the xt's - have told myself the £20 will be saved by no more daily chocolate bars from the vending machine at work this month - so if I stick to it it will be a win-win situation

The Rookie

If you check the Shimano techdocs it's obvious the bearings themselves are the same part, not sure if they are better sealed or the cup and cone are better or not I don't know.

My M520's have done 5 years and near enough 5000 miles without needing any attention at all.

Personally I wouldn't bother with the trail option, I just use the regular one and its lighter and cheaper (M520's can be had from circa £17).

poah

Get time atac's

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ah well, I've ordered xt trail already. I definately wanted the trail version as it's such a long time since I used spds and back then I had those red DX pedals which made re-clipping after getting a foot out super easy.

Won't be putting them on for the moment though - will need to wait til march to afford the shoes!

peter413

POAH wrote:

Get time atac's

I went from Time's to SPD's and much prefer the SPD's. Adjustable, better bearings, much better cleat life, easier to clip in and cheaper both buying initially and for new cleats. It's also easier to find the cleats for SPD's in a bike shop if you should need them in a hurry. The SPD clip mechanism isn't as susceptible to damage as the Time's is.

poah

peter413 wrote:

POAH wrote:

Get time atac's

I went from Time's to SPD's and much prefer the SPD's. Adjustable, better bearings, much better cleat life, easier to clip in and cheaper both buying initially and for new cleats. It's also easier to find the cleats for SPD's in a bike shop if you should need them in a hurry. The SPD clip mechanism isn't as susceptible to damage as the Time's is.

I'd argue the better bearing, I've never done anything to my 20 year old pair of time ATAC's and finding cleats is no issue either for me also never had an issue clipping in and out of mine either but that's down to personal experience I suppose. time's don't get clogged with mud like shimano's do

peter413

The cleats aren't hard to find but you're more likely to find SPD cleats in a shop. Also the clogging is total rubbish. They both suffer the same problem of the cleats clogging and neither copes with that. Just because you haven't had an issue clipping in or out doesn't mean SPD's aren't even easier.

poah

peter413 wrote:

The cleats aren't hard to find but you're more likely to find SPD cleats in a shop. Also the clogging is total rubbish. They both suffer the same problem of the cleats clogging and neither copes with that. Just because you haven't had an issue clipping in or out doesn't mean SPD's aren't even easier.

time don't clog like the other types of clipless and I've never had an issue with the cleats and mud either.

lostboysaint

Crank Brothers if you don't like clogging

(Cue all the "yeah but they like so unreliable" posts)

The Rookie

yeah but they are like so unreliable!

Never had an issue with Mud clogging on my XT's.

rockmonkeysc

Never had any problems with spd's clogging, even when racing on wet chalk or clay I haven't had a problem.

peter413

Exactly, SPD's don't clog any worse than other clipless pedals and IME the cleat is far more likely to get clogged. Not once has the pedal been too clogged to engage but plenty of times the cleat has been. In conditions bad enough to clog the cleat putting your foot down once the pedals have still been fine.

No pedal is going to cope any better than another when your cleats are covered in mud. The cleat can't even get to the pedal mechanism hence why it fails to clip in.

Don't get me wrong, the Time's are still good pedals but weighing the positives and negatives the SPD's have far more positives than the Time's. I was always a huge fan of the Time's until my dad bought some M530's to try. I borrowed them one day and the next day I had them fitted to my bike. The Time's have sat unused ever since.