Shimano M520 spd pedals

seanorawe

So I bought new pedals, they are the exact same pedals I always buy. I think they are the Shim M520, basically the ones you put on with a pedal wrench as opposed to a hex key.

I got them from ebay, and they look like genuine pedals, and they had the bits of cardboard you get in them when you buy them new, but they were sent in a clear sort of lunch bag ( the ones that clip closed). Anyway, they are really difficult to clip in to, they feel like they are resisting against the cleat. Ive tried many different tensions and the same problem. Anyone ever experienced this? Ill try putting some oil in the springs tonight, but they seem fake to me

wongataa

Why would you buy pedals that are cheap from retailers like Wiggle or Merlin from ebay? Have you checked that the tensioning mechanism is actually working?

craker

Reminds me of my first ride out on new m520s many years ago, they were a struggle to clip in and when I got to a junction I just went round in circles desperately trying to get a foot free. I ended up on the floor, still clipped in and had to take the shoes off in order to detach myself. :roll:

They did, however, respond to an allen key in order to loosen them. Remember you have to do all four tension bolts (two per pedal).

apreading

There are loads around in plastic bags rather than boxes - they are supplied to bike manufacturers and shops that way for fitting onto new bikes, hence why its called OEM packaging becuase it saves a few quid and space in shipping containers by doing away with the boxes and instructions that arent needed in that case. Lots of retailers buy up job lots of these and sell them cheaper than the boxed retail versions. Sometimes they also dont come with cleats if this is the case.

thats why they are cheap.

If you bought from someone who looks reputable on ebay with lots of feedback and based in UK then I dont expect they will be fake.

Probably just the tension - have you checked the instructions on which way to turn it and unwound it all the way? New ones are often a bit stiff at first.

step83

Mine came in a plastic bag, I know they are OEM shimis as said they do that as no point waiting money on retail boxes for bike builders, lots of industries do it.

As said all the tensioners need to be loosened. That an sometimes they need a little GT85 or similar.

seanorawe

wongataa wrote:

Why would you buy pedals that are cheap from retailers like Wiggle or Merlin from ebay? Have you checked that the tensioning mechanism is actually working?

Because they were cheaper.

The above comments have put me at ease. I assumed they were cheaper because they didn't come with cleats, but it makes sense that they save on shipment charges when in bags. A lot of big companies and organisations will pay for a shipment container full of stock to be sent from china etc, so smaller items can be added in at no charge. A bit like how Ali express can ship for free. A least that's how I read in to it.

keef66

Genuine M520s are pretty cheap to start with; wouldn't have thought it was worth the counterfeiters tooling up to make an inferior copy. Could be wrong though; they are into just about everything else.

Back in the mists of time I seem to remember mine feeling worryingly tenacious to start with so I loosened off the tension and gave them a squirt of furniture polish which helped.

trek_dan

They can feel really really tight at first, especially if using worn cleats, I usually buy used pedals so they come pre-broken in.