Review: Shimano PD-M424 Pedal

The issue: Firstly, my cheapo pedals were falling apart. Secondly, I was finding toe clips to be less than ideal on mountain trails.

Pedals are one of the many bicycle components that everyone has an opinion about and it seems no two people agree – ok, there aren’t that many options.  I really wanted to try the clipless approach so I did.  The Shimano PD-M424 pedals have received good reviews everywhere I looked so I decided to give them a try.

These pedals are basically an SPD clipless with a resin “cage” around them.  When wearing clipless cycling shoes, the shoe doesn’t even seem to touch the cage (though it may just a bit – hard to feel it). The cage is only there for the occasional “street-shoe ride”, is not very large, and seems to work fine for the intended purpose.

The clipless aspect of the pedal is good.  I still have mine set on the “lightest” spring setting (easiest to get out of) and have had no problem unclipping.

I am very pleased and have found no issues with the pedals.

That said; I still haven’t solved all my issues.  Clipless is great for road riding – of which I do quite a bit.  For mountain biking, I’m not convinced that clipless is the answer.  Toe clips were certainly not the answer either.  It may be that platform pedals are the answer.  I love being clipped in and being able to apply power to the upstroke of the pedal – especially when climbing.  For trails, it seems that the ability to get out of the pedals very, very quickly is the most important thing – I have bruises to prove it.  Maybe I’m just too slow figuring out that I need to get free.  I’m still absorbing it all and trying various things.