Shimano Dura-Ace pedals

Shimano's top-level road pedal has been redesigned, retaining the go-on-forever internals of previous Dura-Ace incarnations but now coming with a carbon composite body that lowers the weight... and raises the price.

The pedal body is 63mm wide, which is exactly the same width as Look Keo Carbon Blades (£274.99 with titanium axle, £179.99 with cro-mo axle), so you get a shed-load of stability. Your cleats just don't rock on these pedals; it's an absolutely rock-solid platform (as is the Look design). 

As for the durability, I've been running these for a few months now and they're still looking absolutely mint, so I don't see any reason why they shouldn't provide as much service as their predecessors. That means you'll get several years of use if you treat them nicely.

Clipping into the pedal is as easy as ever. As long as you get your foot vaguely in the right area and push, the pedal does the rest and an audible click lets you know your cleat has engaged. Once clipped in, your cleat will never come out accidentally if you have the tension adjustment bolts wound in tight. The retention springs are hidden away from the elements inside a little cover, and those adjustment bolts have diddy gauges that allow you to set them equally with the minimum of fuss.

The pedal body spins beautifully on its bearings. There are two ball bearings around the strong steel axle along with a wide roller bearing, and it's simple to open the pedals up for greasing and adjustment, even if you don't have much workshop experience. You won't need to do that often, but giving the pedals the once over from time to time will keep them smooth and extend their life. Do that and they'll go on and on.

The SPD-SL cleats you get in the box have 6 degrees of float - meaning that you can pivot your foot 3 degreees in either direction before becoming unclipped. I've always found that to be plenty for keeping the old knees happy although, of course, you might be different. Replacements cleats, including a fixed (no float) version, cost £19.99, which is the same as Look's.

You couldn't describe walking in the cleats as a whole lot of fun but they provide a decent middle ground between grip and durability. You certainly feel a lot less precarious clacking across damp roads in these than in many other cleats.

For all the weight weenies out there, my pedals hit the scales at 250g the pair. That compares to 190g for a pair of Look Keo Blade Carbon pedals. Bear in mind, though, that the extra weight gives you tension adjustment on the retention mechanism. The Shimano pedals are also £55 cheaper. Look's £130.99 Keo Carbons (with coil spring retention rather than the carbon leaf spring you get on the Blades) are also a little lighter at 230g (manufacturer's claimed weight).

In terms of function, these are great. They're super-stable, reasonably lightweight and durable. The only sticking point is the price. Okay, they are cheaper than Look's top-level pedals, but you can get a set of alloy-bodied Ultegras, which are almost as good and weigh just 60g more, for £99.99. So if you're looking for value, you might want to drop down a tier.

Verdict

Super-stable, reasonably lightweight and easy to use, and they'll last you years, but the price is high