I had a hard time getting this review started. Sometimes, they just about write themselves. That just wasn’t the case with this one. Blame it on late night typing, rigorous training, too little caffeine, who knows. Or, maybe it’s just that reviews that aren’t either glowing, or excoriating, can be harder to write. It’s really easy to love on something…double ditto that for not loving on something. I can honestly say this review doesn’t fall into either of those camps.
So, a little background. I have ridden SPD’s, almost exclusively, since the 90’s. The first pair I ever rode were dog-tired whipped and given to me second hand by a heavy duty touring cyclist I knew. They had at least 10,000 miles on them when I got them. They were big and heavy by todays standards, and they REALLY worked…for a REALLY long time.
I’m a big fan of “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it”, especially when it comes to utilitarian bike parts. Needless to say I was won over, and have been a fan ever since. Over the years, I’ve considered and tried other clipless options, but always come back to SPD’s.
So my big question was just how much better are the XTR’s than the budget model 520’s? The XTR’s are lighter and as quite a bit more expensive. So, are they really worth it? Are they THAT much better? There was only one way to find out.
I ordered up a new pair of each, and proceeded to put in 1500+ miles on each pair over 6 months or so. They moved around just a bit between bikes as the race seasons shifted. Both found plenty of hard use on my Gravel, MTB, CX, and Fat Bike with my well-shod (fresh stock cleats) race shoes and winter race boots.
First off lets just look at the the numbers that are easy to quickly consider.
Shimano XTR 9100: $179 USD, 310 grams (claimed)
Shimano 520: $45 USD, 380 grams (claimed)
So at a glance, the XTR obviously costs more, and weighs less. Too be exact XTR costs 398%, and weighs 82% compared with the 520.
Well then, does the performance justify the price? Is a 2.47 ounce weight difference worth the additional $134? From a straight ROI perspective, will the XTR’s outlast 4 pair of 520’s?
Let’s just state the obvious. Were talking clipless pedals here. My main performance considerations are: how do they feel getting in/out, how well do they hold tension adjustment, how do they spin, mud/snow shedding, platform comfort and durability.
In/Out: I was able to discern absolutely no difference between the two. Once adjusted they both functioned flawlessly and consistently. Neither have developed any slosh, and both demonstrate the clip-in confidence I’ve always loved with no early or undesired disengagement.
Tension adjustment: Again, no discernible difference noted. They both dialed in nicely, and stayed put.
Spin: Both started, and remain, very smooth.
Mud/Snow shedding: I found no difference here across a very wide variety of conditions. They both do a really reasonable job in this department. The narrower XTR spindle really didn’t help or hurt.
Platform comfort: Though I am not prone to “The Princess and the Pea” tendencies, and run really stiff shoes/boots, I still thought I might notice a little difference here. After all, the XTR’s are purported to be more comfortable and more stable with their larger and lower platform, But again, no discernible difference to report. Both were comfortable training and racing through shorter CX efforts, XCO, Fats, Gravel, and all the way up to 6+ hour races.
Durability: As expected, both pair are tough as nails. Absolutely no change in performance. But it’s here that there is finally something to report! 1500+ miles in, both models are still functioning flawlessly. Cosmetically, very little difference can be noted other than perhaps slightly more rust/oxidation and platform finish wear on the XTR’s. The 520’s are purging trace amounts of grease around the spindle seal, but still spin perfectly. All in all, I’d call it a near-wash at this point, though it’s too early to know what might turn up in another 1500+ miles. I honestly have to say I’d give a slight edge to the XTR’s here.
So let’s just wrap it up. Nothing super exciting to report here. The XTR’s cost a lot more, and are notably lighter. Both models are absolute workhorses and have been bomb-proof thus far. The svelte XTR finish is perhaps less durable, while the 520’s might be on their way to showing some signs of early mechanical wear.
So, are the XTR’s worth it? That’s really your call. I can’t honestly say I have been very happy with both thus far. The bang for your buck factor with the 520’s is just unreal. The XTR’s seem to be holding up a little better mechanically if not cosmetically. I would give the edge to the XTR’s at this early point. But not by much.
Enough already…get out and ride!
Andrew
