Amid the unveiling of Shimano’s newly updated, third generation Saint groupset came one of the most anticipated components of the lot – the new PD-MX80 flat pedals. Shimano’s DX pedal set the flat pedal standard for a long time, so the new Saint offering had a lot to live up to.
Platform size is just about spot on and will accommodate chunky FiveTen soles without a problem. The pins screw in from the reverse of the platform to make removal/adjustment easier and avoid the bolt heads clogging with mud.
They also come with washers, which can be added or removed to tweak pin height and traction on the platform. Nine pins per side offer excellent grip in even the muddiest of conditions and the cutaways are sufficient enough that mud build-up can clear.
We’ve hammered ours into rocks and stumps and although the platforms are starting to look battle-scarred, they’re still spinning smoothly and problem free. Just as with other Shimano pedals, we love the fact that they’re easily serviceable.
Although the Saint pedals tip the scales at 499g, we think the weight penalty is a small price to pay for the quality on offer for such a reasonable price.
This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
