Shimano XTR PD-M9120 pedals review
The products mentioned in this article are selected or reviewed independently by our journalists. When you buy through links on our site we may earn an affiliate commission, but this never influences our opinion.

Shimano XTR PD-M9120 pedals review

A timeless high-end classic pedal, but do you get extra performance for the extra cash?

Our rating

4.5

200.00
190.00
140.00
290.00

Ian Linton / Our Media

Published: January 26, 2024 at 9:00 am

Our review
A lightweight high performer with sleek aesthetics

Pros:

Lightweight; smooth spindle bearing; slim, wide shape that offers excellent support; fully serviceable; readily available replacement parts

Cons:

Expensive; riders who like less float and a grippier platform may prefer a pedal with pins

Shimano’s XTR PD-M9120 clipless pedals look set to stand the test of time with a sleek, modern aesthetic that is equally at home on a top-of-the-range XC race bike as it is on a trail or enduro bike.

Refined to be a premium, lightweight pedal, the XTR PD-M9120’s domination of the market has been tested by an increasing number of competitors with similarly high-end products.

Fortunately, despite their price, the PD-M9120 pedals deliver on performance, are easily serviceable and should last many years.

Shimano XTR PD-M9120 pedals specifications

Shimano XTR PD-M9120 mountain bike pedals
Although expensive, the XTR pedals' performance impressed throughout testing. Ian Linton / Our Media

The platform’s shape has been designed to optimise weight (395g per pair), while prioritising a wide 70mm edge-to-edge contact area that extends to the rear of the platform. Shimano claims this provides a solid shoe-to-pedal interface for power and control.

Shaped around Shimano’s classic SPD mechanism, the slim axle is ovalised for more efficient mud clearance than previous iterations.

The XTRs feature the standard SM-SH51 steel cleats with 4 degrees' float and a 13-degree release angle, which should offer a predictable, positive engagement and easy release in all situations.

The body covers of the cleat jaws are replaceable, as are the axles. Disassembly is easy using the correct tools and following the PDF guide on the product web page for regular maintenance of the bearings and seals.

Shimano XTR PD-M9120 pedals performance

Shimano XTR PD-M9120 mountain bike pedals
Their wide platform provided plenty of support. Ian Linton / Our Media

Just as Shimano intended, the wide and long platform (100x70mm) had millimetre-perfect contact with the soles of my Crankbrothers Mallet shoes, which gives an added sense of control when pressing through turns and generating speed.

For those times when technical sections didn’t let up enough to clip back in, the large platform gave plenty of support and grip without that sketchy feeling of balancing on just the cleat mechanism.

The slim profile (15.4mm) of the tapered leading and trailing edges strikes the balance required to assist cleat engagement, while minimising rock strikes.

The tapered shape of the platform followed the contour of the sole of my shoes to a tee, and with full weight pressing down through the pedals the ridges offered just the right amount of traction to prevent unwanted lateral movement of the shoes.

Shimano XTR PD-M9120 mountain bike pedals
Height-adjustment cleat shims are supplied with the pedals. Ian Linton / Our Media

That said, the 4-degree float had a free action and made pedaling comfortable for my ankles and knees.

The stability and enhanced control the XTRs conveyed encouraged me to adopt the better riding form of dropping my heels on the descents, more so than pedals lacking this good contact.

The standard cleats come complete with metal spacers, which slot perfectly inside the shoe interface to fine tune the cleat’s depth and cleat-pedal engagement.

This is a much smarter, high-end alternative to the perishable plastic spacers of other pricey pedal systems.

How do Shimano’s XTR SPD pedals compare to Hope’s TC Union?

Hope Union TC mountain bike pedals
The quality of Hope's design and build is clear. Ian Linton / Our Media

Straight off the bat, the XTRs are not only cheaper but lighter (the Hope TC Union pedals cost £150 and weigh 439g).

There’s little in it when it comes to the cleat mechanism itself, because both have a clear, crisp action for engaging and disengaging your foot that's consistent and predictable.

The Hopes have the option of pins, where the XTRs don’t. However, because of the added interference and damage pins can cause to shoe soles, you may find you opt to remove them in favour of retaining float.

Aesthetically speaking, riders may be drawn in either direction, with both looking the part – as befits their high price.

Shimano XTR PD-M9120 pedals bottom line

Shimano XTR PD-M9120 mountain bike pedals
The tapered shape mirrored the soles of our tester's shoes. Ian Linton / Our Media

The XTRs met my expectations and justified their high price.

Not only are you paying for a set of good-looking pedals, but you also get a slick-functioning, supportive design that's fully serviceable and has readily available replacement parts.

How we tested | Mountain bike pedals

Each of these mountain bike pedals was tested on varied terrain, including trail centres, cycle paths and technical off-piste enduro trails in the Tweed Valley, in both dry and wet conditions.

I paid particular attention to the ease of clipping in and out, and how available adjustments altered the function of each pedal.

They were all tested with the same two-bolt off-road Crankbrothers shoes and on the same bike, a Santa Cruz Blur.

Pedals on test

Product

Brand shimano
Price 290.00 AUD,200.00 EUR,140.00 GBP,190.00 USD
Weight 395.0000, GRAM () -

Features

br_cleatTypepedalSystem spd
Features Size: 100x70x20mm

Body material: Aluminium

Spindle: Cromoly

Cleat: SM-SH51 single direction release, 4 degrees float, 13-degree release angle

Colours: Black