Shimano M520 $55: https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=5240

Performance Ascent $19: https://www.performancebike.com/shop/....cfm?sku=17137

This is for my wife for both her Mtn and road bikes. Getting 2 pair. Got new nice Mtn shoes; New Mtn bike for her; want same pedals on Mtn and road so can share shoes. Can get Shimano M520 at another source for $32.

Want her to have confidence getting in and out.

Both apparently have 4 deg float, Al body/cromoly spindle
Shimano: 380g
Ascent: 360g

Thanks for your help,

The M520s have adjustable tension which makes learning to clip in MUCH easier. From the appearance the Ascents do not. The M505 is absolutely horrible (at least to me) and it looks nearly (not quite) indentical to the M520w which I like much better. So basically I'm saying that looking similar is not similar. In all reality from 10ft away an XTR rear mech looks pretty much the same as an Alivio rear mech so no, seeing is not believing.

Oh, and if you decide on the M520's BikePartsUSA has them for $38 a pair.

https://www.bikepartsusa.com/product_...ml?p=01-117982

Thanks, will call Performance Tech and ask them about
-adjustable tension
-comparative ease of entry/exit

I just got a pair of the Performance Carve SPDs for $39 on (perpetual) sale. Really nice pedals & weigh 295 grams a pair. Come with Wellgo 98A cleats which work perfectly with Shimano pedals. The Carves are much better than the 520s. Lighter, better looking, same adjustability.

https://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?sku=8863

How about the ones above from Nashbar. On the phone, their tech said these do have adjustable tension; he did consider them lower quality than the Shimano 520's; which he elaborated that they would not be as durable, but would functionally be very similar. He also said the cleats are proprietary.

520s were my first clipless pedals and I can't find a reason to get rid of them. I've used them on a couple of MTBs and they did double duty on the road bike for a while too (same set). They're a little beat up but I still use them and they work like new

I bought those Nashbar pedals. The cleats are not SPD compatible. Similar, but not the same. They go in, but getting them out is problematic. They're sitting on the shelf. I suppose if you only have 1 bike or all your bikes use the same pedals they'd be OK, but if you have other bikes with SPD compatible, look elsewhere.

Getting out was problematic with the proper (Nashbar) cleats, or trying with SPD cleats???

Thanks,

I have those Nashbar NS-EP2 pedals. Funny, when I purchased them I was told that Nashbar does not claim they are compatible with SPD. My experience is similiar to above, I find SPD cleats are a little difficult to clip in and a little difficult to clip out, BUT they work. I'm putting my Nashbar pair on my back-up road bike because I usually have more time to anticipate a stop on a road bike. On my mountain bikes I want Shimano SPDs with Shimano SPD cleats. Not all stops can be anticipated on the trail and I need to know that I can get out anytime, even if all I'm actually gaining is piece of mind.
EDIT: Note to TJHOO, I never tried the Nashbar cleats in the Nashbar pedals, so I can't answer your question. Now you've got me curious.

Getting out of the Nashbar pedals with SPD cleats is difficult. I never tried the cleats that came with them because I have other bikes that are SPD & I'm not willing to switch them. Thus the pedals are shelf ornaments.