I'm considering trying a different pedal other than the Shimano M-520. I don't know why, because I'm pretty much used to them, and I can ";click in" pretty much in my sleep. However, I like to browse around, and I spotted the Shimano PD-ED500, and they look pretty good to me. There are other brands out there as well, so I was just looking for some opinions in general.
Thanks,
Paul

I have VP VX Race pedals. I got lucky when someone on ebay was selling them for $25 and bought three pairs. The VX 6000 is similar to the ED500's, but they're much nicer with stainless axles, machined body on the sides that doesn't get scratched up and they're about 50g lighter. And cheaper.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VP-VX-6000-...5.c10#viTabs_0

Pretty much of a downgrade in terms of weight.

The difference between those and something light is like strapping an inner tube to each foot.

The weight difference of pedals will have no effect on your speed unless perhaps you're competing for the yellow jersey in the TDF.

I use Speedplay Zero for the road and Speedplay Frogs for my 'Cross bike. Have used them for the past 15 years and I like them a lot. Obviously.

I found some very good knockoffs of these for around half the price at my local bike shop, I can find the name and model if it's written anywhere on them, if you are interested in finding out.

I have used the double sided SPD's for decades, so I was looking for something a little lighter, and these do the trick. What I like about them is that the axles on both pedals are slightly stiff, so they stay in place as you're pushing down with the other foot. If you practice enough, you can clip back in without looking, because the position of the pedal stays the same as the crank arm turns over.

The original SPD's are not perfect, but the fact I can walk for miles in them if need be is a huge selling point for me.

new cleated rider here. I'm curious what attracts you to these pedals. I don't want to assume why

Physics is different in the TDF?

What's different is a race can be lost by an inch. If you believe an extra 62 grams will have any effect on your personal speed then you live in a fantasy world.

I switched from M-520 SPD pedals to Shimano 105 SPD-SL pedals upon my most recent shoe replacement. I liked M-520s, but felt that it was time to embrace the way of the road cyclist -- certainly there must be some advantage to the more road-oriented pedals and shoes.

My shoes are lighter than before, my pedals and clips are a little heavier, so that's roughly a wash.
The float seems slightly less than I had before.
The contact platform is larger, and despite the old SPD-oriented shoes being slightly stiffer than my newer road shoes, I have less trouble with hot-spots on long rides using the SPD-SL pedals.
I am still a little prone to missing the click-in when I start up a hill from a traffic light.
But since the platform is larger I'm less likely to slip off the pedal and bash my leg when I miss a click-in -- I can keep pedaling through the intersection and click-in at a less stressful moment .

Overall I'm happy with having made the switch over to SPD-SL from SPD. I would even say walking in the SPD-SL shoes isn't as bad as I had expected it to be.

The first thing I noticed about the ED-500 is that they look more like a traditional pedal, and they use the same cleats that I already have. The other thing is that they are billed as a "light-action" pedal which I take to mean that they you don't need to exert so much effort to getting clipped in or out. I'm thinking lighter action could mean quicker release, which could be a little safer in some circumstances. Still, I'd be concerned about how well they stay clipped in as I go charging uphill at blinding speeds. (I wish)

ordered some Funn Mamba's & some cleat wedges ... hope they're fun! (& alleviate my hot spot)