Davidnssbm

i wanted mtb clipless shoes with the grip on the bottom to go along with my road bike.

so i picked up some sidi bullets which fit like a sock for my wider feet... and then i bought the shimano m959 mtb clipless pedals because they were on sale for 120 from 170 so it seemed like a killer deal..

now im starting to read/realize that i could maybe get the same quality from another pedal for a lower cost because the higher cost of these was for mountainbiking advantages, which i dont do so i would never have to even worry about mud or them being banged up.

Can anyone give some advice? money isnt really an issue, but if i didnt NEED to spend 50 more then i'd like to get that money back, but if i actually have an amazing pedal and dont really have any disadvantages then im satisfied! thanks for any help!

cyclintom

You made a HORRIBLE deal. But I'm kind enough to take those pedals off your hands for a small reduction in price commenserate with the trouble I'm going through to help you out.

Cheap pedals wear out a LOT faster.

worker4youth

Depends...why did you get mountain pedals over road pedals? I can only think of 2 advantages that mountain pedals have over road pedals: 1.) They're double-sided (though some road pedals are multi/double-sided), 2.) If you get mountain shoes, they're easier to walk in.

Also, why did you get the top-of-the-line shimano pedals? Does the $100 difference in price tag between the M520s and M959s make a difference to you?

Singlespeedster

In my opinion, the 540s would be just as good. They weigh 8 grams more, and they don't have the flourine coating. Those are about the only differences between the 959s and the 540s.

Davidnssbm

well i do have mountain shoes for easy walking and a wider foot. ill check out the 540s

webist

You did fine. Don't worry about it. i used MTB pedals and shoes on my road bike for a couple years. I felt like I was more comfortable walking around in MTB shoes. I'm wearing road shoes and have road pedals now, but waited until I was ready for new equipment befoe I got 'em.

patentcad

Why doesn't everybody just buy Speedplays? Go figure.

The weenie mentaility is unfathomable.

Nubie

I have M540s on my road bike, which aren't as pretty as the M959s, but serve their purpose quite nicely. I think the 959s are made of lighter materials (and therefore less durable), but that's about it.

Bontrager

I have the 540's. If I had the disposable income then I'd have the 959's.

If you feel that horrible about your purchase, I'll gladly trade you

noisebeam

The M520 is often on sale for $45. At REI for $55 or so.

It is the same mechanical design (same manual too), but uses less fancy materials, perhaps different bearing and doesn't have surface finish ("flourine coated binding claw" for better cleat/claw slipperiness. Weighs about 30g more.

Al

patentcad

>>They weigh 8 grams more<<

And God knows how critical this can be on a 15-30lb. bicycle.

worker4youth

You can easily get new M520s on ebay for $25-$30. M540s are $20 more usually. I use M520s on my commuter fixed-gear, and my mountain bike.

Singlespeedster

To the original poster:

There is a lot of "I thinks" being thrown around in this thread. I encourage you to peruse the shimano site for real data.

The 959s are not made from lighter materials. The 959s will last just as long as 540s. The bearings are the same in 959s and 540s, but the bearings in the 520s are different and not as smooth.

Bontrager

I'm guessing the top of the line 959's which are ridden by elite level cyclists would far outperform 520's all other things being equal. Sure you might have some slight weight savings but they're constructed better. Put a price on longevity.

cuda2k

Interesting thread, I posted in the MTB forum a few days ago asking for compares between the M520 and M540. I've also looked at the M959 model and for the price you got them for, I don't think you got a bad deal and they'll last you a long long time. I'm leaning towards the M540's myself, and if I'm lucky I may get them for ~70 on ebay.

worker4youth

Longevity itself is speculation, at best. In general, it's not safe to assume higher costs means longer life. However, it's safe to bet that any of the Shimano-line pedals will last a long time.

I tried both the M520s and M540s before I bought them. Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference, and I'm willing to bet that the M520s will last just as long as the M540s. If not, no big deal, another $30 and I can get new ones.

noisebeam

I have over 8k miles on never maintained M520's and give them far more abuse than any typical road rider would give (They are on a CX bike and see rough rocky dusty single track riding with occasional direct pedal impacts. Road use is mainly commuting with lots of unclipping and hard sprinting.) They still spin well loaded or not and give no funny bearing noise nor play. They still retain clips fine when the clips are replaced when worn.

Al

Bontrager

Compared to prices of equivalent level shimano road pedals (i.e. dura ace spd-sl vs. 959 or ultegra spd-sl vs. 540) the mtb pedals are a good deal for the money.

jeff williams

I ride a mtb and use bmx pedals, killer strong and cheap.
Kids don't have much dough, roadies do though. BMX for platforms alla way.

Singlespeedster

Wow. This is an amazingly useful contribution.

mingsta

The M520's prolly would have done the job, though they're a little heavier. The 959 is expensive because it is light and has superior mud shedding design, but there a model up from the 520, the 540, is meant to be almost as good as the 959 but a lot cheaper. Singletrackworld actually commented on this in a group test, saying that they've shot themselves in the foot with the 540 as it almost makes the 959 seem redundant for the extra money.

CardiacKid

Rule number 1 for posting new threads to Bikeforum: Never ask if you should have done something, after you have already done it. Buyers remorse is normal. We would all like for someone to say "yeah, you did good". This is not the place to get that kind of support.

You got a great deal on a good set of pedals. Of course, I have no idea what I am talking about. I'm an Eggbeater guy.

blandin

I use Forte Pro Mg Ti Road Pedals with SPD cleants and my Sidi's. 200 grams for the pair and they have them on sale from time to time for $69.

jeff williams

Ya? ...and what do you call your post? Useful?
F-no.
If you need platforms, look into bmx. They are as strong, cheaper and really -the only difference will be that the pins are often removable one side for grinding on bmx.
Mtb are sometimes studs molded into the platform body.

Entry sealed bearings mtb =75$
Entry sealed bearings bmx =50$

Difference in strength\weight =none.
Knowing this, priceless =well, $25.
You are discussing non-platforms so I'll get off my soapbox. Sorry I mis-understood.

Retro Grouch 

My experience is several years old, but I think that it might still be pertinent.

Years ago my wife and I had whatever the LX level SPD pedal was on our tandem. I picked up two pair of 747 pedals on a good deal and put them on our bike. My wife wasn't pleased that I had messed with her riding position. Fortunately for me, one ride was all that it took. We both remarked at how much more "crisply" the pedals engaged and disengaged than the lower cost version of the same thing. That's been over 5 years ago now and we're still using the pedals so, on a per year basis, the difference in cost is pretty low.

Enjoy your 959's.