I currently use Shimano M520 SPD pedals on all my bikes. So far I've had no problems and like being able to walk in my shoes. I know there are lots of threads on this but the only reason for me to go to road type pedals is to see if I'm missing something, not to solve a problem.

But I was looking at the Shimano A520 pedals and it seems it might be the best of both worlds, perhaps. I can use my same shoes but have a wider platform for more stability. My one question though is whether or not the pedal consistently rests with the clipless side up? Does anyone have them that could report?

I used them but went to Crank Brothers eggbeaters I use spd pedals for my road bike. THey don't slow me down and since it has 4 side entry I never have to think about what way the pedals are facing these are great. They clip right in and I never have had them unclip, they are easy to get out of too. I would suggest you might want to give these a option

I use them on two different bikes, they're very nice pedals. But no, they don't rest clipless side up. It's no biggie.

I have bikes with:
- A520
- M540
- M770 (XT)

There is absolutely no difference once you are clipped in.

The *only* difference is the annoyance of the A520 in never being in the same position when you want to clip in,
so you *always* must look down at it and nudge it into position with your toe before clipping it.
*AND* I also found they make it impossible to use neoprene winter booties, because the aluminum perimeter hits
the sole of the bootie, preventing the cleat from going in far enough to engage.

The A520 has no reason to exist.

Good point. It actually makes sense that in order for the platform to work the lugs on the shoes would have to be the perfect height. I imagine for most shoes the platform is too far away, so that they avoid the other case of people being unable to clip in.

I have A530s on my hybrid and like them well enough. I was hoping for a platform/SL pedal so I could stick with one pair of shoes/cleats, but this was a decent compromise. I have ultegra pedals on my road bike and definitely prefer the SPD-SL cleats, but I didn't want to always have to use cleats on the hybrid.

I wanted a larger platform as well. I went with the Time Atac Z and I think they are great. I use to get hot foot from the 520s, but not with the Time pedals. YMMV

I too want to be able to walk when off the bike. I've used single sided SPD pedals for years on my road bike. First, the store brands but I switched to the A520's about 2 years ago. They don't come up clip side up but you can quickly train yourself to just kick it over. It becomes second nature. I haven't had the issue with the neoprene booties described in an earlier thread. They work OK with the booties for me.

Who made you the expert of the world?

The A520 works just like Shimano's 105, Ultegra, and Dura-Ace pedals. For most of us, the only perceivable difference is that it's heavier.

Shimano road pedals are based on a technology developed by Look in the early 1980s, and every road pedal widely in use today except Speedplay is based on that technology. One unfortunate condition stemming from this fact is that while the cleats for these pedals are very similar, they are also very incompatible. The beauty of free choice. At least the bolt hole pattern is standard now, though. To use road pedals with winter booties you may have to trim the cleat hole with scissors. Can you hack that?

The reasons I can think of for using A520s are: cheap, rugged, have nice float, cleats are compatible with more expensive Shimano pedals, and you don't have to worry about finding replacement parts or cleats. The only drawback I can think of is that the Shimano cleat is wide, so riders with small feet might find using them awkward.

So, no, I can't think of any substantial reason why you wouldn't be overwhelmingly satisfied with Shimano A520 pedals.

Well, since you are talking about the A520, which is an *SPD* pedal, then going on to describe Shimano *road* pedals which are an entirely different design, you certainly aren't the expert.

Thanks for the post. Unfortunately none of these advantages are really what I'm looking for. I'd like something that I can walk in with my MTB shoes yet have the advantage of a wider platform like road pedals. I'd argue with the "cheap" statement above as well, I guess it's all relative. Oh, I would also like to stay SPD as that's what my other pedals use, so Time or other brands would be more cost.

16 years on MTB's and most of that time using M520 pedals. When I went road I found foot ache coming in with them though and as I did not want to have two types of shoes for different bikes- the LBS suggested the A 520's That cured the foot ache and so it is M520's on the MTB's and A520's on the road.

That longer platform gives more support to the foot- being single sided caused a slight problem initially but once the bearings wore in- it always sits right side up. On top of that- I can walk around in the spd shoes- that I would not be able to with Road type shoes.