Shimano PD-M324 flat/SPD pedal

The M324 is a solidly built and dependable commuting pedal for riders who want to switch easily between cleats and flats. If you're a big mile commuter or tourer they won't disappoint, but there's much cheaper copies on offer for the leisure rider.

The guts of the pedal is a well-finished Aluminium body that houses serviceable cup and cone bearings. A metal cage is bolted on for riding in flats, and on the other side you get an adjustable tension SPD binding for when you've got your cleats on. The pedals are very well finished and run smoothly from the off, and the fact that they're easy to strip down is a bonus. The SPD mechanism is the same as you'll find on many of Shimano's other pedals, with a good range of tension adjustment and enough float for most knees. The cage is nice and grippy and performs well in the wet as well as the dry.

Anything not to like? Well, only the fact that you can get very similar looking pedals from a variety of manufacturers for about half the price. Essentially they're all copies of this pedal, but none the worse for that. We tested the Revolution incarnation recently and liked it a lot, especially for less than £25. Make no mistake, these Shimano units are better constructed and will last longer if you're fitting them to a commuting workhorse or a long distance tourer. For most urban and leisure riding, though, the bargain ones will be plenty sturdy enough.

Verdict

Good performance, well designed and nicely made but they look a bit pricey compared to cheaper copies