For 30 years, Shimano’s SPD system has been a go-to for all kinds of riders, from cyclocross and gravel to downhill. The SPD cleats have made a name not just for being the first of their kind, but for being affordable, durable, and easy to install, and it’s rare for a product to remain unchanged for such a length of time. That is, until now, as the brand has tweaked its SPD cleat for the very first time.

The SPD cleat gets refined for multi-directional entry

Snappily dubbed the CL-MT001, Shimano’s classic SPD cleat has received a well-deserved tweak. Shimano says that it’s designed for a wide range of riders, and at face value, well… it doesn’t look all that different.

2025 Shimano SPD cleat.jpg
2025 Shimano SPD cleat (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)
2025 Shimano SPD cleat.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Shimano was also keen to stress that a cleat spacer is only included if you buy the CL-MT001 cleats in a package with the new PD-M9220 Trail pedals

However, with new chamfers around the cleat, and the tip specifically, it can now engage with a pedal’s mechanism from a range of angles, rather than the toe-first engagement of old. That doesn’t mean you can’t clip in toe-first, though. As well as the renowned method, with the CL-MT001, riders can clip in rear-first or by pushing directly down onto the pedal.

To those well acquainted with SPD pedals, this may not seem like such an improvement, but to those who are partial to a hasty mid-corner dab, Shimano’s redesign should make pedal engagement much easier and faster. The brand also reckons it’ll make life simpler for those new to clipless pedals, as the new system requires less finesse or specificity to engage with properly.

Better still, we’re told that the new design cleats are backwards compatible, so if you’ve already got a favourite pair of SPD compatible pedals, all you’ll need is a fresh set of cleats to revel in a new way of clipping in.

The CL-MT001 cleats can be picked up for £20.

With new cleats come new pedals

Along with fresh cleats, Shimano has unveiled a brand new pair of XTR PD-M9220 pedals that are engineered to appease those of a trail and enduro persuasion. The brand says that they’re focused on bringing durability and an improvement in control.

2025 shimano pedal.jpg
2025 shimano pedal (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)
2025 shimano pedal.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Like many of the burgeoning selection of gravity-focused pedals, these use a large platform that comes equipped with four adjustable pins in a bid to boost traction when not clipped in. The platform then acts as protection for the mechanism.

In a further attempt to make the pedals more durable, they benefit from a new seal design to keep water and mud from ingressing.

The new pedals are priced at £180.

There’s a little more for gravellers, too

Cleats, pedals, and now shoes. Recognising that gravel racing can be a little contradictory in what racers are looking for in their shoes, Shimano’s new RX910 S-Phyre Gravel Race shoes are built to bring road levels of power transfer with ‘off-road capability’ in a comfortable package.

606461-RX910_blu_spotlight_001-e80585-original-1755078614.jpg
606461-RX910_blu_spotlight_001-e80585-original-1755078614 (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)
606461-RX910_blu_spotlight_001-e80585-original-1755078614.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Importantly, the new kicks bring the Pontoon Cleat System to the mix. This is made up of a pair of platforms that are built into the cleat system, and they move with the cleat, however you adjust it. Apparently, this helps to deliver more under-shoe support while leaving little compromise to the off-road capability that the SPD system is known for.

Of course, these shoes are said to work best with Shimano’s SPD pedals – the PD-M9200 and PD-M8100 to be specific. They then sit at a 12/12 on the brand’s stiffness index, there are drainage holes, and a TPU lugged outsole.

606463-RX910_blu_spotlight_003-0bf012-original-1755078618.jpg
606463-RX910_blu_spotlight_003-0bf012-original-1755078618 (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)
606463-RX910_blu_spotlight_003-0bf012-original-1755078618.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Additionally, the Anti-Twist Stabilizer Heel Cup is said to keep feet locked in place, and the shoes benefit from a seamless midsole construction, which we’re told reduces the shoe’s stack height and boosts stability further. The shoes use a Boa Li2 fit system, too.

Coming in standard sizes from EU38 to 48 and in half sizes from 41.5 to 46.5 as well as wide sizes from 40-48, the Shimano S-Phyre Gravel Race Shoes are claimed to weigh 304 grams in a size 43, and will set you back a hefty £370.

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