Table Of Contents
Shimano XT M8020 Mountain Bike Pedal Review: Best Clipless Mountain Bike Pedal Review
Best All-Around SPD Pedal
- Platform feel 70%
- Ease/feel of entry 80%
- Ease/feel of exit 80%
- Mud shedding ability 70%
- Weight 80%
Weight per Pair: 404g
Clean Type: SPD Mountain
Use: All-Mountain, Enduro, XC
Price: $199.99
What We Like: A high-end pedal for a mid-tier price
What We Don’t: Significantly heavier than the Crank Brothers alternative
It is easy for products like the Shimano XT M8020 to get lost in the shuffle. It sits between Shimano’s premium XTR M9120 and budget M530 SPD pedals. But the Shimano XT M8020 is far more than a placeholder between the budget and premium options. In fact, we felt that the difference between the XT M8020 and more expensive XTR M9120 was microscopic. While the more expensive XTR M9120 seemed to have exceeded the point of diminishing returns of trading dollars for grams, the XT M8020 hits the sweet spot.
In fact, we liked it so much that we chose the Shimano XT M8020 as our top pick for best all-around SPD mountain bike pedal.
Compare to Similar Products
Crank Brothers Candy 7
- Platform feel 60%
- Ease/feel of entry 80%
- Ease/feel of exit 80%
- Mud shedding ability 100%
- Weight 90%
Pros
Great performance for a reasonable price, excellent mud shedding, best weight to cost ratio available
Cons
Small platform compared to the similarly priced Crank Brothers Mallet E
Weight: 320g
Cleat Type: Crank Brothers Brass
Use: All-Mountain, Enduro XC
Shimano XT M8020
- Platform feel 70%
- Ease/feel of entry 80%
- Ease/feel of exit 80%
- Mud shedding ability 70%
- Weight 80%
Pros
A high-end pedal for a mid-tier price
Cons
Significantly heavier than the Crank Brothers alternative
Weight: 404g
Cleat Type: SPD Mountain
Use: All-Mountain, Enduro XC
Crank Brothers Mallet E
- Platform feel 100%
- Ease/feel of entry 90%
- Ease/feel of exit 70%
- Mud shedding ability 80%
- Weight 70%
Pros
Lightweight for the size of the platform
Great pedaling platform
The most adjustable Crank Brothers pedal
Easy to clip into
Cons
Vague sense of clipping in and out
Heavier than Candy 7
Pins can make clipping out more difficult
Weight: 420g
Cleat Type: Crank Brothers Brass
Use: All-Mountain, Enduro, Downhill
Shimano Saint M820
- Platform feel 90%
- Ease/feel of entry 90%
- Ease/feel of exit 70%
- Mud shedding ability 60%
- Weight 30%
Pros
The most adjustable pedals that we reviewed
Great pedal platform
Satisfying SPD feel
Cons
Heaviest pedals in our review
Not the best for extremely muddy conditions
Weight: 545g
Cleat Type: SPD Mountain
Use: All-Mountain, Enduro, Downhill
Crank Brothers Candy 1
- Platform feel 60%
- Ease/feel of entry 80%
- Ease/feel of exit 80%
- Mud shedding ability 100%
- Weight 90%
Pros
Extremely lightweight and well-rounded pedal for the price
Cons
Lack of traction pads found on higher end Candy pedals
Not the most solid platform
Weight: 294g
Cleat Type: Crank Brothers Brass
Use: All-Mountain, Enduro, XC
Shimano M530
- Platform feel 70%
- Ease/feel of entry 80%
- Ease/feel of exit 80%
- Mud shedding ability 80%
- Weight 70%
Pros
Virtually the same pedaling and clipping experience offered by the much more expensive Shimano XTR M9120 and XT M8020 at an entry-level price
Cons
Heaviest mini platform pedal in review, painted cage is slippery when wet
Weight: 453g
Cleat Type: SPD Mountain
Use: All-Mountain, Enduro, XC
Crank Brothers Eggbeater 3
- Platform feel 30%
- Ease/feel of entry 50%
- Ease/feel of exit 90%
- Mud shedding ability 100%
- Weight 100%
Pros
A high-end pedal for a mid-tier price
Cons
Significantly heavier than the Crank Brothers alternative
Weight: 404g
Cleat Type: SPD Mountain
Use: All-Mountain, Enduro XC
Shimano XTR M9100
- Platform feel 50%
- Ease/feel of entry 60%
- Ease/feel of exit 80%
- Mud shedding ability 90%
- Weight 90%
Pros
Lightest SPD pedal in test
Fairly large contact area for an SPD pedal
Cons
Pricey and heavy compared to Crank Brothers alternative
Weight: 310g
Cleat Type: SPD Mountain
Use: XC
Crank Brothers Eggbeater 1
- Platform feel 30%
- Ease/feel of entry 50%
- Ease/feel of exit 90%
- Mud shedding ability 100%
- Weight 100%
Pros
Unbeatable weight for budget XC pedals
Cons
Difficult to clip into
Weight: 280g
Cleat Type: Crank Brothers Brass
Use: XC
Shimano M520
- Platform feel 50%
- Ease/feel of entry 60%
- Ease/feel of exit 80%
- Mud shedding ability 90%
- Weight 70%
Pros
The same pedaling experience of the XTR M9120 for a third of the price
Cons
Heavier than the Egg Beater 1
Weight: 310g
Cleat Type: SPD Mountain
Use: XC
Shimano XTR M9120
- Platform feel 70%
- Ease/feel of entry 80%
- Ease/feel of exit 80%
- Mud shedding ability 70%
- Weight 80%
Pros
All of the great features of the XT M8020 in a lighter package
Cons
Heavier than Crank Brothers alternative and not enough difference to justify the price increase over the Shimano XT M8020
Weight: 398g
Cleat Type: SPD Mountain
Use: All-Mountain, Enduro, XC
Platform
The Shimano M8020 SPD pedal is built around Shimano’s mini platform system. The XT M8020 doesn’t offer the power transfer and unclipped traction of full cage clipless pedals like the Shimano Saint M820 or Crank Brothers Mallet E, but we think it is a perfect compromise between the enduro/DH oriented full cage pedals, and XC oriented cageless pedals.
The finish on the XT M8020 is machined, providing a bit of traction in slippery conditions, providing your foot with a place to land should you come unclipped, and giving you just enough footing to get in the frantic unclipped pedal stroke or two.
Ease of Entry
The Shimano XT M8020 pedal is easy and satisfying to clip into. SPD pedal loyalists love the satisfying “click” in and out of Shimano pedals and the XT M8020 makes it easy to understand why. The mini platform also strikes the great balance of making it easy to get the pedal turned over and into a clipping position, without interfering your shoe while trying to clip in.
Ease of Exit
Not having a large cage and pins getting in your way of clipping in is good, but not having a large cage and pins getting in your way of clipping out is even better. Add on the fact that they feature Shimano’s usual advantage of adjustable tension, and the M8020s offer a great clip in and out, whether you like that clip to come with a little bit of pressure or a lot.
Mud Shedding Ability
Crank Brothers fans will be quick to tell you that Crank Brothers pedals can’t be beaten when it comes to their performance in muddy conditions, and they are right. Furthermore, like the Shimano XTR M9120, the machined surface of the XT M8020 pedal does not shed mud as well as the painted finish of the Shimano M530.
Still, the mini platform collects very little mud, and the clipping mechanism itself is incredibly consistent regardless of the conditions. There are pedals that perform better in the mud, but the Shimano XT M8020 is no slouch in muddy conditions, itself.
The Bottom Line
The Shimano XT M8020 is an excellent all-around pedal. In fact, we think that it is the best SPD pedal on the market. There are lighter pedals, cheaper pedals, pedals that perform better in mud, etc. But the Shimano XT M8020 is a pedal that does everything well, so well in fact that it is very difficult to justify $60 extra for Shimano’s premium XTR 9120 pedals. At only $119.99, you would be hard pressed to find a better pair of clipless mountain bike pedals.
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