I don't know why I switched over from the OG SPD 747 to the Eggbeaters, I guess for the weight weenie saving. After years of cyclocross racing on the eggbeaters, I noticed (even with new cleats) that my pedals were not holding tightly to my cleats anymore.
So mid way into 2025 cross season, I decided to switch to SPD's. Happy to be back! Adjustablility is on point, mud shedding flawless and clipping in and out with the new MT-001 is awesome!
I purchased these with high expectations - thought they were a step up from the multi exit SH-56 cleats. Glad I tried them out before my Arizona trip.
I am not quite sure what Shimano tried to accomplish with these cleats - they work but for me not as well as the SH-56. As soon as I put them on I went back to the SM-SH56. I did not feel I could get out of them as quickly and easily as I liked for mountain biking. Maybe for gravel biking they are ok, but so are the SM-SH56. I still prefer SPD over platform pedals and the SM-SH56 in the lowest retention setting are a good compromise for me.
This is my third set of stainless steel Speedplay Zero pedals. After 1100 miles on this set, it's still too early for me to report on longevity of the new sealed bearings. I had 30,000 miles and 25,000 miles on my first and second sets. They required periodic lubrication with a grease gun and were often messy since the grease oozed from the inside of the pedal housing. The bearings were fine over their respective lifetimes, but the pedal design did not have the stainless steel completely around the body like the new version. Hence, the hard plastic wore down over time. The new version seems to take more effort to clip in and out of the pedal than the older style. It requires me to be more focused on this maneuver, but it does provide more assurance of staying clipped in under hard efforts. Since I clip in and out a lot during rides, I appreciate the two-sided entry. I can quickly clip in and get up to speed from stopping at red lights or stop signs.
