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review

Shimano PD-ES600 SPD Pedals

8
£69.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Small, light, sleek single-sided SPD road pedals that would be even better but for a user interface niggle
Good looks
Light and small
Excellent bearings
SPD shoe walkability
Single-sided design could hamper swift engagement
Surface wear
Weight: 
279g

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The catchily titled Shimano PD-ES600s are Ultegra-level, single-sided SPD road pedals, and they are very good: small, light, and with enough foot support to be perfect for those who like to put in the miles but still walk around a bit.

Looking like the lovechild of a mountain bike SPD pedal and an Ultegra road pedal, they're not to be confused with the similar looking but larger platformed Shimano PD-A600s.

> Find your nearest dealer here

These are pedals for road riders who want some of the foot support of a traditional three-bolt triangular cleat system but the walkability of a shoe with a recessed two-bolt cleat – but not the usual double-sided pedal engagement.

2020 Shimano PD-ES600 SPD Pedals - Top Bottom.jpg

An update of the longstanding PD-A600 single-sided pedals, the ES600s are smaller, sleeker and lighter, qualities that are achieved by removing much of the support cage of their predecessor. They retain the colour, look and finish you'd expect from an Ultegra-level component, though.

Unlike the open design and tall engagement clasps of a mountain bike pedal, the ES600 has one set of cleat jaws sitting proud of what looks like a small version of a 'normal' road pedal. The flat platforms either side of the pedal are there to offer a level of support to the tread on the bottom of your recessed cleat shoes, and it's something they do pretty well.

2020 Shimano PD-ES600 SPD Pedals - Right Pedal.jpg

Despite having the sturdy metal springs and bindings of an SPD pedal, they're not heavy; Shimano says they're the lightest SPD pedal it makes for road use, and at 282g (a bit higher than the claimed 279g) they lie between a 105 (285g) and Ultegra (248g) road pedal in weight. They sit well on a road bike, too, with their low-profile design looking like a standard road pedal and not a clunky mountain bike SPD one. The Ultegra-level grey finish works well on the aesthetic stakes here too.

2020 Shimano PD-ES600 SPD Pedals - Underside Spring Mechanism.jpg

Riding a normal mountain bike SPD shoe and pedal combo on the road is fine, but the open, mud-shedding design of an off-road pedal can lead to a significant amount of yaw and play on the foot, and a lot of rattle when the cleats start to wear, which can be annoying and far more noticeable with the more static riding position on a road bike compared to an off-road bike, where you're moving about all the time. The double-sided design also means less cornering clearance if you're into pedalling round bends at speed. The ES600 pedals address these issues.

The pedals come with SPD SH51 single release cleats (they only release when you twist your foot outwards, whereas multi-release cleats come out if you pull up hard too), and entry and release spring tension is dealt with in usual Shimano SPD fashion with a 3mm hex key out the back of the pedal. I've been happy with the ease of click-in and let-go tightness at the factory setting.

2020 Shimano PD-ES600 SPD Pedals - Spring Tension Adjust.jpg

The exposed rear binding looks like it might be to susceptible to unwanted external forces or be attracted to shin flesh, but it hasn't been a problem.

Being a single-sided design, the ES600s need a little more of a practised action to clip into the correct side than the stamp-and-hope of a double-sided SPD pedal. Initially, I found them pretty tricky to get into. Out of the box, the sealed cartridge bearings weren't very free spinning – they were rather sticky to be precise – but this does bode well for the future as it suggests they're going to wear in rather than wear out, and quite a few thousand miles on they're still running silky smooth.

For the first few rides, though, the tenacity of the bearings would hold the ES600s at whatever angle they were released at, making re-engagement a tutting, fumbling affair. After a while, the bearings loosened up enough for the pedals to spin freely on the cranks, allowing them to hang naturally, which has made them easier – if only slightly – to clip into.

2020 Shimano PD-ES600 SPD Pedals - Pair Thread.jpg

Their weight distribution means the pedals rest at an off-vertical angle, with the tip pointing towards the rear of the bike, showing a lot of the underside. Stamp on an ES600, as you might a double-sided mountain bike pedal, and you're most likely to pointlessly and annoyingly scrape the bottom of the pedal. Clipping into these requires a forward-motion, toe-first, flip-and-clip action to engage them, and while it soon becomes second nature, it can sometimes be an issue when a fast and certain connection is required.

Shimano has slid these pedals into its GRX gravel groupset line-up, but the single-sided toe-first aspect might get annoying if you ride terrain that requires frequent clipping in and out through technical sections.

Sole support

If you swap from a normal SPD mountain bike pedal to these, you'll immediately notice the difference in foot feel. The recessed cleat design of an SPD shoe means that the grippy tread sections on the shoe's sole, for walking about on, rest on the side platform sections of the pedal and offer a significant level of support that's both comfortable and reassuring. I'd say the difference in sole support between the ES600s and a standard SPD unit makes it well worth swapping over if you're already using a mountain bike SPD for road riding.

> How to fit and remove pedals

I used these pedals for long days, and day upon day riding, and there was never any issue with hot spots or any feeling of power being lost on its way through the pedals.

Swapping from these to traditional three-bolt, large triangular-cleated road shoes, there was a noticeable amount of extra stability and a feeling of feet being connected to the pedal, but it didn't seem to make any difference to either speed or comfort, though I don't have access to fancy devices to measure such things scientifically.

> Buyer’s Guide: 10 of the best clipless pedals

Swapping again to the older A600 pedals reveals a level of foot support somewhere between the ES600 and a road pedal, thanks to the extra loop of pedal to the rear, so if you want SPDs with near-road shoe levels of support I'd suggest you look there, though they're no longer readily available.

I rode these with a stiff carbon-soled pair of off-road cross-country shoes and at no point did I feel any significant disadvantges over a 'proper' road shoe and three-bolt pattern cleat. There was no perceived power loss, comfort was fine, and there was no unwanted unclipping.

Float and wear

The pedal/cleat interface offers up four degrees of float, which is two degrees fewer than Shimano's most popular yellow-tipped road cleats and might be a problem for those who need more shimmy to their feet to placate ailing joints. I've been using Shimano SPD pedals on more off-road orientated bikes since they arrived on the scene, and I've never had a problem with this degree of float.

Cleat wear is impressively prolonged; being metal, it's going to last longer in general use than a plastic road cleat, and while wear will be related to how much you're walking about and on which surface, the protruding grip of your shoes will protect them a lot better than a road shoe will its exposed three-bolt cleat.

2020 Shimano PD-ES600 SPD Pedals - SH51 Cleats.jpg

The pedals themselves are proving durable too. They've been put through a lot, heading towards a five-figure mileage, a lot of inclement weather and the general misuse of being stamped on that a pedal gets, and they're not showing many signs of giving in. The bearings are still in excellent condition, worn in and not out, with no play or grittiness.

2020 Shimano PD-ES600 SPD Pedals - Collar.jpg

That said, as well as cosmetic scuffing on the underside of the pedals from a metal cleat hitting the wrong side, there is noticeable wear on the sides of the pedals from a grinding shoe tread, which looks unsightly and has the potential to reduce support, so a bit of extra protection there would be nice – something like the bolt-on metal plates some Shimano road pedals have.

Value

The single-sided road pedal market is a small one, so there's not much to compare these to directly, but they're less than half the price of the Ultegra road pedal, cheaper by a not inconsiderable £30 at RRP than the off-road hierarchy equivalent XT pedal, and only slightly more than the stalwart yet heavier and less stylishly finished Shimano M540 SPD.

They're cheaper than the previous A600s too, which have an rrp of £89.99.

The price:weight:longevity:looks ratio makes them well worth the money.

Conclusion

The big upside to these pedals is that you can walk around in your SPD cleated shoes, so if you like to combine your rides with being able to walk about, they're ideal.

I used to be a 'proper' road shoe and cleat disciple, but my riding and pedal needs changed, and I'm now a convert to SPD shoes and this style of pedal on the road bike.

While I don't have a power meter to accurately test matters, I can't say I've felt any tangible difference in performance, apart from being able to walk around off the bike without waddling like a duck or slipping on hard floors – and not having to buy new cleats every six months.

Verdict

Small, light, sleek single-sided SPD road pedals that would be even better but for a user interface niggle

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Shimano PD-ES600 SPD Pedals

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

The Shimano PD-ES600 is a sleek, single-sided SPD road pedal that's for the rider who wants the walkability of a recessed cleat shoe but the support of a 'proper' road pedal. It's small, lighter than you might think and would be great but for a user interface niggle.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Shimano lists:

Aluminium body

CrMo axle

Sealed bearings

Adjustable entry and release tension

SM-SH51 cleats

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Shimano mountain bike SPD pedals have a reputation for sturdiness and these continue in that tradition, with excellent bearings too.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

All the benefits of an SPD pedal and shoe combo with seemingly no drop off in performance over a traditional road cleat and pedal. They do have a clip-in issue that might bother some.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

With metal endings, metal cleats and excellent bearings the whole combo is going to last. There's some platform wear – some metal plates might help.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
9/10

For an all-metal pedal with hefty springs and bindings they're impressively unheavy, and compare favourably to a similar level road pedal.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
9/10

Despite having a smaller footprint and less float than most road cleats, there was no decrease in comfort or increase in joint issues.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

The single-sided road pedal market is a small one so there's not much to compare them to directly, but they're less than half the price of the Ultegra road pedal, cheaper by a not inconsiderable £30 at RRP than the off-road hierarchy equivalent XT pedal, and only slightly dearer than the stalwart yet heavier and less stylishly finished Shimano M540 SPD pedal. 

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

They're light enough, give enough support, and are long lasting. Clipping in requires practice and could be an issue for some. Get the Shimano PD-A600 pedals if you think you might need more foot platform and don't mind a larger pedal.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Light, great bearings, don't look like an SPD pedal.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Clipping requires practice, some metal side plates might be nice to reduce wear.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

The Shimano PD-ES600 SPD pedals are very good: small, light enough and with enough foot support to be perfect for those who like to put in the miles but still walk around a bit.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 50  Height: 180cm  Weight: 73kg

I usually ride: It varies as to the season.  My best bike is: The one I\'m on at the time

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, cyclo cross, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, Fun

Jo Burt has spent the majority of his life riding bikes, drawing bikes and writing about bikes. When he's not scribbling pictures for the whole gamut of cycling media he writes words about them for road.cc and when he's not doing either of those he's pedaling. Then in whatever spare minutes there are in between he's agonizing over getting his socks, cycling cap and bar-tape to coordinate just so. And is quietly disappointed that yours don't He rides and races road bikes a bit, cyclo-cross bikes a lot and mountainbikes a fair bit too. Would rather be up a mountain.

Add new comment

23 comments

Avatar
Captain Badger | 3 years ago
0 likes

Why these instead of double sided? I can see a weight advantage but not much else. But a weight advantage wouldn't be that important to someone who is keen on having a recessed shoe?

I'll be clear, as folk have pointed out below, each to their own - I'm just genuinely interested

Avatar
Simon E replied to Captain Badger | 3 years ago
2 likes
Captain Badger wrote:

Why these instead of double sided? I can see a weight advantage but not much else. But a weight advantage wouldn't be that important to someone who is keen on having a recessed shoe?

Any weight advantage is tiny and inconsequential.

Some peope seem to like having a platform and will sacrifice convenience. The A600 has its adherents. I've used A520s and find a marginal benefit benefit over the double-sided M520 but they do need a careful flick with the toe so are somewhat more fiddly to clip into. The commuter still has M520s for easy engagement (and because they are cheap and last ages).

I cannot understand why some are posting here getting so uppity about these pedals. Shimano make a huge range of pedals, no-one is saying that we all have to buy these ones. Other brands are also available.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Simon E | 3 years ago
3 likes
Simon E wrote:

Any weight advantage is tiny and inconsequential.

Heretic!

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to Simon E | 3 years ago
1 like
Simon E wrote:

...

I cannot understand why some are posting here getting so uppity about these pedals. Shimano make a huge range of pedals, no-one is saying that we all have to buy these ones. Other brands are also available.

Quite so. Don't tell anyone but I have eggbeaters on my road bike.....

Avatar
akmbikes | 3 years ago
1 like

I saw these and they looked nice but I've never understood the idea of a single sided spd pedal that doesn't give you flat side to ride in unclipped. I use the A530 touring pedal for exactly that reason. If I'm navingating a town I don't know I often unclip one leg, flip it over to the flat side and that gives me one less thing to think about. Any trouble and the foot comes down, nice and easy with no comedy dismount.

It also works really nicely on the tandem for exactly the same reason.

Avatar
EK Spinner replied to akmbikes | 3 years ago
0 likes

I use similar pedals for the same reason,  on my CX bike that I take away when in my motorhome, it is used to go many often very short journeys to chip shops, local viewpoints, pubs and even toilet blocks at times. These kind of trips are often made in flip flops or trainers so use the flat side,but I will put on a pair of SPD touring shoes if I am heading out for the day

Avatar
Prosper0 | 3 years ago
1 like

Shimano completely missing the point here. I use spds "because" they are double sided! 

Who wants rubbish single sided spds that loose the double sided benefit of spds and the big platform of SPD sls?

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Prosper0 | 3 years ago
2 likes
Prosper0 wrote:

Shimano completely missing the point here. I use spds "because" they are double sided! 

Who wants rubbish single sided spds that loose the double sided benefit of spds and the big platform of SPD sls?

Me.

(and it's "lose" - just think of the past tenses - "lost" vs "loosened")

 

Avatar
quiff replied to Prosper0 | 3 years ago
1 like

When I bought my first clipless pedals, I had newbie anxiety and bought SPDs because they were double sided, and have never tried anything else (aside from one hour in SPD-SLs in a velodrome). But now the main benefit I see in them is being able to wear shoes I can also walk in, so I would consider a single-sided SPD. That said, I've also wondered if, 10 years on, I should see what I'm missing (if anything) and try a dedicated road shoe / pedal combo for pure road rides.   

Avatar
Simon E replied to Prosper0 | 3 years ago
3 likes

No, Shimano are not missing the point.

You are.

Avatar
tintinbike | 3 years ago
3 likes

I bought these because I like the look (no pun intended) and most conventional road pedals look like they were designed in about 1990. Then again I drove a SAAB so I'm probably just obtuse.
I have these on my road and winter bike, week in the Pyrenees no problem with road shoes and commute in MTB shoes no worries.
The review seems fair, they will scratch when flipped, I don't find them any harder to get into than other road pedals.
Buy them if you like them, if you don't then buy something else.

Avatar
TheBillder replied to tintinbike | 3 years ago
1 like
tintinbike wrote:

Then again I drove a SAAB

Are you in fact an architect? Do you own many black polo neck jumpers? Do you have a Mac, a vintage B&O hi fi and a Loewe TV? Did you have a goatee but since hipsters happened you have been clean-shaven?

I might be a touch jealous if so...

Avatar
Jetmans Dad replied to TheBillder | 3 years ago
0 likes

I still drive a Saab and and am not, not have ever been an architect. I also still have a goatee ...

Not sure what any of that says about me. 

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
1 like

I'm using the A600s and am now conflicted. These are a teeny bit lighter, but they're cheaper so not really an upgrade. Maybe I'll look at these if my A600s need replacing.

And yes, single-sided SPDs are an odd choice. For me, I prefer SPDs for the walking aspect and I like the look of single-sided pedals. Once you get used to them, you can flip the pedal using your foot and clip straight into them most of the time.

Avatar
lio | 3 years ago
0 likes

Really like SPDs but, wow, they're really squeaky compared to road pedals with plastic cleats.  Seem to need regular greasing of all the surface contact points.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to lio | 3 years ago
2 likes
lio wrote:

Really like SPDs but, wow, they're really squeaky compared to road pedals with plastic cleats.  Seem to need regular greasing of all the surface contact points.

My SPDs used to be a bit squeaky, but I figured out it was due to my foot rotating a bit (I could stop the squeak by deliberately not rotating my foot). What worked well for me was to adjust the cleat position inwards so that my foot was moved outwards and that helped stop some lateral movement of my knee and thus foot (it was mainly just the right pedal/cleat that was squeaky).

Avatar
Hirsute replied to lio | 3 years ago
0 likes

I just put a bit of GT84 on every few months rather than grease otherwise it attracts all sorts of grime.

Avatar
Joe Totale | 3 years ago
1 like

I've never seen the point in pdeals like this. The main advantage of SPD is that you can have double sided pedals which is definitely an advantage for commuting and for riding off road. 

I'm happy to stick with SPD-SL for riding on the road, am I the only person who can walk fine in SPD-SL shoes and also have never suffered a fall whilst walking in them? 

Avatar
Simon E replied to Joe Totale | 3 years ago
2 likes
Joe Totale wrote:

I've never seen the point in pdeals like this.

Well if you are happy with single-sided pedals but want the benefits of not waddling like a duck in SPD-SL road cleats... But each to their own, there's no right or wrong. As Jo points out, these pedals have a different aesthetic appeal to most SPD pedals (and very different from the PD-T8000!).

I ended up with both SPD and SPD-SL after borrowing a mate's road shoes which were sooo comfy I went and bought a pair for myself. But that's only on the race bike where I hardly need to waddle at all. The rest of the time SPDs make more sense. I have run single-sided A520s but for commuting etc I do prefer that I can just step on the pedal and it will be facing the right way.

Avatar
kil0ran | 3 years ago
0 likes

I get that lightness is the reason for this pedal but if you want a single sided pedal go with the XT-level PD-T8000 - flat with pins one side, SPD the other. Plenty of support when clipped in, plus you can ride in flats if you're expecting technical terrain (or just popping to the shops). Even have reflectors and manage not to look too dorky on a road bike

Avatar
TheBillder replied to kil0ran | 3 years ago
1 like

I admire the function of the PD-T8000, and each to their own dorkiness level, but for a road bike?

I have the older A600s on my gravel bike, that like an SUV spends 99% of its time on road, and I like them. These don't sound as if they hang quite as well, but do look the part. Must admit that's important to me.

Avatar
kil0ran replied to TheBillder | 3 years ago
2 likes

I like the axles and the contrast between the cleat area, black pedal surround, and reflectors. They look the part on my steel road bike (black wheels/group, red frame with clear coated etched exposed sections). I'm conscious I'm in a minority on this 🤣

Avatar
Fluffed replied to TheBillder | 3 years ago
0 likes

I used some PD-A530 on my Brompton for ages, cleats for longer rides and flats for nipping the shops, there's also PD-EH500 if you want pins on the flat side, I think both are a bit less dorky looking than PD-T8000s but YMMV.

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