Market: The year is 1990. With the 737 click pedal and the M100 shoe, Shimano introduces a click system and calls it “Shimano Pedaling Dynamics”, or SPD for short. Leap into the present: SPD has now almost become synonymous with clipless pedals and is a single success story. Shimano is now celebrating the 25th birthday of SPD with two anniversary products: the PD-M530C pedal and the SH-M163G shoe.
Cycling shoes and pedals have undergone many changes and developments in recent years. New closure systems, carbon-reinforced soles, new high-tech materials on the upper and much more. But there was one constant over all these years: the SPD cleats look exactly the same in 2015 as they did in 1990, 25 years earlier.
To celebrate the anniversary properly, Shimano will be launching two special products in spring. On the one hand the SH-M163G shoe, which is intended as a homage to the legendary M100, but of course contains the most modern features: For example the Cross-X Strap and the Torbal midsole (in our test). Shimano sees the area of application for the shoe in the trail and enduro area.
In addition to the shoe, there will of course also be the right pedal that arouses nostalgic feelings, the PD-M530C, which, like the shoe, was designed more for off-road use, but with a weight of 455g shouldn’t be anything more than lightweight friends .
Both products will go on sale in the spring.