Shimano Saint M828 £129.99
Shimano’s latest Saint pedals look rather chunky and unrefined, but the platform is well-proportioned and provides good grip, with 1mm of concavity. They’re studded with 24 pins per pedal, with two sets provided. The shorter ones are so small they’re almost redundant, but the taller pins are a good height. Because they screw in from the top, the 2mm Allen heads are prone to getting damaged or clogged, making them harder to replace down the line. Internally, these pedals are unusual in that they use a cup-and-cone system with loose bearings (as on Shimano’s SPD clipless pedals), instead of sealed bearings and bushings. They spin freely, and you can adjust the bearing tension with a 4mm Allen key. The downsides are that they’re pretty expensive and are also the second heaviest on test. www.madison.co.uk