Review from
Road Cycling UK
Shimano's redesigned SPD-SL pedal, with its 'winged' shape, has spread throughout the range to the budget 105, which despite a small weight penalty work as flawlessly as the more expensive Ultegra and Dura-Ace versions.
In fact, one would need to question why you would want to spend any more, unless saving weight is high on your agenda. Using the same wide design as the higher-end pedals, the wider body provides a large shoe contact area giving better support to the shoe and offering a lower profile for even more cornering clearance, the lightweight forged body keeps the weight low.
In conclusion...
In use performance is very similar to the previous design, but the extra wide body does provide a little bit of extra support - though not greatly detectable with stiff carbon soled shoes. It's more noticeable when you're pushing hard on the pedals, and particularly during out of the saddle periods. The wider contact area does make clipping in marginally quicker, especially handy for commuting purposes.
Rating: 5/5