Shimano  PD-M540 SPD Bike Pedals

$100.00
Members get an est. $10.00 in rewards

The Shimano M540 SPD bike pedals feature an open pattern that helps shed mud for worry-free riding.

Quantity

Members get an estimated $10.00 (10%) back on this item as a part of your annual .

Members get an estimated $10.00 (10%) back on this item.
To buy,  sign in as an REI Co-op Member or join now.
10% co-op member reward: $10$10 Member Reward
$30Member Bonus Card

This purchase pays for membership!

$10

10% Reward

on this and every eligible full-price item*

+

$30

Bonus Card

valid for 60 days after joining*

=

$40

Value

Start earning when you buy a $30 lifetime membership.

Keep shopping

Features

  • Fluorine-coated binding claws allow for easy entry and release
  • Pedals are dual-sided for easy entry and feature strong, durable chromoly spindles with 8mm Allen wrench mounts
  • Low-maintenance sealed bearing cartridge axles
  • Shimano SH51 cleats included
  • 8mm Allen wrench is required for installation, sold separately

Imported.

View all Shimano Mountain Bike Pedals

Technical Specs

Best Use

Mountain Biking

Pedal Design

Clipless

Clipless Style

Dual-Sided

Cleat Design

2-hole

SPD Compatible

Yes

Pedal Float

4 degrees

Pedal Body Material

Aluminum

Pedal Spindle Material

Steel

Material(s)

Chromoly spindle

Weight

352 grams

Bearing Material

Stainless Steel

Reviews
39 reviews with an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars

Ratings Snapshot

Product Rating

23 out of 25 (92%) reviewers recommend this product

Review this Product

Adding a review will require a valid email for verification

Most Helpful Favorable Review

5 reviews with an average rating of 5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Pedals for Commuting
pdx_commuter
16 years ago
When I first built my Surly Pacer I put the Shimano Ultegra SPD-SL pedals on it. Those were excellent pedals once you got clipped in, but they were too hard to get clipped into. I rode with them for a couple of years because I kept thinking that if I just practiced more I would get the hang of them. I never did. Fairly recently I switched to CrankBrothers EggBeater SL pedals. They were easy to clip into, but I didn't like the feeling they had once I was clipped in. There was A LOT of float, and there was no delineation between float and unclipping. These pedals are the best of both worlds. They are just as good as the Shimano Ultegra pedals when you are clipped in, and they are just as easy to clip into as the CrankBrothers EggBeater SL pedals.
pdx_commuter
Portland, OR
15 people found this review helpful

Most Helpful Critical Review

5 reviews with an average rating of 3.0 out of 5 stars
Squeaky
Colorado Runner
15 years ago
I bought these pedals from REI, used them once on my road bike, and had to return them for a full refund. I tested them on my road bike before going mountain biking. When climbing steep hills that require a lot of strenuous push and pull motion, the pedals squeaked. The sound was annoying to me and I knew that I would not be able to stand it. I am the type of person who is bothered by sounds, such as when my office mate eats an apple like horse. I had been using a pair of Look bike pedals for about twelve years and they made no noise. I thought it was time for an upgrade so I tried these M540 pedals but the metal squeak sound when working these pedals was bothersome. [...] I have shopped at REI for several years and this was the first time that I returned an item. I'm fit, I weigh 167 lbs, and I am 43 years old. I don't race but ride a 2-3 times a week for good exercise.
Colorado Runner
CO
7 people found this review helpful
Poking Tongues
Rockville, MD
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars

Great upgrade

5 years ago

I bought these to replace the bottom-of-the-line platform pedals on the hybrid bicycle I use to commute to work. I use them with the included Shimano SH51 cleats. These are my first clipless pedals. It probably took 15 minutes of pedaling around the carpark, clipping and unclipping as I went, to feel confident enough to try them on the roads. It then still took a couple of rides to really get used to them. My biggest issue when cycling with platform pedals was that my shoes would occasionally lose contact with the pedals, especially when cycling in wet weather. I love the extra control these pedals have afforded me. The additionally power is a bonus.

Yes , I recommend this product
Helpful?
pdx_commuter
Portland, OR
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars

Best Pedals for Commuting

16 years ago

When I first built my Surly Pacer I put the Shimano Ultegra SPD-SL pedals on it. Those were excellent pedals once you got clipped in, but they were too hard to get clipped into. I rode with them for a couple of years because I kept thinking that if I just practiced more I would get the hang of them. I never did. Fairly recently I switched to CrankBrothers EggBeater SL pedals. They were easy to clip into, but I didn't like the feeling they had once I was clipped in. There was A LOT of float, and there was no delineation between float and unclipping. These pedals are the best of both worlds. They are just as good as the Shimano Ultegra pedals when you are clipped in, and they are just as easy to clip into as the CrankBrothers EggBeater SL pedals.

Yes , I recommend this product
Helpful?
Cyclist Kurt
Reston, VA
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars

Excellent

11 years ago

Bought these to replace my old SPD pedals on my vintage Fuji touring bike. That pair was over 20 years old and saw a lot of hard use in the past 5 or 6 years. Gotta say the last pair made me a believer in Shimano pedals. The new pedals are easier to adjust, easier to get in and out of and overall a major improvement. They have a little more free play while still feeling very solid under foot which makes them overall more comfortable for me. I like the feel of SPD pedals in general and these pedal are a definite step up in terms of comfort. Highly recommended.

Yes , I recommend this product
Helpful?
Peaches
Mesa, AZ
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars

Shimano M540 SPD are SWEEEEET!

4 years ago

In my opinion these are easier to get into then Crank Brothers Candy 2, practically same weight and clips are not soft brass at +$20 a set! have barely used the Candy clips and they show quite a bit of wear. The Crank Brothers warranty of 5 years is AWESOME but that doesn't cover your clips; do alot of walking or climbing obstacles while on an adventure and you may be replacing brass clips couple times a year...

Age:55–64
Helpful?
FBerg
Del Rio, Texas
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars

M540 SPD

2 years ago

Very nice quality...appear to be well made. Stiff but they are new and will "wear in". The cleats included are nice but I think that the M series for more of a beginner would be appropriate but that is just an opinion as I like the cleats a lot. Just finished the first ride...lightened the spring by 3 clicks and this seems about right...take the time to check out the clips prior to the first ride as they seemed a tad stiff for me. The only complaint I would have would be for the instructions...would be nice to be in LARGER print and a few pictures would have been nice to serve as instructions/tutorial....but what do I know. Overall an excellent product!

Age:55–64
Yes , I recommend this product
Helpful?
Hook1080
Atlanta, GA
Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars

Workhorse SPD

12 years ago

I originally bought these pedals for my Cannondale Prophet, for light freeriding, cross country, and epic day rides. The all-metal construction isn't the lightest, it sure makes these babies stand up to some heavy abuse. Pedal strikes on rocks, laying the bike down: whatever you can dish out, they'll take. After awhile, I installed these on my track bike to commute to work. They stood up to abuse in Boston, New York, and Atlanta. I crank the tension WAY up to keep me locked in, and I like the minimal float (I sold a pair of speedplays because they felt comparably sloppy, float-wise). The real cons for me? I guess to shave a few grams, Shimano removed the traditional pedal-wrench-compatible where you could remove and install these with a pedal wrench. You're left to install these with only an allen wrench on the inside of each spindle—so if they get stuck on, you're in for some work. A local bike shop installed a new drivetrain on my bike, forgot to lube the threads, and I was left with a stuck pedal, and eventually a cracked spindle. Hence, I'm on my second pair of M540s. I'll be mounting them to my Ti road bike soon. Bottom line? These things are tough enough for the trail, and reliable enough for daily commutes in slush, rain, and muck. They're my go-to for pretty much everything on a bike.

Yes , I recommend this product
Helpful?
Sean
Chicago, IL
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars

Great for the price

4 years ago

While these aren't the lightest pedals (Shimano's mid or low-mid tier), I'm glad I opted for these over the lower end. The weight difference doesn't sound like much, but when you're doing 100 RPMs it definitely matters. Durable, fairly easy to install, and quite reliable. Definitely recommend! I've put 600 miles on them since June and only had one problem (which was attributable to the installation of my cleats, not the product itself)

Age:18–24
Yes , I recommend this product
Helpful?
HikerBabe
Philadelphia
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars

Perfect Pedals

16 years ago

I have recently *become* a semi-avid cyclist. (Was more of a casual rider before.) Just got my first high-end road bike and wanted to go all the way and get my first clipless pedals. I've always been so intimidated by them -- I've heard so many people talk about how long it takes to get used to them. I did have a friend give me a little tutorial, and I practiced getting in and out of them a few times before going out on a long ride. That's something I would definitely recommend if you've never gone clipless before. These are surprisingly easy to use, and I really like going clipless. These pedals have just enough float so that my feet don't feel confined. I like the fact that you can pull up in addition to pushing down on the pedals -- more efficient and takes some of the pressure off of your feet. These are technically for mountain bikes, but there's no reason you can't put them on a road bike so long as your shoes are compatible. These pedals are pretty easy to get in an out of, and they have definitely improved my riding experience. I'm very happy with them -- they made my first clipless experience a very good one!

Yes , I recommend this product
Helpful?
SmittyMI
Utica, MI
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars

Perfect pedals

15 years ago

I bought these originally for beginning road biking about a year ago and now have over 1500 miles on them. Once I clipped in, I could tell my biking was never going to be the same. They are durable, well adjustable for release tension, and hold you in extremely well. My only word of wisdom is whether you are doing road or mountain bike, get properly fitted with the cleats! Having your cleat position wrong on your shoes can lead to serious knee and joint problems no matter what shoes, pedals, or cleat style you buy.

Yes , I recommend this product
Helpful?
Dave
San Francisco Bay Area
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars

Tried and true pedals for MTB

5 years ago

I have always loved Shimano pedals, as opposed to other competitors and use these pedals primarily for mounting biking. The design is very robust and cant take a good knocking on rocks and roots. The adjustable float and disengage force is a must as you can really dial in how fast to release your foot when you get into sticky situations. The float definitely helps keep pressure off your knee joints and keeps them fresh. The pedal does a decent job to shedding mud but on a recent muddy ride, the mud did cake around the SPD cleat and made it harder to pull my foot off when needed once the mud dried a bit. There was no mud on the pedal itself but had to grind my shoe and cleat into the pedal a bit to clear out the mud from my shoe.

Yes , I recommend this product
Helpful?
1 - 10 of 39 Reviews

Questions & Answers

Loading Questions...