Shimano Saint MX80 Pedals

New pedals for my Polygon mountain bike! The stock pedals that came with the MTB was pretty bad, so I had changed it to the Wellgo M142 pedals even before the bike left the bike shop. However, the Wellgo pedals are actually just a temporary solution. Although they are good pedals, they are not very suited to a MTB as the platform is rather small, and it is difficult to get a firm footing when the bike is bouncing up and down kerbs. So even as I was riding the MTB, I was also looking for a better pair of pedals.

Came across the Saint MX80 pedals, which are plenty big and solid. Not the lightest pedals around, but it makes up for the extra weight with its extra strength. After all, if these pedals are good enough for downhill racing, it is definitely good enough for casual off road riding.

Comes in a pretty solid packaging

The official weight of the pedals

Comes in individual plastic packaging

Ta-da! The rugged looking pedals with a golden touch at the axle area

Plenty of pins on the pedals! One of the useful feature of these pedals is that the pins are screwed in from the back. So even if you break the pin due to a rock strike, you can still unscrew the broken pin from the back and replace it.

The additional pack of pins and washers for the pedals. The pedals come stock with only 7 pins on each side installed, the other 2 pins are not pre-installed. Washers are used to vary the height of the pins. Total of 9 pin locations on each side of the pedal.

All the pins removed! I want to avoid shin and calf injuries caused by pedal pins. Those really hurt! Although grip is reduced, my pain is also reduced.

Side profile of the pedal. Slight concave shape to help keep the foot on the pedal.

Weight of the pedals without the pins. About 460 grams for a pair.

How it looks when installed on the bike.

 

A bit of design mismatch between the pedals and the crankset, a Deore crank matched with Saint pedals. But it works well!

Big solid platform pedals for my foot to rest on.

With these pedals, now it looks more like a proper MTB! The white printing on the pedal also matches the white accents on the bike frame. 

Took the bike for a quick spin, and the new pedals feel good! I can feel a much bigger and more stable platform for me to pedal on, especially when I am pedaling standing up. Simple upgrade, but useful! The touch points on the bike (saddle, grips, pedals) are important, and are worth upgrading if it improves your riding comfort.