Shimano Deore XT PD-T8000 compared to Click'r PD-T420 for commuting

[Fructify]

At present I use the Shimano Click'r PD-T420 pedals, which I've been using to commute to work for, for the last couple of years being easy to clip and unclip from and having a reflector on the cage.  However they have the annoying habit that the cage fixing bolts fall off at about 2500-5000 miles with no warning despite being originally threadlocked and specific bolts for the left and right side.  By the time I've noticed the bolt has fallen out I'm well past the point where the, bolt, spring, washer, etc. fell out.  Perhaps this is a problem Shimano don't expect to see on their leisure products used for casual leisure use.

The Deore XT PD-T8000 looks a very nice and shiny alternative but does anyone have any experience of them compared to Click'r pedals?  Are the PD-T8000's as easy to clip in and out of as the Click'r range or do they have a nicer pedaling action?

[Brucey]

the more expensive SPD pedals are built a bit lighter, have slightly smoother bearings (when new) and are slightly better made. There are downsides to them though; a lot of them only fit with an allen key (which can cause problems), and spare parts are more expensive. In the cheaper SPD pedals the bearings run themselves smooth after a while, so normally I'd say it isn't worth spending a lot more on a pedal.

However if the cheaper ones simply fall apart then maybe the more expensive ones are the best choice after all.

I'd expect you to be able to fit a bolt (with a reduced head size) from the inside of the pedal body, and to be able to fix the parts using a nylock nut from the outside. This arrangement will be  less likely to unscrew itself.

The release action of 'normal' (non click'r) SPDs is quite a bit stiffer than you  will be used to with PD-T420

cheers

[Greenbank]

The release action of 'normal' (non click'r) SPDs is quite a bit stiffer than you  will be used to with PD-T420

My PD-T400 pedals on my commuting bike don't seem any looser than the M520 pedals on my other bikes. I've never pulled out of my PD-T400s unexpectedly and I definitely have heaved close to 1500W through them away from lights some times.

(I use PD-T400 / M520 pedals as I can't stand the faff of single sided pedals, with double sided pedals you really don't have to think about it, just stomp and go. I regularly use the PD-T400 pedals with normal shoes too with no problems.)

No problems with PD-T400 pedals coming apart either, and mine have probably done 10,000 commuting miles over the years.

[Brucey]

IIRC the adjustment ranges overlap but the click'r springs are about half as stiff.

cheers

[rogerzilla]

The big advantage of the click'r ones is that they're road-legal at night.  You can add the accessory reflectors to the XT pedals but then you have an exceptionally minging one-sided pedal.

[fuaran]

Those XT PD-T8000 pedals do have built in reflectors.
Though yes, they are single sided SPD. Looks like a decent platform on the other side, with pins, maybe better grip than most other single-sided SPDs?