The modern clipless mountain bike pedal is now 25 years old, as seen in Shimano’s recent celebrations of its SPD pedal last year. Shimano has much to be proud of, too. When it unleashed the original SPD under the likes of John Tomac at the 1990 World Championships it wasn’t a prototype or proof of concept, taking the giant and clunky road clipless pedal and converting it for the dirt. No, it was a fully fledged, ready for action system that has remained remarkably unchanged ever since.
Given how many other mountain bike concepts have changed since those days: headsets, forks, wheels, brakes, handlebars and stems have all changed size and function dramatically, the off-road clipless pedal remains recognisable and barely improved upon, such was the mark that was hit in 1990.