Shimano XT pedals: M8020 vs M8120 comparison

I have been running Shimano or compatible SPD pedals on all my bikes for probably since I first got a pair of Wellgo clipless pedals back in 1999. I bought my current M8020 trail pedals when I got back into mountain biking in 2016 and have no been running them for 4 years and 11 000km on 3 different bikes, so they were well due for replacement.

I originally opted for the XT pedals as I couldn't justify the almost double price of the XTRs for a ~30g weight saving. The XTs are priced at roughly 70-80€ / pair, while the XTR are 130-160€, depending on where you shop.

M8020

The "original" Shimano trail pedal, so essentially a typical SPD pedal with a slightly enlarged platform. These work just as any other Shimano pedals: Trouble free and reliabily. I have run probably 5 pairs of cleats with these, so the durability is excellent and even at 11 000km they still worked "OK", but just had too much play to keep the cleat secure. The bearings on the right side pedal were also starting to give in and could no longer be adjusted properly.

The platform on these is probably a bit of a gimmick as they don't really touch any show, but it does help with riding if you need to get up and go in a pinch and can't clip in just then.

The Shimano paint is excellent and won't chip unlike Wellgo, for example. Major scuffs will obviously show, but I think these wear in as nice as any pedal can. They only come in black, which is always fashionable!

Apart from cleaning and regreasing the bearings 3 times, I have not had to do anything else to these pedals than ride! As you can see in the pictures, they have taken a beating and the clips are also showing major wear, enough so to sometimes unclip accidentally even with new cleats.

Weight: 205g / pedal

M8120

These are the new XT trail pedals, released in early 2019. The clipping mechanism is the same and the shaft and bearing arrangement looks similar. The platform is slightly larger and the pedal body a bit thinner. Otherwise function is 100% the same as the old M8020, so I expect these to last another 10 000km without any major issues.

The slightly larger platform has brought around 10g more heft to these, but I can't be bothered by such a small difference.

Functionally the new and old pedals feel 100% the same. The free movement is similar, so not quite as tight as Nukeproof's SPD pedals, for example, but still easy to feel. Clipping in and out is absolutely perfect with a clear audible click you can easily feel.

Weight: 215g / pedal

Conclusion

Shimano pedals have always been the benchmark for clipless (what a strange way to describe toe-clip free, clip-in pedals!) and they continue to impress. These are probably the best designed and manufacured bicycle component I have ever come across, and the minor changed to the new model definitely don't make them worse, though also only marginally better as improving pefection is just pretty d*amn hard!