Following up on their announcement at the beginning of the year celebrating the 25th year anniversary with some entry level shoes and 530 pedals, Shimano has stepped up their game to the XTR level. They’ll now be putting out Special Editions of both Race and Trail versions of the new M9000 pedals in striking blue. They also have introduced their matching pro rider shade of blue for their M200 Enduro/Trail shoes and the XC90 XC/CX ones.
Clip in past the break for some nice shots of the new top-end blue pedals and shoes…
Everyone knows that XTR pedals are a pretty solid choice, and even most of the pros whose bikes we’ve featured this summer have taken quickly to the 9000 series pedals, and they can be super resistant to change. But now we have an even better reason to go for XTR pedals. A shiny blue Special Edition. Come on they really do look nice. The small Race pedals are said to shed mud even better than the 980 generation with a slimmer spindle, and the Trail pedals add an additional mini platform for added stability and control. The 990s are claimed to weigh just 310g for the pair, with the 995s adding just another 69g. The blue pedals will be limited to a total of just 1900 pairs in Europe.
So Shimano tells us this is their second commemorative shoe/pedal combo of the year, this time targeting their highest tier with the XTR M995 Trail platform pedals and the M200 Trail or Enduro shoe that they introduced last year. The blue XTR pedals are also being offered in their M990 Race version as well, and while that might not really mesh with the Enduro shoe, their excellent XC90 shoe that we reviewed last spring has been quietly offered now for a while in the same pro blue that would give you the same pro look. The M200 Enduro shoes are also available in Black and Army Green, but why not go for the new Blue if you can get ahold of a pair. They combine the pedaling efficiency of Shimano’s XC and road shoes, with the protection and durability that more aggressive riders need. The synthetic leather trail shoes use Shimano’s carbon sole and Torbal construction, get a speed lacing setup under that armored lace and inner ankle guard, and finish it off with a low profile ratcheting buckle. The blue M200s will be available in sizes 40-48 and will also be limited, to just 1200 pairs in Europe.
Both shoes and pedals will be available in shops by the end of this month. No word on pricing yet, but we’ll update when we hear back, at latest when we see the pedals and shoes in person at Eurobike in a few weeks. Update: European pricing is said to be the same as the originals, so it will just be an availability issue. For reference in Germany the M200 shoes retail for 190€, the M990 Race pedals for 140€, and the M995 Trail pedals for 145€.
