Shimano SPD-SLR: new pedals, cleats & shoes at a glance

17.09.26 15:44 822026-09-17T15:44:00+02:00Text: PM, Erwin Haiden (translated by AI)Photos: Shimano2.3 mm lower stack height, new cleat geometry, a 10.5° clip-in angle and lighter cleats. However, SPD-SL pedals are no longer compatible with the new cleats.17.09.26 15:44 2482026-09-17T15:44:00+02:00

Shimano SPD-SLR: new pedals, cleats & shoes at a glance

17.09.26 15:44 2482026-09-17T15:44:00+02:00 PM, Erwin Haiden (translated by AI) Shimano

To the original text in German

translated by AI

AI generated translation
AI-generated translation refers to the process of using artificial intelligence, particularly machine learning models, to automatically translate text or speech from one language to another. These systems, such as neural machine translation models, analyze large datasets of multilingual content to learn patterns and associations between languages. The generated translations are based on statistical probabilities and context learned during training.

2.3 mm lower stack height, new cleat geometry, a 10.5° clip-in angle and lighter cleats. However, SPD-SL pedals are no longer compatible with the new cleats.17.09.26 15:44 2482026-09-17T15:44:00+02:00

There are some things on a road bike that have worked so well for what feels like forever, you have to wonder why anyone would tinker with them at all. Shimano's SPD-SL almost certainly falls into that category. Nevertheless, the Japanese company has taken a fresh look at the pedal, cleat and shoe, turning them into a new integrated road bike platform called SPD-SLR.

The thinking behind it makes perfect sense: rather than fine-tuning three individual components, Shimano treated the entire connection from foot to pedal axle as one system. The result is new Dura-Ace and Ultegra pedals, four cleat options and the S-PHYRE SH-RC910 and SH-RC810 road shoes. The most technically intriguing detail is hidden right at the bottom.

2.3 millimetres closer

With SPD-SLR, Shimano has reduced the distance between the foot and pedal axle by 2.3 mm. This is made possible by a completely redesigned interface between the pedal and cleat. According to Shimano, the lower stack height should stabilise the pedalling platform and improve power transfer.

Engagement has also been addressed. The required angle drops from 15.5° with SPD-SL to 10.5° with SPD-SLR, while the engagement zone has also been enlarged. That should be particularly welcome when setting off or hurriedly clipping back in after a corner.

A 2.3 mm lower stack height and a 10.5 rather than 15.5-degree engagement angle – the most exciting changes are in the details.

New cleats in four versions

The cleats have also been completely redesigned and, according to Shimano, are up to 22% lighter. The CL-SL120 shown in the press material, for example, weighs 55 g compared with 71 g for the previous SM-SH12. High-contrast markings should also make installation and repositioning easier.

There are no fewer than four versions to choose from: the red CL-SL100 has no lateral float, while the yellow CL-SL110 offers 3° of float and is likely to become the standard choice for most riders. The blue CL-SL120 reduces freedom of movement to 1°. The grey CL-SL130 occupies a special position: it is designed for most third-party road shoes with a conventional three-bolt sole and offers a wider adjustment range, but forgoes the weight and stack-height advantages of the fully integrated SPD-SLR solution.

The red CL-SL100: A fixed-position cleat with no lateral float
The red CL-SL100: A fixed-position cleat with no lateral float
The yellow CL-SL110: Offers three degrees of rotational float
The yellow CL-SL110: Offers three degrees of rotational float
The blue CL-SL120: Offers one degree of float
The blue CL-SL120: Offers one degree of float
The grey CL-SL130: Designed to make switching to SPD-SLR pedals easier with most
third-party road shoes featuring three-bolt soles.
The grey CL-SL130: Designed to make switching to SPD-SLR pedals easier with most
third-party road shoes featuring three-bolt soles.

Compatibility warning

And this is where things get interesting: although the new SPD-SLR cleats can be fitted to existing SPD-SL-compatible Shimano road shoes, they do not work with existing SPD-SL pedals.

So, if you switch to the new pedals, you will also need new cleats. If you want to make full use of the platform's adjustment range, the complete package of SPD-SLR shoe, cleat and pedal gives you every option. With existing Shimano shoes such as the RC703 or RC503, as with third-party shoes, the available fore-aft adjustment range determines whether or not you need the grey cleats.

SPD Road compatibility
Road Pedal	SPD-SL Cleats	SPD-SLR Cleats
SPD-SLR PD-R9300	❌ Not compatible	✅ Compatible
SPD-SLR PD-R8200	❌ Not compatible	✅ Compatible
SPD-SL PD-R7000 PD-R550 PD-RS500	✅ Compatible	❌ Not compatible

Dura-Ace PD-R9300

At the top of the range sits the new Dura-Ace PD-R9300, with an RRP of €274.95. The pedal body is made from an injection-moulded carbon composite and features an integrated stainless-steel contact plate and an extra-wide platform.

The internals are particularly interesting: wider bearings and a revised axle design are said to increase stiffness by 11% compared with the previous PD-R8200. At the same time, a heat-treated axle and optimised bearing surfaces are claimed to reduce rotational resistance by a substantial 53%. Both figures are manufacturer claims, mind you – a real-world review will have to show how much of that can actually be felt underfoot or out on the road.

Yellow CL-SL110 cleats are included.

Ultegra PD-R8200

One step down, the new Ultegra PD-R8200 uses the same SPD-SLR interface. Here too, you get a lightweight carbon body with a stainless-steel contact plate and the new engagement system, but at a considerably more moderate RRP of €174.95.

So SPD-SLR is not destined to be a Dura-Ace-only treat, but launches straight away across Shimano's top two road groupsets.

S-PHYRE SH-RC910 and SH-RC810

There are also two new shoes to match. At €419.95, the S-PHYRE SH-RC910 is the flagship model, combining a carbon hollow-core midsole with a carbon heel cup and anti-twist stabilisation, Shimano Dynalast 2.0, a revised upper and additional ventilation. It also provides a wider adjustment range for the SPD-SLR cleats.

The slightly more affordable SH-RC810 costs €319.95 and features two BOA Li2 dials, Dynalast 2.0, an external heel stabiliser and a carbon midsole with hollow channels for ventilation and water drainage. Replaceable heel pads are included too.

A system, not a single component

The bottom line is that SPD-SLR is a big deal for Shimano. Anyone familiar with the Japanese company's precision, attention to detail and long-term approach to development knows that a new standard is not something it rushes into. Shimano has not simply added another pedal to the SPD-SL system; with SPD-SLR, it has created an entirely new platform conceived as a complete system. Stack height, engagement, cleat weight, adjustability, pedal stiffness and shoe construction have all been addressed at once – plenty of small changes that, together, are intended to make a noticeable difference. We are certainly looking forward to the first review samples and some real-world experience.