Last Updated on January 15, 2022 by FAB Jim The Cyclist
I needed some new clipless pedals for my Surly Crosscheck build and because Shimano pedals have rocketed up in price I decided to shop around. For $45 I found these very nice-looking W-01 pedals by Wellgo. They look good, I like the specs and I’m familiar with the brand. Have a look:
Specs
Weight: 300 grams for the pair
Body: Aluminum
Spindle: CR-MO 9/16”
Bearing: Sealed
Double Sided
Shimano SPD compatible
98A cleat
Made in Taiwan
These are technically considered mountain bike pedals, but these are what I ride for road. I like to be able to walk normally with the recessed cleats and don’t think I lose any real performance. Normally I ride Shimano m540 or m520 pedals, but the price of those have doubled in recent years. I’ve been using these W-01 pedals on my trainer bike and really can’t tell a difference from the Shimano. They seem to clip in and out exactly the same as my Shimano pedals. Because of this, I haven’t made any adjustments to them, but they are adjustable tension. I’m also using the same Shimano cleats with these pedals and no issues. They do come with their own cleats and instructions.
The silver chromoly spindles are going to look great for my build. I think they are kinda neat because they look like the more expensive Allen key only Shimano type, but they have a notch allowing you to also use a normal pedal wrench.
Weight is a really big selling point for these. At only 300 grams for the pair, they are lighter than Shimano XTR pedals which are listed at 314 grams. Those typically sell for $180.
I can’t yet speak for reliability, but I will update this review after I get more miles on them.
You can get yours today on Amazon:
Pedal SPD WELLGO W-01 Double Sided Black/Silver – AMAZON
I give these a FAB rating of a full 5 gnomes. They look good, function well, have a good price, and are really light!
I’ve had great luck with off-brand pedals. I used Nashbar, that looked a lot like Ritchey to me, but way cheaper. For my commute bikes, I switched to a Nashbar that is SPD one side and flat on the other, so I can wear regular shoes to the store or a concert (back when I went to concerts).
Does the double sided with a flat on one side make it hard to clip in? I’ve thought about getting them, but then wondered if I’d have trouble getting to the side I want to clip in on.
Nope! Piece o’ cake. They don’t rotate on their own. When I clip out to stop, then start again, I just let the crank rotate once and step in. I’m always on the correct side. If I forget to wait and miss, it’s easy to flip with the tip of my toe.
Nice! I was just looking for a pair! Great timing!
Great!
One day I’ll take it outdoors. Right now my comfort zone is indoor cycling.
The outdoors are nice. Especially if you have trails.