Shimano unveil new gravity and all-mountain footwear and pedals

The day after the conclusion of the Fort William downhill World Cup in Scotland, Shimano has unveiled a new line-up of footwear and pedals for gravity and all-mountain riders.

Enduro and downhill equipment need to give riders a fine balance of grip, comfort, balance, protection and stability when navigating technical and high-speed courses. The range-topping shoes are the AM901. The shoe has a revised upper with an armoured lace shield and a padded ankle collar featuring a sidewall sole which is designed to absorb less water and dry quicker than previous models. The shoe also has a molded toe cover and uses the Speed Lacing System for adjustability and comfort.

The sole of the shoe is made from high traction rubber that is ultra-grippy to make it easy to walk but also give a confident touchpoint with the pedals. The new Saint PD-M820 SPD pedals are perfectly paired with the range-topping shoes which also feature a channel on the soul to have a stable platform with the pedal when clipped out. The shoes weigh in at 400 g and will be priced at USD$150.

The AM701, which is now also an SPD shoe, is the next in the hierarchy at USD$130. It has a harder sole and harder midsole than the AM901 for trail riding and has an ankle gaiter to offer protection while keeping out debris.

New to the line-up are the top-end GR900 and GR7000 Gravity shoes. The GR900 offers the protection attributed of the AM901 like the raised ankle collar, armoured lace shield and a molded toe race with a simpler sole construction making it 35 g lighter. This shoes is designed to be the perfect contact point with the Saint M828 493g flat pedals. The shoes retail for USD$150.

The GR7000 doesn’t use the armoured lace shield to allow for more ventilation and a more multi-purpose shoe. It’s available in gray, green or blue and in a dedicated women’s size line-up. They weigh in at 365 g and start at USD$130.

Along with the new shoes, Shimano announced revised gravity pedals. There is on Saint SPD option, three flat pedals at Saint and Deore XT level and a non-series option. The new pedals are of course designed for use with Shimano’s gravity and all mountain shoes.

The Saint PD-M820 is for downhill and enduro for riders running SPD. The double sided allow body is designed for optimal performance with the AM901 shoe. The durable construction is intended to protect the SPD mechanic from impacts and the low profile design, stack height and weight make it a performance-oriented offering. Four pins which can be adjusted help give the rider grip when not clipped in.

The Saint PD-M828 has an eight-sided concave pedal platform for pedal grip and support. With 12 steel pins per side, it’s intended to give downhill or free riders a stable and well-balanced connection point with their machine.

The Deore XT PD-M8040 are available in small-to-medium or medium-to-large options. The 10 pin and slightly concave design offer comfort while offering off-road performance trail or enduro riders seek.

The PD-GR500 is a durable and low maintenance flat-pedal at the entry-level point for trail and all-mountain riders. The height adjustable pins, sealed cartridge bearing Chromoly axles come in black and silver weighing in at 533 g.