Weve spotted a prototype version of Shimanos new clipless road bike pedals on Jasper Phillipsen's Canyon Endurace for Paris-Roubaix 2026. At a glance, the overall shape, size and proportions are all very similar to the existing Dura-Ace PD-R9100 pedals. However, a slimmer central section suggests Shimano may be chasing reduced stack height, rather than taking its road bike pedals in a radical new direction. More Paris-Roubaix tech: Pogaar will race Paris-Roubaix on enormous 38mm-wide tyres and a 1x drivetrain but no tubeless inserts So, whats new? The pedals look very similar to Shimano's existing Dura-Ace pedals, but there are small, noticeable difference. Felix Smith / Our Media The most obvious change is the switch from three stainless steel contact plates to two. These plates are used to reduce wear between the cleat and pedal body. The prototype simplifies this layout with a plate on the either side of the pedal. The pedals look a touch thinner. Ash Quinlan / Our Media Elsewhere, the updates are very subtle. The inboard bearing bulge on the axle looks like it could be slightly more pronounced, while the central axle section and overall depth of the pedal may be slimmer its all very marginal. The latter points are likely the most meaningful change. Q36.5 and others have released wild new pedals with super low stack heights. Is Shimano following a similar trend? Theres been a small-scale arms race among brands in recent years to reduce stack height of their pedal systems. Read more: Q36.5 teases new pedals made in collaboration with SRM but they're not what you think A lower stack height brings the riders foot closer to the pedal axle, which can improve stability by reducing the distance between the shoe and the point of rotation. It can also have a marginal impact on aerodynamic performance. Assuming the pedals are slimmer we werent permitted to crack out our trust vernier calipers Shimano may be chasing similar gains here. We understand Philipsen has been riding the pedals this season. POOL TOMAS SISK / BELGA MAG / Belga / AFP via Getty Images emphasis BikeRadar's Were yet to see the pedals paired with shoes but we understand Phillipsen has been racing using thew new pedals throughout this season. At first glance, analysing photos from In Flanders Fields, his cleats look similar, if not identical to existing SPD-SL cleats, but we wont know for sure until weve seen them up close. Is this SPD-SLR? We wondered if the leaked SPD-SLR system would present a more radical departure for Shimano's rod pedals. BikeRadar Read more: I've spotted an unreleased Shimano pedal system and it looks like the product we've been waiting years for Its unclear if this is the leaked SPD-SLR pedal system we reported on last year. Retailer leaks, patents and trademark filings pointed towards radically new pedal platforms, potentially including power meter pedals and even new cleat designs. Though they've slimmed down in recent years, power meter pedals generally have a noticeable bulge at the axle. Simon von Bromley / Our Media What weve spotted here doesnt obviously support that. To start, theres no visible sign of a power meter. Unlike pedal-based systems from other brands, there are no external pods or oversized spindle sections. This, and the fact Philipsen is running Shimanos Dura-Ace crank-based power meter, all but confirms these are standard pedals. The pedals also dont carry any SPD-SLR branding, instead featuring typical Shimano prototype markings. Based on that, this and potentially SPD-SLR as a whole looks more like an update to the existing platform than a wholesale replacement, at least in this form. That doesnt rule out the launch of a separate SPD-SLR entirely, but what weve seen so far suggests Shimanos planning a gentle evolution rather than something revolutionary.

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