Shimano SAINT PD-G8040 Flat Pedal

Shimano likes to take its sweet time developing products. It’s kinda their shtick. The best (current) example of their conservative innovation is the Saint gravity line—it turned 16 this year. If a Saint derailleur could drive, it would, in 2026. A new Saint groupset is surely on the horizon based on the volume of prototype parts hanging from bikes at the first World Cup. I wouldn’t hold my breath that it lands soon, but it’s coming.

To keep us occupied until then, Shimano casually dropped its new Saint PD-G8040 flat pedal. On paper, they are a big improvement over the past pedal—lighter, larger, thinner, and more concave. They also feature a dual-material body with replaceable composite skid plates, similar to Crankbrothers’ recent Stamp EVO models. Despite the glowing sell sheet, my excitement and expectations were tempered. I like what I like when it comes to flats, and I wasn’t fully convinced the Saints would meet those standards. Then came the first ride, and I learned why you never judge a pedal in hand versus under foot.

Highlights

• Two material construction
  • Forged alloy main body
  • Resin skid plate around outer edge (held in place with pins)
• Dual concave platform:
  • Fore-aft: 16-12-16 (4mm)
  • Sideways: 14-12-14 (2mm)
• 10 replaceable pins per side
• 4 optional inner pin positions
• Chromoly steel spindle with two bushings
• Weight: 392g per set
• MSRP: $225 USD

What’s New?

Shimano has updated its Saint flat pedal once since releasing the current-generation Saint drivetrain and brakes. The PD-M828 model came out in 2018. Shimano also teased the PD-G8040 model in 2021, but didn’t push it to market for whatever reason. The pedal that you can buy now, as far as I can tell, is 99% the same as what was supposed to be available five years ago. So, in very Shimano fashion, what’s new today was developed a while ago.

Compared to the outgoing PD-M828, the new PD-G8040 is around 100g lighter, 4mm thinner (at its thinnest point), 9mm wider, and 11mm longer. Compared to other popular flats, it has a larger-than-average platform, average weight, and above-average concavity.

Above-average concavity is the special sauce that sets the new Saint pedal above most. The pedal platform is concave by 4mm fore-aft and 2mm side-to-side. This means that the middle of the spindle is the lowest point of the pedal, creating a bowl shape. What’s more important is the effective concavity—the difference in height between the tallest and lowest points of the pedal that will contact your shoe. The Saints have four pins on the inside of the body—two near the crank and two along the outside edge—that reduce the pedal's actual concavity at its widest point. I went to town, measuring the distance between the pins and spindle, and found the pedal's average concavity to be 7.4mm. However, the concavity between the three fore-aft pins fluctuates between 7.75, 8.5, and 9mm. That’s higher than most flat pedals, and a lot of room for your shoe to sink into the pedal, allowing the taller pins to really penetrate. 

There are 10 pins per side that thread in from the same side. The fore-aft pins sit 6mm above the body and are installed with an included E5 Torx. The four inboard pins are installed with a 2.5mm hex wrench or any adjustable spanner. The two outer pins sit 4mm above the body, and the two inboard pins sit 2mm above the body. There are also four optional pin slots in the middle of the pedal. However, the pedals only come with eight spare 6mm pins, so not enough to fill all the slots. You would have to buy additional spare pin kits to do so.

Not to get too into the weeds, but I find that a pedal’s pin dimensions paint a better picture of size than its platform size. The Saint may have a larger platform, but its pin layout is much smaller. Looking at pin width, the taller pins sit 59mm apart, while the shorter inboard pins sit 86mm apart. Lengthwise, the middle tall pins are 100mm apart, while the outer two are 91mm apart. Compared to DEITY’s Deftrap, TMAC, and Supervillian pedals I had on hand, the Saint’s pins cover a smaller surface area. Most notably, the width of the for-aft pins is 8-13mm narrower, and the widest set of pins is 6mm narrower than TMACs and Supervillains.

Based on these dimensions, the pedal will accommodate smaller feet better than larger ones due to its narrower width. I’d say if you’re a size 12 US/45 EU or larger, try a pedal with wider spaced pins.  

Bashguards on flat pedals were not on my ‘2026 MTB tech advancements’ bingo card. It’s a polarizing look, but I appreciate the durability they bring.

The plastic skid plates are two pieces that sandwich around the main alloy body. Eight pins are required to replace one-half of a skid plate. It's a little time consuming removing all the pins, but it's not something you'll have to do often. The leading edges are also chamfered to help slide past impacts, and the outside corners of the pedal are chopped at a 45° angle to provide more clearance. Replacement skid plates will be available through Shimano's website or your local dealer. The same goes for replacement spindles and other internals. 

The Saint PD-G8040 retails for $225 USD. There is also the XT PD-M8240 model, which doesn’t have replaceable skid plates and has only two optional pin slots in the middle of the platform. It's a bit bulkier and less refined looking, but shares the same pins, platform size and concavity, and only weighs ~30g more. It retails for $175 USD.

On The Trail

It only took one ride on the Saint pedals for my preconceived judgment to fade. The grip was undeniable. Once I got the calipers out and started measuring things, it all started to make sense. Because they are so dished out, and the pins are tall and narrow, your shoe compresses into the pedal, and the pins dig deep into your outsole. It’s a locked-in, cupped feeling that eliminates the need to think about foot placement on rough trails. I tested the Saint’s back-to-back with DEITY’s TMAC (my go-to) and Supervillian (also a personal fave and Johan’s #1-ranked flat pedal), and the grip and security were equal. Few pedals can hold a pin to DEITY, so well done Shimano.

The tapered pin shape offered a unique benefit I didn’t expect—improved grip on worn-out shoes. I test flats with a used pair of shoes, as it helps highlight a pedal's grip instead of a shoe's rubber. The Saint pins are taller than most and pointed. TMACs use 5mm pins with a 3.75mm tip diameter. Saints use 6mm pins with a 2.5mm tip diameter. In my experience, narrow pins burrow better into an outsole than thicker ones and don't cause large pockets to form where you stand most. They are also less reliant on catching a ‘valley’ in a tread design. It’s one of the reasons I’ve praised DIETY’s Deftrap pedal for years, which features 3mm-diameter pins.

The ability of the Saints to provide a secure footing with tattered shoes means that you’ll get more life out of a pair of shoes.  

The pedal’s size was ideal for my US 10 shoe—big enough to offer support, but small enough to capture all but one outside pin underfoot. Because the fore-aft pins aren’t spaced super wide, riders with smaller feet will experience similar benefits. Riders with larger feet may start to notice more foot fatigue.  

I played around with pin placement and found that swapping the shorter outside pins for the taller ones kept my heel from rotating outward. I also tried running the shorter pins in the middle slots, but it made my shoe feel less engaged with the pedal. It would be nice if the pedals came with enough pins for all the available slots to have more options, but I’m sure extra pins won’t be too expensive if you feel like tinkering.

I’ve preached for years about the benefits of DEITY’s plastic Deftrap pedals and their ability to slide past impacts without snagging like aluminum pedals do. The Saints deliver equal benefits, with the extra durability of an alloy body. They also offer more grip than Deftraps. However, Deftraps cost just $54.99, so you could get four pairs for the cost of one set of Saints. If I had only one bike, I’d buy the Saints—they perform better and last longer. But I have more than four bikes (not including test bikes), so it is tough to pass up the Deftrap deal and avoid constant pedal swaps.

What’s The Bottom Line?

The new Saints land at the top of my flat pedal podium, tied with some very popular pedals. The grip is top-tier, and the ability of the pins to find traction as your shoe’s outsole deteriorates should extend the interval between buying new shoes. The plastic skid plates also add some peace of mind when clipping rocks. I haven’t entered the long-term durability realm yet, but if my experience with past Shimano pedals is any indication, the spindle and internals should spin smoothly for many seasons. That leaves two factors to consider when deciding to pull the trigger on the new Saints: is your foot too big for its modest size, and can you justify the high price tag when many comparable pedals cost less?

For more pedal reviews, check out our Flat Pedal Face Off.