DMR V-Twin clipless pedal review

Clipless platform pedals are always going to be a compromise between the support and freedom of flat pedals, and the stability and connection felt by clipless users. The DMR V-Twin is one of the first pedals I have come across that truly blurs those lines.

• Best mountain bike pedals
• Best mountain bike shoes

It does this by offering a huge range of customisable features on the interface between shoe and pedal, and a quick dig through the box illustrates how this is done.

Not only does the V-Twin come with shims to boost the nylon platform bumper height to meet the shoe outsole, but the bumpers can be ditched and replaced with up to seven pins per side if that approach is preferred. Or any combination of the two, for that matter.

It really is an excellent feature, allowing the pedal to be optimised to just about any shoe or riding preference.

I played with bumpers front, pins back, pins back and bumpers front, but eventually settled on bumpers all round for the maximum shoe support.

If you wanted an emergency grab option for clipped out grip the pins are there, but beware they don’t foul your outsole or pedal float, or clipping out can become impaired. I got knee pain within minutes of riding these pedals but it was quickly narrowed down to this and the problem solved.

Properly adjusted for my shoes, clipping in and out was a happily crisp and predictable affair, and the sprung, rotating mechanism always seemed to present the jaws in the right place for easy engagement.

All this hardware does come at a cost of course, both in that hefty 566g weight and the salty price tag, but once you hit the sweet spot of support and security it all seems to fade away. You soon realise that blurring those lines between flat and clipless can be worth its weight in gold.

I also loved the fact that the V-Twins come in eight colours and have comprehensive spares and service kits available for not a lot of cash. These are pedals that should go on and on.