REASONS TO BUY
Adjustable
Excellent performance
Available in an array of colors
REASONS TO AVOID
Hefty
Expensive
Pins don't provide much traction
DMR V-Twin Review
Large, heavy and adjustable, this pedal will find its audience, but its price to performance ratio isn't in line with its competitors
Credit: DMR
RELATED: Best Mountain Bike Pedals of 2023
Our Verdict
A solid pedal offering a broad array of grip and traction adjustments, the DMR V-Twin is large and feature packed. The pedal's mechanism performed exceptionally well, and the pedal felt very consistent. They license the SPD cleat design from Shimano, so it works very similarly. With a weight of 610 grams, these pedals will likely find their market on gravity-oriented bikes. Offering a more customizable interface than any other pedal in the test, the DMR lets you build the pedal just the way you want it. Pair these pedals with the Giro Chamber II and attack the downhills with confidence. Still, we'd rather have the Shimano Saint M820 pedal for a few dollars less.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
DMR V-Twin | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  |  | | |
| Price | $172 List $134.57 at Amazon | $145.00 at Evo Compare at 3 sellers | $124.00 at Amazon Compare at 4 sellers | $64.95 at Amazon Compare at 4 sellers | Check Price at REI Compare at 2 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Adjustable, excellent performance, available in an array of colors | lightweight, adjustable, low profile, inexpensive, available in many colors | Substantial platform underfoot, legendary durability, solid value | Capable, versatile, inexpensive, easy to use and adjustable | Stable, great power transfer, excellent traction while engaged, inexpensive |
| Cons | Hefty, expensive, pins don't provide much traction | heavier cleats that are less ubiquitous, float isn't SPD smooth | Oversized locknut can interfere with proper fit and float feel | Slightly heavy, bulky for some uses, painted platform | Heavy, sharp pins are a hazard to everything but your shoe |
| Bottom Line | Large, heavy and adjustable, this pedal will find its audience, but its price to performance ratio isn't in line with its competitors | Lighter, less expensive and more adjustable than their Shimano competition while offering better mud shedding and traction | The capable all-mountain pedal renowned for its durability and solid performance ratchets up the performance specs | An adjustable, full-featured pedal offering stability and ease of use at a reasonable price point | A big step up in stability and traction, we find them worth their extra weight |
| Rating Categories | DMR V-Twin | HT Components T2 | Shimano PD-M8120 XT... | Shimano ME700 | Shimano Saint SPD M820 |
| Ease of Exit (25%) | |||||
| Ease of Entry (20%) | |||||
| Adjustability (20%) | |||||
| Weight (15%) | |||||
| Platform (10%) | |||||
| Mud Shedding Ability (10%) | |||||
| Specs | DMR V-Twin | HT Components T2 | Shimano PD-M8120 XT... | Shimano ME700 | Shimano Saint SPD M820 |
| Weight per Pair (grams) | 610g | 380g | 430g | 482g | 550g |
| Weight of Cleats and Bolts (grams) | 54g | 62g | 51g | 50g | 50g |
| Cleat Type | SPD style mountain replica | HT X1 cleats | SPD mountain | SPD mountain | SPD mountain |
| Style | mini-cage | mini-cage | mini-cage | mini-cage | mini-cage |
| Platform Dimensions (lxw) | 107 x 82mm | 68x83.5 | 100 x 71 mm | 100 x 74mm | 100 x 79 mm |
| profile height | 20mm | 17mm | 18mm | 19mm | 19mm |
| Q-Factor | 55mm | 56mm | 55mm | 55mm | 57mm |
| Total Width from Crank Arm | 95mm | 90mm | 92mm | 93mm | 95mm |
| Entry | 2-sided | 2-sided | 2-sided | 2-sided | 2-sided |
| Adjustable Tension | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Traction Pins | 7/side | 8 grub pins | 0 | 0 | 4/side |
| Bearings | sealed and serviceable | Stainless Steel sealed cartridge bearings | dual angular contact, metal retainer | dual angular contact, plastic retainer | dual angular contact, metal retainer |
| Cage Material | extruded / machined aluminum | extruded/CNC machined aluminum | anodized and machined aluminum | painted aluminum | forged and machined aluminum |
| Pedal Wrench Type | 6mm allen | 8mm allen | 8mm allen | 6mm allen or 15mm open end | 8mm allen |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
The DMR V-Twin brings a unique form of adjustability, promising more variations for grip and feel. Unboxing this pedal is interesting. There are more parts than we're used to seeing. Included with the pedals are, of course, cleats and pins. But they also come with steel shims that raise and lower the nylon pin platforms. The pin platforms feel a bit cheap and slippery, but the pedals' machining and anodizing look top notch. The pedals feel large and a little bulky, even before adding pins and shims.
The 4140 Chromoly steel axle sports a 6mm recess, there is no 15mm wrench flat. Similar to the Xpedo GFX, they use a spring-loaded cage to hold the engagement mechanism in an optimal position, ready to go.
Performance Comparison
The V-Twin is an excellent choice for the ride down
Credit: joshua hutchens
Ease of Entry
With or without pins installed, the V-Twin allows rapid ease of entry. The cleat mechanism is open and highly polished, and the body does nothing to obstruct entry. It scores very well against its competitors as a result.
Although based on an SPD design, the engagement doesn't have the lock and load feeling of an authentic Shimano SPD pedal. The traction pins, which can impede entry, are not an issue on this pedal. The DMR pins are slightly larger in diameter and less sharp than others we've tested.
Crankbrothers Double Shot 2, HT D1, Shimano Saint M820 and the V-Twin
Credit: joshua hutchens
Ease of Exit
The upside of less aggressive pins is that these pedals are incredibly easy to exit. They scored well in this metric as a result.
Unclipping is quick, smooth, and consistent, requiring less effort than the Saint M820.
Adjustability
DMR set out to make the V-Twin customizable in its engagement, grip, and traction. The engagement mechanism is based on SPD and offers 15 clicks from low to high tension. It works well.
The ends of the platform have nylon bumpers that you can raise using the included steel shims. Seven bolts hold the bumpers in on each side. You can also swap each bolt for traction pins.
Weight
At 558 grams, they're some of the heaviest clipless pedals we've ever tested.
There's plenty to love about the V-Twin but the weight isn't one of those things. If you bolt on the steel shims that raise the nylon pin platforms,you're at a whopping 610 grams!
Whoa! 568 grams is before we bolt on 8 steel shims to raise the nylon bumpers
Credit: joshua hutchens
Platform
The larger DMR pins provide a bit less bite than the narrower ones used by HT and Shimano.
Regardless of shoe choice, we never felt like the pins engaged as well as they deflected, pushing back on the sole rather than cutting in.
The DMR pedals feel large but also a bit tall, especially with shims installed.
Credit: joshua hutchens
Mud Shedding
We preferred the DMR over the Saint M820 on dry days. Putting the pedals in the mud changed our opinions a bit.
The DMR held on to the muck that prevented us from getting in a couple of times. More surface area on this pedal meant more places for mud to catch a ride.
The DMR enduring a mud trial
Credit: joshua hutchens
Value
They're big and bulky and highly adjustable, a combination that will work very well for some, but they cost too much to spend much time rationalizing their cons. The Shimano Saint M820 is a far better value.
Conclusion
Big, bad and bold, the DMR provides excellent performance and industry-leading adjustability. We found the pedal to be stable, capable, and confidence inspiring. If weight isn't a concern of yours, you'll appreciate these pedals more.
—
Joshua Hutchens
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