DMR V12 Magnesium pedal review - appealing design delivers ample grip and support

DMR pedals are renowned in the mountain bike world - and the V12 is regarded as something of a classic. 

While the flat platform shape is primarily designed for flat bar trail riding, it has obvious benefits for gravel, as well as for those who ride hybrid bikes, be it for work or leisure. As a result you'll find a number of similar styles featured in our guide to the best flat pedals for gravel and urban use.

DMR V12 Magnesium: contruction

The V12 Magnesium is a large platform pedal that DMR says has 10% more surface area than the original. Out of the box, it certainly looks pretty big; a quick check with a tape measure confirms the stated 95 x 100mm size. It’s a confidence inspiring shape that looks as though it will deliver plenty of support over a variety of surfaces.

It’s not a particularly chunky pedal however. Measuring 16mm in depth, it cuts a slim, almost streamline shape, with a subtle concave. It would be a push to call it elegant, but the V12 Magnesium are more refined looking than many of the best commuter bike pedals I've seen.

This is heightened by the pedals' low weight. On my scales each pedal weighed 170g, which is close to 50g lighter than the standard model’s claimed weight. Undoubtedly this is down to the use of magnesium, which allows DMR to reduce the pedal’s overall weight while still equipping it with a durable Chromoly axle and sealed bearings.

Each side of the V12 is fitted with 10 pins. These are essentially grub screws that can be adjusted to suit your grip requirements - raise them for more grip, lower them for less. This adjustability also means that they are replaceable. Given my experience with the fragility of grub screws this is no bad thing.

The aforementioned axle and bearings are serviceable. If you want to just give the axle a clean and re-grease you’ll only need a couple of hex keys to do the job. If you’re replacing the bearings and the bushings - service kits can be bought separately for a full pedal overhaul -  you’ll also need a proprietary V12 tool that removes said bush. 

It’s a welcome feature given the initial cost of the V12 Magnesium pedals and should mean that they have a considerable life span.

DMR V12 Magnesium: the ride

Initially I left the pins as they came - backed out a fair way. The high degree of grip was immediate. The pins contacted the sole of my shoe and didn’t let go, even as I applied greater pressure and shifted my weight around the bike.

On the road this made for a stable ride. Coupled with the generous platform size it created a level of connection with the bike that I’d typically only expect from clipless pedals. The result was great support, with my feet remaining in position as I transferred power through the pedals. I sought out a couple of steep-ish climbs to test this further, and the V12s passed with flying colors.

Vitally, the impressive grip and stability didn’t mean that I couldn’t remove my foot quickly when needed. This was handy when cycling through the city, but essential when I tackled some wooded trails and a meandering off-road river path. 

On this terrain the pedals came into their own, again providing plenty of support and grip while still allowing me to take my foot off the pedal when required. It meant that the confidence-inspiring shape I’d noted pre-ride delivered just that - the reliability of the performance quickly meant I was riding without thinking about my feet, safe in the knowledge that they would remain planted when I needed, yet never glued in place so as to cause concern.

As someone who’s spent years riding nothing but clipless pedals I was unsure about the comfort of flats, especially over longer distances. While I haven’t used the V12s on the length of ride I’d typically do on a road bike, they have proved to be perfectly comfortable for a couple of hours at a time. 

Again, I credit the blend of grip and stability here. Essentially, my foot remained in place for as long as required, alleviating any concerns I had over potential knee pain cause by my foot shifting around on the platform - if I was using the pedals solely for commuting and leisure riding however I would screw the pins in a fair amount more to help save the soles of my shoes.

DMR V12 Magnesium: Value

At $87 / £80 the DMR V12 Magnesium pedals aren’t cheap but they are competitively priced. The blend of materials and the serviceability of the design should also mean that they are durable enough to add credence to the ‘buy cheap, buy twice’ theory.

For comparison, the regular V12, which features an aluminum body, retails for around $/£20 less than the magnesium version. The weight penalty is approximately 100g across the pair.

The Raceface Aeffect Pedal is a comparable full-metal affair, again serviceable with replaceable pins. They retail for $119.99 / £99.95, which means the V12s undercut them by a small amount on both price and weight.