DMR’s Vault has been a stalwart pedal in the market for years now and the magnesium-bodied version suitably carries the torch. The grip it offers is unwavering and its simple but very user-friendly internals make for a pedal that’s built to last. However, it could be a bit bigger in order to keep up with the larger platformed competition currently making up the best MTB flat pedal space.
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DMR Vault Mag flat pedal - Technical details
The DMR Vault is a flat pedal that’s designed to be tunable while appealing to those who appreciate a large platform. The Vault Mag takes the very same shape but has been manufactured using a new pressure die-casting process that uses less energy and zero waste. This is achieved by using magnesium, a metal that’s mostly extracted from seawater.
Like the original Vault, the Vault Mag gets 11 replaceable steel pins per side and a 17mm concave footbed. These pedals rotate around a Cro-Mo axle and utilise a combination of a DU bush and cartridge bearings. In terms of the pins, all but the centre pins are flippable, offering two lengths to tune grip to the rider’s preference. The outer pins are adjusted via a neat tool that’s included in the box but can be tweaked using an adjustable spanner in a pinch.
Measuring in at 105 x 105mm, the pair of pedals tip the scale at 388g, which is a reasonable chunk lighter than DMR’s claimed 404g. To compare to the standard, aluminium-bodied Vault, the Vault Mags drop 42 grams.
DMR Vault Mag flat pedal - Performance
The Vaults have already established themselves as some pretty darn good pedals both for their general performance but also their durability. So the lighter magnesium-built alternatives have some mighty boots to fill.
Of course, coming built with the exact same shape, the pedal feel is identical, and actually very good. The 17mm concave works to cradle the foot and helps the pedal’s pins dig deeper into the rubber of a shoe’s sole, confidently keeping it in place when navigating rough sections.
Grip in general is second to none. During my rather lengthy test period of a few months with the Vault Mags, I’m still yet to run into any kind of grip issue. These pedals have confidently kept my feet glued in place. I’ve not even felt the need to flip the pins into their longer setting. And on the occasion when I’ve planted my foot in a less-than-ideal position on the pedal, the pins still allowed me to relocate into a more comfortable position without becoming a nuisance.
And those pins are rather well-designed. They’re pretty girthy – so they’re more than able to fend off rock strikes which is a good thing because they’re top-loading. That means that if a pin were to completely shear, it would be quite a pain to retrieve the remaining metal from its thread. But again, I’m not particularly kind to my pedals and all of the pins remain unscathed. However, it would be good to see an extra method of pin removal on the undersides of the pins just in case of the very likely event that any pin shearing was to occur.
Considering the haphazardness of my pedal placement while riding, the Vault Mags are still running very well. They’re clearly showing the odd battle scar but none of them have dug very deep into the pedal body. One pedal did show some significant stiffness as it rotated after a number of particularly mucky rides which initially got me pretty worried, thinking I’d need to order replacement bearings, but all it took was a quick disassembly (and when I say quick, I mean not even five minutes), a bit of a clean to clear off any old grease and then a regrease. Afterwards, the pedal’s spinning like new – super impressive indeed.
I checked the bearing, too, and that’s still rotating smoothly, which is an excellent sign of its longevity, especially after being covered in dirty old grease for a while.
Even though I had absolutely no issue with the grip that the Vault Mags offer and in fact, I’ve been very impressed, the size of their platform is looking a little small compared to that of a number of modern pedals on the market. Those with smaller feet won’t have anything to worry about but, underneath my size 9.5 shoes, I found myself wanting a bit more platform to play with just to offer more support to a wider area on my feet. If the Vault Mag came with a larger size option, it would be an incredibly tough pedal to beat.
DMR Vault Mag flat pedal - Verdict
The Vault Mag’s £120 price tag puts it right in the firing line of my favourite flat pedal, the Race Face Aeffect R which is £10 pricier and weightier at 440g. However, the Aeffect R’s size still wins me over, as the grip is comparable.
Pembree’s D2A also comes in at £130 and it comes with impressive eco-credentials but I reckon its CNC-machined, anodised finish is more impressive than the Vault Mag’s ED-painted black finish. Though, the grip isn’t as plentiful and the D2A’s profile isn’t quite as supportive – a clear case of form over function in this particular comparison.
If you’re after a lightweight flat pedal while picking a product that does a little more for the environment without holding back on all-out grip and durability, you cannot go wrong with the Vault Mags. Even though the platform size is a bit on the small side by today’s standards, it’s still an absolute belter of a pedal.
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