I get lots of people asking me for recommendations as to which flat pedals to buy. The requests come from people who have been riding flats for ages, who are looking to upgrade from a worn out pair, or who just want to brighten their lives with something new. Requests also come from people looking to buy their first pair, as they want to exploit the benefits of flat pedals for developing bike skills. I love these new DMR pedals and they are the ones that I’m suggesting people try at the moment.

The Vaults tick all the boxes for a good flat pedal. They are slim in profile, which means you hit them less often on the ground. On my scales they weigh 400g a pair which is spot on. The platform is big with loads of area to get your foot on to. This is different to DMR’s classic V12 and V8 pedal which I always found to be too small. The pins are really grippy because they are long and they have threads cut into them. The pins on the leading and tailing edge, which are the ones that get mashed up the most, are also easy to get out from the back with allen keys. If you like, you can change the way round that the pins fit to make the pins shorter and less grippy. I haven’t done this because I like them long and grippy. Vitally you can get a pair in a wild array of colours to match or clash with your bike and your personal get up. Finally they clear mud well as the cut of the platform is open. RRP is £89.99.

I’ve had my pair for a couple of months now and they’re running spot on, with no play at the axle. Nothing is broken and there has been no fuss. You can get titanium axles for them for less weight and more dollar, if that’s your thing.

Ed Oxley

These spankingly nice tools from Lezyne have just arrived to go in my EVOC pack and will be included in the upcoming video ‘Bag-Cast’. All super light and super shiny there are a pair of alloy tyre levers and the world’s blingest multitool, the Lezyne Carbon 10. I was hoping for a Carbon 10 for my birthday last year or maybe Christmas, but no one bought me it, so I thought I better get one myself. Things like this cheer me up no end when I’m covered in mud and flailing around on a hill somewhere sorting out a mechanical. Thanks to Upgrade who distribute Lezyne as well as other top brands in the UK.

Just arrived today are these EVOC packs which proudly state ‘Engineered in Germany’ and have a feeling of quality and durability. On the left is the EVOC Backpack 16 l a lightweight pack that I’ll be using for night rides and solo blasts when I don’t need to carry so much gear . The other one is the EVOC Freeride Trail ML a full on All Mountain pack with a capacity of 20 litres. It comes with a detachable back protector which can be also worn on its own. There are loads of places to secure pads and helmet on the outside as well as plenty of practical details inside. I’ll use this pack when I’m working with groups on skills courses and when I’m off on big adventures.

Aren’t the colours just the best you’ve ever seen?

Thanks to Silverfish for sending the packs out. Look out for a review of the packs, as well as a look at the tools, pads, jacket and other stuff that I carry and use on a day to day basis. The review will be in video form and will be on great-rock.tv where I’ve started reviewing the gear I use as well as giving updates on the projects and skills courses that I’m involved with.

OK better get out and get some mud on this stuff……

To fill the Christmas void I put on a special one day ‘jump & razzing’ course at Delamere Forest, with special guest coach Nigel Page. The snow was all gone and we were back to slithery mud conditions. Delamere makes a good venue for developing jump and general downhill handling skills, with the 4X track and all the bermed, rooty lines. Look out for more of these courses next winter.

Thanks to Neil Hodgins for the photos. He was riding a bike on the course, but couldn’t resist getting his camera out to combine his passions of bikes and photography. Cheers Neil!

Page & Bookmark from Ed Oxley on Vimeo.