Ben has been putting Pembree’s D2A pedals through the mill over the last few months to see if they live up to the hype.
The D2A flat pedal from UK company Pembree are the latest to enter the somewhat crowded, flat pedal market. With so many good pedal options out there at a variety of price points, can Pembree stand out and make an impact?
Photos by Dave Price.
Key features:
- Designed and manufactured in UK
- 2014 T6 Aluminium body
- 17- 4 PH stainless steel spindle
- Carbon neutral and made to high environmental standards
- Available in 6 colours
- 5 Year warranty (2 years for bearings)
- £109.00 RRP
- Pembree.com
Pembree are a company who want to do things a bit differently to the rest of the MTB industry, pushing sustainability as one of their core values. The company has a strong environmental ethic behind it, working hard to minimise their impact and to create quality products that last for many years. No cheap, throwaway components here. Pembree are also partnered with TEMWA to offset their carbon footprint, and the factory is powered entirely by green energy.
Pembree market he D2A pedals as the ultimate flat pedals for racers, blending traction, strength, and weight. Grip is provided by 10 of Pembree’s own Traction Pins on each side of the pedal body, arranged around the outer edges of the pedal and away from the central spindle area. The pedal body is 15mm thick, with chamfered edges and is made out of 2014 T6 grade aluminium. They are a decent size too, with a 100mm x 110mm platform which is fairly typical these days although not quite as big as the Deity T-Mac or Crank Brothers Stamp I reviewed back in 2020.
The D2A spins on a high quality IGUS JSM inner bearing and a sealed ball bearing race on the outer side. The whole setup is designed to be serviceable by the user, prolonging the life of the product, and reducing its impact. From the box they spin freely and after several months of muddy abuse, there is no sign of wear or play in either pedal.
Out on the trails, the purple Pembrees have plentiful grip in most situations with the pins grabbing the soles of your shoes and giving you plenty of positive feedback. Due to the flat (rather than concave) profile of the pedal body, it does not have quite the grip of the big hitters like the Deitys mentioned earlier, but it is not far off and I never found my feet slipping or feeling vague on the pedals.
At £109 the D2A are a lot of money, but given the build quality, performance and projected lifespan they are actually very good value pedals, especially with the top of the pedal market costing £130 upwards these days.
What do we think?
The Pembree D2A is a top performing pedal with an environmental conscience. It does not have quite the outright grip of some other pedals on the market, but for many riders, that is exactly what they are looking for.
We Love:
- Environmental credentials
- Good all-round performance
- Who doesn’t love anodised purple?
Could do better:
- A more concave body would be welcome
