Looking for recommendations for flats for commuting/ general purpose bike.
Have the alloy cage pedals at the moment but find them too narrow .
Was looking at flats but not sure that ones with pins will work so well with my work shoes.
Suggestions please?

Set of DMR V6?
Same platform design but plastic pins so less likely to kill your work shoes yet still provide grip?

I use the MKS Lambda.

Pros: grippy without ruining shoes; integrated reflectors; rounded shape is leg-friendly when carrying the bike up steps at the station; mine have kept spinning for years with no maintenance

Cons: if you have hard-soled shoes then they’re not grippy, you need rubber pedals for that; if you have big feet like me then the rounded shape feels odd at first compared to a large, square MTB pedal

MOTO Reflex Pedal: Das Plattformpedal für moderne Asphalt-Ritter

Interesting design. I see at the end of their test the grip is disintegrating, though, which would eventually render them fairly useless.

Useless?

Antislip tape is easily available in a variety of grip and colours, if that much grip is needed.

I’m liking the look of the MKS Lambda.
The V6 might be a less spendy option but those pins look longer than ideal for a harder sole?

Aaron urban bike pedal.

I am using for over 8 months DMR V8 on my commuter bike. They haven’t destroyed any shoe yet, and with the metal pins they are grippy on all my shoes no matter how hard sole they may be. I am actually more concerned when wearing running shoes that their soft sole might get destroyed. I am not saying they are the greatest choice, but it works for me

I use Shimano t8000 spd/flat combo pedals. I use the spd side for the main commute but sometimes cycle during the day in my work shoes on the flat side. The flat side has Allen key pins which provide good grip even in the wet and by screwing them well down you can reduce the aggressiveness. I previously used flat wellgo lu987u pedals on another commuting bike and they have longer, sharper pins. They didn’t destroy my shoes but thought those pins could very easily scrape the leather uppers and had to take more care to avoid it.

If I didn’t need the spd side I’d either buy Shimano xt flats or another flat that I could screw the allen pins down so they only protrude a little or file the lu987 pins down a bit.

I’ve some of these Blank Compound pedals on my commute bike when I swapped jobs and needed to cycle in my work shoes.

Bigger than the usual cage type one and the moulded pins are definitely less agressive than the screw in ones – they’ve not taken any gouges out of my shoes (or shins!). Obviously not the gnarliest pedal but they’ve been spinning happily on my commuter I use everyday for the past two and a half years.

Mk2 version has screw in pins I notice.

Useless?

If the grip tape comes off you’re left with a hard, smooth surface, which is going to be useless with leather soles, in the wet, etc.

I guess you can replace the tape but textured metal seems a more durable approach.

I’ve always gone for DMRs when I have wanted flats, they just seem to be the best combination of quality, grip, durability and cost. They are also not too showy unless you go for the bright colours.

Mind you, I use SPDs (shimano 520s) on my commuter these days. This does cause problems when I have to use the bike for work during work hours. Walking in SPD shoes is both strange looking and a pain.

Willard, have you seen and considered the new pd-eh500 pedals or the xt Trekking (t8000) ones? I switched to the xt ones from the old a530s because the flat side of the a530 was so terrible in the wet. Looks like the eh500 is Shimano’s improvement of the a530 by adding some pins.

DMR v12 magnesiums are £40 from CRC, i have them on my mtb and commuter and love them

Totally befuddled by anyone stating any sort of DMR V series is good for durability. They must fare a shitload better on road than dirt I guess.