There was talk of Shimano developing a new DH, or caged clipless pedal, and we actually saw a prototype being tested in a couple of World Cup DH races late last year, but nothing has been announced, yet. Which means that the M647 is still the only Shimano option for gravity and aggressive trail riding.

>>> Best mountain bike clipless pedals

The DX pedal is probably 10 years old, but even up against far more modern competition it’s still a great caged clipless pedal. It’s not the lightest, and the plastic platform only really offers support towards the rear of the shoe, but the unique feature of the DX is the floating mechanism.

This is spring-loaded, so the front sits up slightly at an angle and captures the cleat instantly as you press down — a handy design feature if you’ve just unclipped and want to get back in quickly.

Like the XT pedal, the M647 has adjustable release tension and the adjusters are indexed, allowing you to set the tension evenly across all four sides. Clipping in and out is positive, audible and consistent.

However, we have had a few issues in the past with the cage working loose on the axle. The good news is that the cage is fully replaceable and Madison — Shimano’s UK importer — does carry spares.

>>> Best mountain bike shoes

If Shimano could incorporate the design into a sleeker and larger platform, with maybe some pins for added traction and support, we reckon the DX could easily knock the Mallet DH off the number one slot.