Having been responsible for a large shake up of the mountain bike pedal market some 14 years ago with its Eggbeater pedal, Crankbrothers is an established name. However, poor service life from its pedals has left some riders disdainful toward the brand – something the Californian firm hopes to turn around with its entirely new 2016 pedal range.
All models now feature reworked internals for greatly improved durability and with this, carry a five-year warranty. An Enduro sealed bearing now sits at the end of the spindle (clipless models only) and a custom glide bushing from German specialist Igus at the other end for every model. Additionally, a new double-lip internal seal and revised external seal is found on all models in order to keep the grease in and the contaminants out.
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Crankbrothers is confident in the durability of the new pedals, stating that Igus testing showed the new bushing to be eight times more durable then the original, while Crankbrothers’ internal testing with the inclusion of sand, water and other contaminates shows an incredible 74x improvement.
Mallet E
Designed for aggressive trail and enduro riders, the Mallet E is a new model that’s 12 percent smaller, 50g lighter and with a 5mm narrower Q-factor than the brand’s downhill pedal, the Mallet DH Race.
A detailed body design should offer plenty of traction when not clipped in
The pedal body offers a concave surface and six replaceable pins per side for secure grip when not clipped in. A chamfered edge on the body is designed to help deflect rock strikes. A forged 4130 steel spindle is used along with stainless steel wings and spring.
The Traction Pads slide into place. They feel very secure
Most notable is the new ‘Traction Pad’ technology, which offers interchangeable pads at the pedals' body for greater control with the shoe tread interface. Those that know Crankbrothers’ pedals will be aware of how this clearance can affect the clip action, resistance and float of the system, and so this is a great addition for greater shoe compatibility and for riders who are just fussy on the ‘feel’ of their pedals.
Pedals will include both on1mm and 2mm pads, which can be swapped out with the aid of a tyre lever.
We weighed a sample pair at 419g. Expect to pay US$165 for the new Mallet E (UK and Australian pricing to be confirmed).
Candy 7 and 11
Using the same Traction Pad technology as the Mallet E, the new Candy 7 and 11 are even lighter versions that maintain an external, albeit smaller, platform. Both models offer a new ribbed body shape, chamfered edges for reduced rock strikes and an alloy bashguard at the end of the pedal.
Priced at an eye watering US$450, the Candy 11 features titanium spindles and wings and so weighs just 249g, some 120g lighter than Shimano’s XTR M9020 Trail pedals.
The Candy 7 offers all the features of the 11, but at a higher weight and a far lower price
Less likely to dig into your holiday savings at US$165, the Candy 7 uses forged steel spindles and stainless steel wings for a complete weight of 320g. This model is no doubt where the value lays, as the Candy 3 (US$135) and lower don’t offer the new body design or Traction Pad technology.
Stamp flat pedal
The Stamp pedal is available in two platform sizes
Built for mountain bikers who don’t want to clip in, the Stamp takes an interesting approach of offering two platform size options.
Offering 100x100mm footprint, the small size is designed for those with shoe sizes from EU37-EU43. Meanwhile the large offers a footprint of 114x111mm and is designed for riders with shoe sizes EU43-EU49.
A look inside the new Stamp pedal
Each side offers 10 replaceable pins and a 4mm concave surface for effective traction. Forgoing the Enduro sealed bearing in favour for a second igus glide bushing, the Stamp pedals achieve a thin 11mm thickness at the center, and a 13mm thickness at the edges. With only bushings inside, an external grease port is given for simple maintenance.
The Stamp is priced at US$150 per set. A pair of small-sized Stamps weighs 375g.
Double Shot
The Double Shot is a 'hybrid' pedal aimed at commuters, tourers, fat-bike users and newer riders
A first for Crankbrothers, the Double Shot offers a flat on one side, with the ability to clip in on the other. It’s an alloy platform with moulded ribbed ribs and pins along with a ‘diamond-plate’ surface for traction.
Weighing in at 395g for the pair, these will sell at US$89.
With many production models not due for another few months, the durability claims remain to be seen. However, we now have multiple pre-production samples of both the Mallet E and Candy 7’s for testing across multiple continents.
Expected global availability, along with UK and Australian pricing is to be confirmed.