Crankbrothers Mallet Enduro Pedals, unisex, Mallet Enduro

Product Information

While I sometimes needed to manipulate the lace to either release or equalise tension down the foot when getting the shoes on and off, the laces pull through their guide loops easily. The pull-tab on the end of the lace gives a solid anchor from which to add tension. Jesse221 the pins are the real reason I’d consider switching. With the right shoes, like the 5 10s you don’t miss the pins when clipped, but you’d be more secure unclipped with the CBs with the pins. Switching to my 5-10s have reduced my desire to get the CBs because they grip the Time platforms so much better when clipped in, I feel like I get all the grip I need. My old Giros/ Sidis/ Pearl Izumis/ SixOnes, not so much. But you’d have to set the pins real low to not get hung up clipping out with certain grippy shoes, so I’m not sure how much they’d help in the end. The malleable, almost rubber-like upper is reinforced around the toe and heel area to boost protection and help the shoe hold its shape and feel stable when in use. There are perforations and mesh windows, which allow your feet to breath a little, as well as prevent the Mallets from getting waterlogged.

Although designed to sync perfectly with its own pedals, Crankbrothers says its shoes will still work with other pedal brands. Rob Weaver / Immediate Media The Mallet Trails are a decent pedal, but I think that they're always going to suffer in comparison to their bigger and burlier siblings. The problem is that they don't offer support through the platform, and are more reliant on the traction pads. This means that if you're riding anything that includes a lot of rider input, you're going to want to have the 2 mm traction pads. However, the trade-off is a more vague sensation of getting clipped in and out of the pedal, without completely delivering on the feel you were hoping for in the first place. Bike setup is subjective in general, but when we come to the setup and feel of our clipless pedals it feels like that subjectivity is turbocharged. Typically, I prefer the Crankbrothers system, and if I had to rely on systems with less float, as well as less platform and support while engaged in the mechanism, I wouldn't be riding clipless pedals at all. However, the interaction between the Mallet Trail pedals and ‘proper’ XC shoes is a touch better, with an easier entry feel. The cleat bed is well-shaped, though, with ramps for entry and exit, as well as markings to help get your cleat position consistent on both left and right feet.The function is so dependent on the interface of shoe and pedal that you really need to carefully customise the setup with cleat shims and side platform bumpers to get it right. The biggest problem with release from the Mallet 3 is the shoes you are likely to wear with these pedals, which can be so wide in the forefoot that they hit the crank arm at certain angles, preventing a full release. Once your cleats and the edges of the shoe break-in this will become less of a problem. Beware that with a new pair of Mallet 3s, new cleats, and a fresh pair of Five Ten Hellcats, you might find yourself falling over in front of your buddies.

The footprint is notably smaller than the Mallet E, with the Mallet Trail measuring 78mm long x 75mm wide. It does feature the same 57mm spindle length however, which is 5mm wider than a Candy or Eggbeater pedal. This will turn off XC and gravel riders who prefer a narrower stance. Like a shrunken-down version of the Mallet E, the Mallet Trail gets a neatly machined 6061-T6 alloy body. The traction pad feature first seen on the Mallet E has also been carried over to the Mallet DH, which consists of a removable, rectangular piece of polyurethane that sits on each side of the clip-in mechanism. There are different pad heights available, allowing riders to customize their pedals to work perfectly with their shoe of choice.There is no adjustable tension on the spring mechanism on any pedals by Crankbrothers. The only adjustable feature is the height of the traction pins, which can be dialed up taller for more grip or screwed in lower for less grip. This changes the feel of the pedal when clipping in and out. The DH has eight pins per side. Anyone who’s used a set of Crank Brothers clip-in pedals before will be familiar with the ergonomics of its distinctive Eggbeater mechanism. Entry is smooth and fluid, with the spring providing a linear rate that means very little force is required to engage your cleats. Mountain bike shoes have a hard life. All your power is transferred through their soles, as well as an awful lot of bodily bike control.

The Speedlace runs far down the shoe to ensure tension is controlled over a large portion of the foot. While this may hold true for most clipless pedals, the Mallets need a little more tuning, otherwise they either refuse to work or, possibly worse, don’t work at their best with the rider unaware they aren’t getting the most from their expensive investment. In basic terms, it wants to simplify setup as much as possible. That means no more experimentation or guess work when adding/removing spacers under your cleats (no matter whether you’re on Shimano SPDs, Crankbrothers pedals or any other pedal system) and limited effort when it comes to pedal adjustments too. There are three different models available, named after the pedals that best reflect their intentions: Mallet, Mallet E and the Stamp My size 42 test samples weighed 1,140g with cleats fitted. Crankbrothers Mallet BOA shoe performancePerforations and mesh panels on the upper are designed to keep your feet cool. Russell Burton / Our Media