Crank Brothers Pedals

Project cyclo-cross bike has given us a good excuse to look at off-road pedals in more detail and there was one name which constantly came up when discussing pedal choice with seasoned ‘cross racers: Crank Brothers.

However, there are plenty of other manufacturers who use a similar ‘hook and bar’ type design; its just that the Eggbeaters are Crank Brothers pure race pedal and consequently are stripped to the bare essentials. We’ve heard nothing but praise for them from those who use them in cyclo-cross, listing superior mud clearance, ease of entry, great float, and straightforward home maintenance with excellent servicing support were all quoted to us.

The Eggbeaters are only half the story though as we were fortunate enough to be sent two pairs of pedals by 2Pure, the UK distributor, and the second pair, the Crank Brothers Candy, is a much more substantial, more familiar looking affair even if on closer inspection it is essentially just an aluminium platform placed around an Eggbeater style pedal.

With the Eggbeater you are offered true four sided entry but we imagine that you have to be accurate with your foot placement on re-entry and would need a stiff soled pair of racing shoes to get the most out of them. The Candy gives you the added advantage of the platform (cage) for extra foot support and may cope better with badly judged foot placement. Crank Brothers pitch it as the dual sided pedal with four sided entry, as you still have the advantage that the spring is free to rotate within the aluminium body giving you a theoretical four chances at connection

It remains to be seen which set of pedals will find its way onto the bike in time for some summer ‘cross races. It is far from a case of one being better than the other as there are plenty of examples of top riders who use one type or the other, equally successfully. At the end of the day its going to be down to personal preference. Obviously we are lucky to have the opportunity to try both, so if you are considering Crank Brothers pedals we will try give you a steer as to which one might suit you best, so that when you take the plunge with your hard earned cash you are less likely to regret your choice

The Eggbeater weighs in at 278g per pair, with a chromoly steel spindle and cast stainless steel body, wings and spring. The bearings are needle for the inner and cartridge for the outer.

The Candy pedals are a small amount heavier with a weight of 304g per pair. Like the Eggbeaters they have a forged chromoly steel spindle but have a two piece body of machined aluminum. The wings and spring are stainless steel. Bearings are the same as for the Eggbeaters, with needle inner and cartridge outer.

Crank Brothers offer a great deal of support on their website including videos showing how to best maintain and service the pedals. The lifespan of the pedal will depend on usage but they also offer rebuild kits making extending that lifespan straight forward; you can do it yourself or you can also send them away to be done for you. You can send them direct in the US, use a dealer or in the UK you can have them serviced by 2Pure.

The Eggbeater cleats are fittingly minimalist, whilst Candy’s are a more familiar design, being similar to SPD style cleats. Sensibly the cleats are made of ‘premium brass’ which is much softer than the parts of the pedal that they clip into so that the cleats wear out long before the pedal does. Based on Crank Brother’s figures we reckon a set of cleats should last the average rider about a year or so. You can adjust the release angle between 15 and 20 degrees simply by placing the cleat with the ‘dots’ engraved onto it on either the left or the right shoe.

The Crank Brothers Eggbeater and the Candy both have a 5 year warranty and the msrp is identical at $120 / €120 / £95. Look out for our full reviews soon.

Crank Brothers website

Crank Brothers UK (2Pure)