Half way between an Candy and a full Mallet, the Crankbrothers Mallet Trail fills the gap in the long-lived pedal line up.
Ever wondered what would happen if you put your Crankbrothers Mallet Es in a hot wash by accident? Well, wonder no more as the Mallet Trail is out and it’s better than a miniature Mallet E.
Pete has been finding out how the Mallet Trail stacks up.
Key features:
- Long spindle
- 57mm q-factor
- Integrated traction pad technology
- 2 adjustable pins per side for grip
- Hex alloy endcap
- 4-sided entry / superior mud shedding
- Customizable float & release angle
- Enduro bearings & double seal system
- 5-year warranty
- 344g per pair
- £179.99 RRP
- Crankbrothers.com
The latest in the long-lived Crankbrothers Mallet line of clipless pedal is the Mallet Trail. Designed to slot neatly in between the XC classic Candy and the gravity-inspired Mallet Es. Designed with trail and gravel riding in mind, hence the ‘Trail’ moniker.
Coming like more of a bulked up Candy rather than a smaller Mallet, the Mallet Trails are fairly small underfoot, but don’t let that put you off. With an adjustable float and release system, you shouldn’t struggle to get your feet back in if you have to deploy a safety leg.
Beyond that, the Mallet Trail’s are quintessentially Crankbrothers. A machined cage and their unique engagement sits atop a long spindle with a high Q-factor. Enduro bearings and IGUS bushes handle the spinning. You get two adjustable pins per side and traction pads either side of the cage to fine tune your fit.
Out and about, the Mallet Trails feel no more or less secure than the other Mallets I have tested. Engagement and release is classic Crankbrothers, with varying cleat shapes offering you your preferred float and release.
Initially, I did find getting unclipped from these pedals, with a few close moments and at least one ‘spud dump’. I am yet to work out whether it was the cleat setup or the traction pads restricting the shoe movement.
eventually, I dropped down to the 1mm traction pad with the standard cleats to get the best mix between engagement, release and stability, mostly used with the Fox Union clip shoe that was launched earlier in the month, or a set of 2FO Cliplite from Specialized.
To date they have very much been fit and forget. While they might be marketed as a trail pedal, they’ve been bolted onto bigger bikes for big days out in the hills and I quickly forgot I was on a different pedal setup. Always a good sign. The low profile meant they’ve not had any rock interfaces either.
What do we think?
At a penny shy of £180, they’re not cheap compared to the competition but they definitely are good. If you’re a Crankbrothers fan and have the full set already, these certainly won’t let you down. You’d also be hard pushed to beat the Crankbrothers’ ability to shed the mud too.
We love:
- Fit and forget
- King of mud-shedding
Could do better:
- Expensive compared to the competition
