Crankbrothers Mallet Enduro Pedals, unisex, Mallet Enduro

Product Information

Neat detailing on the Velcro strap (and net detailing throughout) help contribute to the high-quality finish of these shoes, but also the relatively high price. Andy Lloyd / Immediate Media 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. I opted to ride in the size 42 Mallets because the sizing is a little generous compared to the likes of Shimano and Specialized, where I ride in a size 43, so I would suggest trying on before buying, to ensure you get the sizing right. 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 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.

That being said, I recognize my bias stems from eons ago before Crankbrothers had platform options and I consider myself a “woke” woman, open to changing my mind when presented with new information. Well, consider it changed. The Crankbrothers Mallet E (short for enduro, see what they did there?) pedals are as versatile as they are confidence inspiring. It is truly the surprise of the century, that I really like the Mallet E pedals and shoes. Let’s dive into both. Crankbrothers Mallet E pedals By increasing or decreasing this interface, it gives more or less stability to the pedal platform. The Mallet E features six adjustable pins that can be inserted to different heights or eradicated for less aggressive traction. For enhanced efficiency, Crankbrothers also sell a 0-degree float cleat. All this adds up to a fair bit of 'adjustability' for a Crankbrothers pedal, but the Xpedo GFX(that also has adjustable release tension) takes the win for this category. WeightThe Mallet E is aimed at trail riders and enduro racers. Compared to the Mallet, the Mallet E uses a stiffer shank for more efficient power transfer, but, sadly, the Mallet E doesn’t get the extended ‘Race Zone’ cleat slot extensions, which seems a real shame. With a larger platform, the smaller of Nukeproof’s Horizon pedals still offers more support to flexier shoes than the Mallet Trails. 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.

Eight removable pins are in place on each side, and there's plenty of room around the clip-in mechanism to prevent mud from building up.The angled toe and heel treads are directional and spaced out for better mud clearance to help with walking up or down hill. The Mallet is designed to be the more gravity-orientated shoe of the two clipless offerings and matches up with Crankbrothers’, you guessed it, Mallet DH pedals, but will work with other brand’s pedals, too. 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.