Crank Brothers’ unique looking pedals have gained many fans over the years with their easy engagement, light weight and stacks of float, and the new Candy is better than ever.

There are various levels of Candy pedal depending on how flush you are feeling. Just nipping in under a hundred notes these strike a good balance of weight versus price. They use an aluminium body with steel cast wings and a chromoly spindle, with a weight of 304g. There are lighter pedals but at this price weight probably isn’t your biggest worry.

Inside the newly designed body, with its sharp clean lines, is the four-sided clipless mechanism. This is the entire reason why the Crank Bros pedals are so easy to engage: the mechanism is free to rotate so the cleat typically clips in the first time you shove your shoe at the pedal.

Once clipped in you get a decent range of float – how much your shoe can move from left to right while still being engaged. More is generally a good thing, especially if you have dodgy knees. The cleats can be adjusted to offer a release angle – the point at which the pedal releases the cleat – of either 15° or 20°. Personally I preferred the former, it just felt more usable and comfortable on the trail. It’s worth trying both before you settle on one.

My only niggle with the Crank Brothers pedals is the lack of a distinct ‘clunk’ or ‘click’ when you disengage the cleat. It’s not a biggie, you soon get used to it, but if you’re coming from Shimano pedals it does take a little getting used to.

An obvious benefit of the Crank Bros design over other pedals – which is worth pointing out for UK readers – is the fantastic mud clearance. These are the best pedals I’ve used in the mud. I’ve experienced far less trouble from these when it’s really muddy compared to other pedal systems.

There’s a reasonable amount of support from the pedal, but it’s still a very small pedal body and they worked best with slightly stiffer shoes in my experience, at least compared to the Mallet’s I tested a couple of years ago.

The pedals have proved to be very reliable, a far cry from earlier versions which disintegrate. Inside the pedal body are needle and cartridge bearings and the pedals ran smoothly the entire time I tested them, with no cause for reaching for the toolbox.

Oh, and they’re available in three colours so chances are there’s one to match your bike.

Verdict

Colourful and smart looking pedals that offer good performance with a high range of float and great mud clearance

What Crank Brothers say:

• Aluminium body machined for optimal weight
• Cast stainless wings and sleeve with steel spindle add strength and stability without a weight penalty
• Low-profile design and platform deliver a more powerful and efficient pedal stroke
• 6° of knee-saving float with a choice of a 15° or 20° release angle gives you a customized fit for all terrain
• 10mm needle bearing inner and cartridge bearing outer
• Brass cleat and mounting hardware included
• Aluminium end caps

Weight: 304g/pair
Price: £94.99
More information: Crank Brothers Candy 3 pedals