The upper is constructed largely from a single piece of material, reducing potential areas of weakness at the seams. The toe box has a number of ventilation perforations, while there are closed-mesh panels on the inside and outside of the foot. The 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. The toe box has average, rather than high, levels of toe protection, contributing to a competitive 886g weight for the pair. This pedal has long been the daily downhill pedal for a number or our testers. We think it works just as well on an eight inch downhill bike as on a six inch enduro bike. The platform gives the Mallet 3 an advantage for the more gravity-oriented branches of mountain biking, but it isn't overly cumbersome or heavy for grinding uphill. Value Crankbrothers says that the compound of the rubber is designed to be ‘mid-friction’, to prevent binding on release from the pedal.

Crankbrothers took its time (four years in all) to bring these shoes to market and assured us they’d properly been through the wringer when it came to testing. While some of this took place in the lab, to at least get the rubber compounds right, much of it was down to real-world testing. Concave pedal platform for secure foothold. Like it's DH equivalent you get that flat pedal feel whilst running clipless There are more cleat options with the Crankbrothers pedals, and the standard cleats offer more float.First and foremost, you may be wondering, “do I need to have Crankbrothers pedals to use these shoes?” and the answer is no. The Mallet E shoes come pre-installed with Crankbrothers cleats, and though the Mallet E shoe/pedal combo is pretty baller, as the kids would say, any type of cleat can be installed by simply removing the shim. I tested the Mallet E shoes with both the Crankbrother cleats and SPD cleats/pedals and they work seamlessly with both. 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. These new shoes are named after some of Crankbrothers’ key pedal models and are designed to reflect the intentions of them perfectly. For those not completely au fait with its pedal range, the Mallet is designed for downhill riding and racing, the Mallet E is designed for trail riding and enduro racing, while the Stamp is Crank’s flat-pedal offering.

Once criticism of the laces’ runner is that to release its grip on the lace requires the thinner edge rather than the wider to be squeezed, which I didn’t find as intuitive. At the heart of the shoes’ design is the brand’s ‘MATCH system’, which Crankbrothers says: “considers the pedal and shoe as a unified system to provide optimal interface”.

The Crank Brothers Mallet Trail is a brand new clip-in pedal that’s designed to suit a wide range of riding types. Featuring the iconic four-sided Eggbeater mechanism and a compact two-piece machined alloy body, the Mallet Trail straddles the gap between the Candy and Mallet E. According to Crank Brothers, this is now the most versatile pedal in its clip-in range. The Crank Brothers Mallet Trail is a brand new platform clip-in pedal that fills a gap in the current lineup. The Crank Brothers Mallet Trail pedals 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. My feet are pretty average-shaped and most size 46 shoes fit me just fine. I found the Mallets sizing a little on the generous side, especially in length. They cinch down nicely with the Boa dial and Vaelcro strap, but I had to do both up pretty tight to make my feet feel secure. Once I'd done that, there's no heel-lift when walking or pulling on the pedals. Double seal system combines a double lip internal seal and a new external seal to keep water and debris from entering the pedal 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