Crankbrothers Mallet Enduro Pedals, unisex, Mallet Enduro

Product Information

The biggest problem with release from the Mallet 3 is the shoes you are likely to wear with these pedals, which can be so wide in the forefoot that they hit the crank arm at certain angles, preventing a full release. Once your cleats and the edges of the shoe break-in this will become less of a problem. Beware that with a new pair of Mallet 3s, new cleats, and a fresh pair of Five Ten Hellcats, you might find yourself falling over in front of your buddies. The front of the shoe is stiff, perhaps due to the “mid-friction rubber compound,” reinforced toe, and wide cleat box which is referred to as the Matchbox. The theory behind the matchbox is multi-faceted. One, it matches the Mallet E pedals specifically. Two, it makes clipping in and out easy breezy and provides notable lateral stability. Three, it allows a large range of fore and aft cleat adjustability. On our scale the Mallet DH weighed in 5 grams heavier per pair than Crankbrothers' claimed weight of 479 grams. The traction pad feature first seen on the Mallet E has also been carried over to the Mallet DH, which consists of a removable, rectangular piece of polyurethane that sits on each side of the clip-in mechanism. There are different pad heights available, allowing riders to customize their pedals to work perfectly with their shoe of choice. Concave pedal platform for secure foothold. Like it's DH equivalent you get that flat pedal feel whilst running clipless

The Mallets and Mallet Es feature Crankbrothers’ ‘MATCH Outsole’, which uses its MC1 rubber compound (mid-friction, fast rebound). They also feature a ramped cleat box to make clipping in and out easier, radial tread pattern to help reduce friction when clipping in or out, as well as enough stiffness through the shank to deliver good power transfer. The toe box is roomy enough to allow your toes to splay out comfortably, and I had no issues with the shoe pinching through the middle of my foot, thanks in part to the relatively neutral, quite flat insole which suits my feet well. The angled toe and heel treads are directional and spaced out for better mud clearance to help with walking up or down hill.

Match Compound

There’s a significant weight difference, with the smaller Mallet Trails coming in at around 90g lighter for the pair. 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. 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.

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. 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 Inside, the heel area has plenty of soft yet supportive padding, and heel hold is boosted by silicon gripper dots. The arch support area is pretty flat. 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. If you’ve a keen eye and enjoy watching World Cup downhill racing, you may well have spotted Luca Shaw (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and Bernard Kerr (Pivot Factory Racing) sporting these shoes with a question mark emblazoned on the heel.

Match Box

However, the interaction between the Mallet Trail pedals and ‘proper’ XC shoes is a touch better, with an easier entry feel. The Crank Brothers Mallet Trail pedal takes the successful and well-proven recipe of the Mallet E and Mallet DH, and shrinks it down to an impressively svelte pedal that boasts a class-leading weight. 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 upper is almost identical to that of the Mallet and comes with all the same features, but doesn’t get the extended ‘Race Zone’ cleat slots. While the outsole uses the same MC1 rubber, both the toe and heel treads are deeper for improved traction off the bike. With a larger platform, the smaller of Nukeproof’s Horizon pedals still offers more support to flexier shoes than the Mallet Trails.