With the introduction of the Crank Brothers Eggbeater pedals a few years ago, Crank Bros, in my mind, changed the face of clipless pedals. Prior to that point, you basically had Shimano SPD’s and Time pedals with a handful of people using Speedplay Frogs. The greatest feature of the Eggbeater pedals was the 4-sided entry. This, combined with natural float made for a lightweight and versatile pedal that won converts in droves.

After two seasons on the Crank Brothers Mallet C pedals, I’m sold on the Eggbeater technology and wouldn’t consider another pedal.

At Interbike 2006, I stopped by their booth to chat with Christina Orlandella, their PR Superstar, and see what was new. The first thing that caught my eye was the all-new Acid pedal. It sits right between the Smarty and Mallet in size and target audience. Frankly, it nails the average mountain biker crowd who prefers a little extra girth for those times when you’re just hanging on while attempting to get back clipped into the cleats. I can’t even begin to count the number of times my butt has been saved by having a clipless pedal with a wide platform.

What makes the Acid special is that it does have a solid, wide platform, but not too wide. It lacks the shin-eating metal edges of the Mallet, but trades them for lightweight composite construction to shed 150-200 grams from the Mallet pedals. If I had to select one pedal from the Crank Brothers line that fits my style of riding, the Acid pedal would be it. Just wide enough and yet light enough to keep the inner weight weenie in me at bay.

Just a few highlights of the Crank Brothers Acid Pedals:

• 354 grams (Mg) or 395 grams (Al)
• 15 or 20 degree release angles
• scm435 chromoly steel spindle
• Warranty: 2 years

Look for a full review of the Acid pedals soon on www.FeedTheHabit.com.

MSRP: $220 (Mg/Carbon) or $120 (Al/Composite)
Buy Now: Search our Pricepoint Catalog for Crank Brothers Pedals

Posted in: mountain biking