The Basic Beater
Written: Mar 29 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: shed mud well, light weight, less expensive that others of same quality.
Cons: very few.
The Bottom Line: Get a pair, they are the best on the market.
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| FlanderFlop's Full Review: Crank Bros Egg Beater Stainless |
In 2002 Crank Brothers redefined the world of mountain bike pedals. Until this point there had really been only two types of pedals for mountain bikers, The first type was Shimano Pedal Design (SPD) pedals which everybody and their brother bought the patent to and produced relatively cheaply. These worked okay, but clogged with mud easily and tended to be unpredictable in the release. (And yes this is still my assessment of current SPD designs) The second option you had was high end expensive type. There were a number of companies who had more innovative approaches to pedals, BeeBop, Speedplay, and Time among them. Most of these designs were superior to the SPD’s, but a little out of the average guys price range. They all had their advantages, but Time and Speedplay seemed to hold that market.
It 2002 however, the Egg Beaters showed up and are now really the definitive off road pedal. Their design is almost impossible to get clogged with mud due to its open nature, and due to its simplicity, the release tension is very predictable and consistent which is more than can be said for the SPD’s
In an emergency situation or a crash the pedal allows you to blow out, or come out of the pedal in less traditional manners when you need to. This is in contrast to some like Speedplay which will really only release your foot if you make the prescribed heel out motion. So with the Egg Beaters you are less apt to be stuck in your pedal while you are wrapped around a tree or hanging upside-down in a ditch.
The 2003 Crank Brothers line took their basic design and gave us the same great pedal but offered a wider price range as well as some neat little offshoots to the design. Now there is an Egg Beater for everybody.
There are really only two complaints I have heard about the Egg Beater. The first is that they do not provide a platform to stand on. Personally since my switch from Times, I have not noticed not having the platform as mountain bike shoes have very stiff soles nowadays. If however, you have to have a platform, I would suggest the Mallet C’s or the Candys, this way you get the same system and platforms.
The second complaint I have heard is that they can roll under your feet if you are not clipped in. Personally I have not had a problem with this, but I ride clipped in most of the time. If you tend to ride without clipping in, this may be more of an issue, and I would again suggest you get one of the models with a platform.
All and all, these are a great set of pedals, and Crank Brothers does a great job of offering their design in a number of price ranges. Their basic pair (which I am reviewing), starts around $80, and they provide a whole line which will go up to $400 depending on how much Titanium you want in your pedal. I personally have both a stainless pair and a Twin Titanium pair. The functionality is the same, but they get lighter as you move up the ranks.
So if you are in the market for a pair of pedals, this is hands down the set to get. Enjoy.
Recommended:
Yes
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