Crankbrothers Mallet DH Pedals Review: An Efficient Clipless Pedal

When the Crankbrothers Mallet DH pedal was released a few years ago, it was no surprise that they were far better than the Mallet 3 it replaced. The Mallet DH pedal has now become the most popular pedal on the UCI world cup downhill circuit and is used by 7 of the top 10 downhill riders in the world. Here we are going to talk about why this pedal is so popular and also some of the common problems inherent with these Crankbrothers pedals.

Specifications

• Two piece machined aluminum body
• Inner bearing: igus LL-glide bearing
• Outer bearing: Enduro cartridge bearing
• Premium brass cleats with plastic shims included
• 8 adjustable pins per pedal face for traction against shoe
• Forged scm435 chromoly steel spindle
• 57mm Q factor
• Float: 15°/20° release angle
• Weight: 468g per pair
• MSRP: $165

Riding and Performance

Pros - Efficiency in Performance

The mallet DH uses the proven 4-sided entry eggbeater clip system and is mounted to a large concave aluminum body. The concave body shape along with the adjustable pins provide great traction and grip. I haven’t had any problems getting a good grippy feel out of the pedals regardless of which shoes they are attached to. Being able to use both the adjustable traction pins and cleat shims, it is easy to fine tune the feel of the shoe on the pedal.

The beauty behind the egg beater clip system is that it provides the ability to stomp directly into the pedal. For those racing, fumbling to get clipped into pedals after dabbing a foot in a turn can be very frustrating. Getting clipped in and out of the Mallet DH pedals without any hesitation is its best feature!

Cons - Wear and Tear

The biggest concern with these pedals is there durability. Over time, the bearings began to feel crunchy and the spindle was not spinning freely. After 6 months of hard riding, I grabbed a pedal refresh kit and some new premium brass cleats, and had the pedals feeling brand new again.

Another issue I had with the mallet DH pedals is how fast the brass cleats got worn out. When the cleats were brand new, the had a more direct locked in feel to the pedal. It didn’t seem to take long before it was time for some new cleats.

The durability of all the Crankbrothers pedals has continued to improve over the years, with improved bearings and seal configurations. We will have to do a long term test on the latest Mallet E pedals to see for ourselves.

What is the bottom line?

I really have enjoyed the performance of the Crankbrothers Mallet DH pedals when they were fresh. They are easy to get clipped in and out of and still manage to provide good grip with just about any downhill shoe. If you can manage to keep a few pairs of cleats around and a pedal refresh kit, I think the mallet DH pedals are a good choice for any mountain bike.

About Me

Max Morgan is 24 years old, and lives in Brevard, North Carolina. Max grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and started racing downhill at the age of 15. He has now been racing professionally for the last 6 years, competing in the U.S. Pro GRT series and UCI World Cup series. Find me on Instagram @mxmorgan77.