Crank Brothers Mallet E Pedals Review: Same Grip, Less Weight

The very popular Crank Brothers Mallet DH pedals went on a diet, and the Mallet E pedals were born. The Mallet E pedals are designed to be the ultimate pedal for enduro racing and riding. Paired with the successful eggbeater clipless system along with updated bearings and seals  from Crank Brothers, the Mallet E pedal is ready to go! Let’s see how they do on the trail.

Overview

• 4 sided-entry with Crank Brothers eggbeater clip system
• Interchangeable traction pad to optimize cleat engagement and improve shoe and pedal body interface
• 52mm q-factor
• Weight: 419g per pair
• 12% smaller and 60g lighter than Crank Brothers Mallet DH pedals
• Concave aluminum body and chromoly steel spindle
• All new internals: outboard Enduro bearing, inboard igus II glide bearing and double seal system
• Chamfered leading edge to reduce pedal strike impacts
• 6 adjustable pins per side
• Brass cleats and plastic shims included
• 5 year manufacturer's warranty
• Price: $148.50

Riding and Performance

Pros

I’ve been riding the Mallet DH pedals for a couple years now. Before the Mallet E pedals were introduced, I rode the Mallet DH pedals on all of my bikes. Now that I have had the chance to ride these Mallet E pedals, I think they will be staying on my trail bike full time and don’t see why they wouldn’t make their way to the downhill bike as well.

The Mallet E pedal has the same large concave pedal body feel that everyone loves about the Mallet DH. With the new interchangeable traction pad, cleat shims, and traction pins, you really can dial in how much the pedal grips to your shoe. All throughout this test, I rode with the Giro Chamber shoes and they felt right at home with the traction pad shims that come mounted with the pedals out of the box. The Mallet pedals have always been known for the amount of float they provide, but the Mallet E provided plenty of grip without sacrificing the ability to get unclipped easily.

The Mallet E pedals have a very similar feel to the Mallet DH pedals, but are packaged in a smaller and lighter platform.

Cons

With the Mallet E pedals, my Giro Chamber shoes felt a bit crowded against the crank arm. Sometimes when trying to clip in and out of the pedal, the toe box of the shoe would contact the crank arm, making entry into the pedal not as efficient as it could be. I found that I prefer the 57mm q-factor, standard with the Mallet DH pedals, more than the 52mm q-factor on the Mallet E. This is just a personal preference and may be different for each rider.  

New for 2017 are the Mallet E Long Spindle pedals. The long spindle model features a 57mm q-factor, 5mm longer than the regular Mallet E, and is mounted to the same Mallet E body tested here. After riding the Mallet E pedal, I think I would enjoy that additional clearance and can’t wait to get my hands on the long spindle model.

What’s the Bottom Line?

The Mallet E pedals seemed to live up to the hype. The new features on this pedal do make a difference on the trail, with the adjustable traction pad, and chamfered leading edge on the face of the pedal body. The Mallet E pedals provide almost the same grip as the Mallet DH pedals and come in a smaller and lighter package. I think the long spindle version of the Mallet E pedals will be even better and I can’t wait to give those a try. I think they are perfect fit for your trail or enduro bike!

Click here to see our previous review on the Crank Brothers Mallet DH pedals!

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.