[Bikael Molton]

I bought their first multi-tool and the torx stripped out the 1st time I used it. I complained to them, and they mailed me 2 replacement torx, as they were clearly single-use, disposables.

Never again!

Also, I remember in the '06-'08 era when eggbeaters were all the rage... the local NYC roxy trails were LITTERED with bits of beaters smashed into the dirt. I hope CB has contributed to Greenpeace to remedy all their broken parts all over the environment.

 

[norbar]

I've been using time pedals since about 1997. I've broken some of the big dh ones on rock hits that bend cranks but it was just the platform corner and the pedal still functions perfectly. I've bent some spindles in the same kinds of hits but that's a 12 dollar replacement and even if you don't do that, they still work. I've still got a plastic "little bike" pair I've been riding for 10 years, which is about the time Crank Brothers was born. That's in east coast rox, southeast dookie clay, and then west coast desert solar death rays. What disintegrates exactly?

The plastic ones were awesome and I also still have time atacs from early 2000s or late 90s. The cage on the old dh model did fall appart quite easily. Not only under me but under quite a few of my friends when we were racing. Every other time pedal I have tried has been super good

 

[kidwoo]

The plastic ones were awesome and I also still have time atacs from early 2000s or late 90s. The cage on the old dh model did fall appart quite easily. Not only under me but under quite a few of my friends when we were racing. Every other time pedal I have tried has been super good

"cage"

The forged aluminum platform or the spring bars? I've never had anything just 'fall apart'. And the things I've broken on the pedals correlate pretty 1:1 with the number of pedal inserts I've had to put in cranks from ripping them out I hit them so hard.

 

[norbar]

"cage"

The forged aluminum platform or the spring bars? I've never had anything just 'fall apart'. And the things I've broken on the pedals correlate pretty 1:1 with the number of pedal inserts I've had to put in cranks from ripping them out I hit them so hard.

Sorry I went full retard and translated 1:1 the polish term. Yes the platform. The spring bars were ok. They were all on hits that is true. It wasn't that they desintegrated on their own. They just had a severe case of rock allergy.

 

[rideit]

I bought their first multi-tool and the torx stripped out the 1st time I used it. I complained to them, and they mailed me 2 replacement torx, as they were clearly single-use, disposables.

Never again!
.

Funny, I never actually used one. I always swore by the Topeak Alien tool.

 

[jonKranked]

what's most interesting about this is that after all these years, crank bros threads still turn into multiple page threads.

 

[Serial Midget]

Funny, I never actually used one. I always swore by the Topeak Alien tool.

I have 3 generations of the Alien and agree, best multitool ever.

In the day I bought a set of Crank Bros egg beaters and used them for a couple of rides, didn't like them and went back to Shimano 959s. I can't speak for the quality as I didn't use them for more than a week. I also bought a Crank Bros hi/lo volume tire pump for a fair bit of scratch and found it performed poorly compared to my Topeak road morph that I still use today. I still have the Crank Bros in good condition but mostly because it doesn't get used.

My two experiences with the brand were over 10 years ago and can be summed up as high priced average performance.

 

[djjohnr]

My Mallets weren't bad...for the first week of riding; then the cleats wore out and they became as predictable as James Brown with a pile of columbian marching powder.

The only strategic reason I can see for buying that company and keeping the name is for the distribution in place.

 

[Jm_]

what's most interesting about this is that after all these years, crank bros threads still turn into multiple page threads.

They really reached out and touched us all, with their XC pedals, DH pedals, headsets, tools, wheelsets, cranks, mini-pumps, etc...

An by "touched", I mean in the uncomfortable way.

 

[Kanye West]

They really reached out and touched us all, with their XC pedals, DH pedals, headsets, tools, wheelsets, cranks, mini-pumps, etc...

An by "touched", I mean in the uncomfortable way.

 

[kidwoo]

Other than a multi tool, I've never bought/owned a single crankbrothers product.

What's wrong with you people? On the inside I mean......

 

[norbar]

My Mallets weren't bad...for the first week of riding; then the cleats wore out and they became as predictable as James Brown with a pile of columbian marching powder.

The only strategic reason I can see for buying that company and keeping the name is for the distribution in place.

Didn't cleats from some other company fit them or was that time?

@kidwoo I'm just a masochist. Outside an Ellsworth I also owned 1gen dhx air, atomlab clipless pedals (this is the worst bike product of all time), sunline reducer headset (the one that came loose all the time) and a first gen 2010 boxxer. Though I stopped buying CB after one headset.

 

[slimshady]

My Mallets weren't bad...for the first week of riding; then the cleats wore out and they became as predictable as James Brown with a pile of columbian marching powder.

For the price of those darn cleats, they should warn you about not using the shoes for walking at all and bring a pair of complimentary flip-flops for when you have to leave the bike.

 

[Sandwich]

The CB dropper post was the single reason I didn't purchase a DB Mason in 2015. Didn't want to gamble with the kroniclog.

 

[StiHacka]

The CB dropper post was the single reason I didn't purchase a DB Mason in 2015. Didn't want to gamble with the kroniclog.

Probably still more reliable than the RF Turbine / Easton Haven dropper. Is RF the new CB?

 

[Sandwich]

when you put profit over quality, sure. In CB's case, it was design over quality. Beautiful parts. Bad designs.

I like RF, but the merger with Easton has me concerned. They're getting real big. Satisfying all those OEM orders might cut into actual engineering time.

 

[Westy]

when you put profit over quality, sure. In CB's case, it was design over quality. Beautiful parts. Bad designs.

I like RF, but the merger with Easton has me concerned. They're getting real big. Satisfying all those OEM orders might cut into actual engineering time.

In most companies engineering and production are separate entities.

 

[sbabuser]

Yes, the whole world is making it up.

Your bandwagon may be full, but that doesn't mean it represents the whole world.

I know plenty of people still running CB pedals. Maybe the desert is an easier environment for them.

I switched to XT's last year to hopefully get a longer bearing life, but have had issues with them needing lube on the springs every couple weeks, and the bearing lock nuts have come loose. They release a bit more consistently, but that's only if the springs are lubed. My cleats have noticeable slop after a season or so of use, but that's not far off of how the CB cleats wore for me. They have had an easier life than my CB's did, as XT's still suck for riding in mud or snow, so much that I run flats in the winter now, and I never used to.

 

[wiscodh]

I switched to XT's last year to hopefully get a longer bearing life, but have had issues with them needing lube on the springs every couple weeks, and the bearing lock nuts have come loose. They release a bit more consistently, but that's only if the springs are lubed. My cleats have noticeable slop after a season or so of use, but that's not far off of how the CB cleats wore for me. They have had an easier life than my CB's did, as XT's still suck for riding in mud or snow, so much that I run flats in the winter now, and I never used to.

if people want great pedals, just fucking buy times and be done with it.

 

[Jm_]

I switched to XT's last year to hopefully get a longer bearing life, but have had issues with them needing lube on the springs every couple weeks, and the bearing lock nuts have come loose. They release a bit more consistently, but that's only if the springs are lubed.

I've been running shimano pedals for a long time, first time I've heard of ANYONE lubing "the spring". What does this accomplish? Not sure what the issue with snow is, as the snow "pushes out" just fine on these newer generation shimano pedals, from my 520s to my 9000s. I have noticed in warmer conditions with new wet snow right around or above freezing that everything tends to pack with slush, but when it's cold out, they are great, been racing for multiple seasons now in the winter. Winning.

 

[Gary]

Other than a multi tool, I've never bought/owned a single crankbrothers product.

What's wrong with you people?

Never intentionally owned any CB part but a complete bike did once come with a pair of 50/50s. I mentioned to a mate that they looked so shit (stupid convex axle bulge, pointlessly bolted together cages. I think were my two initial gripes) I wouldn't even be fitting them when the bike arrived. Even after listening to me slag them off he still offered to buy them. He then spent an evening removing and PTFE taping every single pin/bolt before rebuilding them. WTF?
Some people simply can't be helped.

and No. They didn't last.

 

[sbabuser]

I've been running shimano pedals for a long time, first time I've heard of ANYONE lubing "the spring". What does this accomplish? Not sure what the issue with snow is, as the snow "pushes out" just fine on these newer generation shimano pedals, from my 520s to my 9000s.

Ask SylentK, who's run Shimano pedals since dirt was invented. He's the one who told me that lubing the springs helps when they get sticky on release (on newer xt's). And it works.

As for snow performance, Shimano pedals suck when compared to CB. But I'm happier with warm boots and flat pedals, anyway.