First Look: Crankbrothers Debuts Mountain Bike Shoe Line
Crankbrothers have launched a new line of mountain bike shoes today. The line consists of two clip in models and one flat model. The Mallet and Mallet E shoes are the clip-in range while the Stamp is made for flat pedals. All of the shoes are designed for the trail, enduro, and DH crowd. The Stamp and Mallet are a skate style shoe while the Mallet E is more of an adventure shoe. While the outsoles are optimized for Crankbrothers pedals, they're designed and tested to work with any standard mountain bike pedals.
Why a shoe? Crankbrothers decided to jump into the footwear category because their team wanted to make an attempt at solving some of the more common inconsistencies in the cleat box of clipless shoes which often can cause frustrations for riders.
 | We have spent many years finding innovative ways to optimize the shoe-pedal interface focusing on the pedal system, but we were missing control over the shoe, which created interference issues with the pedals. We saw riders cutting the cleat box in order to properly engage with the pedal and lengthening the cleat track to allow for more cleat placement options. We’ve been working obsessively in the space of less than 1 mm to develop the right cleat depth to improve clipping in and out. We constantly look for opportunities to challenge the status quo and improve the riding experience. |
Design & Construction
The design process for Crankbrothers' new shoe line took about three years and riders such as Fabio Wibmer and Luca Shaw have been using the shoes for some time now and giving the engineering team feedback in the process. Testing involved going through several iterations of the shoe, and experimenting with various proprietary rubber compounds, especially on the flat shoe to get what they feel is the best compound.
Crankbrothers worked to pay extra special attention to not only the rubber compound but also the fit, along with the toe ramp and outsole flexibility. The Stamp flat shoe has a high friction rubber compound or MC2, to stick to the pedal body with low rebound properties which are intended to damp vibrations. The lug depth is designed around pin dimensions to absorb the pin body. All shoes have tread on the toe and heel to aid in traction when off the bike.
The Mallet and Mallet E shoes have what Crankbrothers calls a "mid-friction" compound or MC1, that allows for an easier pedal entry and exit. The MC1 compound is also stiffer and gives more power transfer to the pedals.
The clipless shoes are designed to work with any MTB clip-in system, Crankbrothers or SPD. The Mallet and Mallet E shoes come with a "Match" shim and Crankbrothers cleat pre-installed, out of the box, in a neutral position so it's ready to ride. Riders who use SPD cleats can remove the shim and replace the cleat to get the proper cleat height. As the outsole's rubber around the cleat box (Crankbrothers calls this the Match Box) occurs, riders can remove the shim and ride with the cleat only to maintain the correct cleat height. The Mallet shoe also has a "Race Zone" on the cleat box which allows the cleat to be positioned further toward the heel for more stability when descending.
Mallet
Mallet E
Stamp
BOA
Speedlace
Lace
The shoe's upper is synthetic and designed to be breathable and comfortable while offering some protection. The shoes are made to dry quickly in wet conditions and a reinforced TPU in the toe box provides protection against rock strikes and impacts. There are also silicone heel dots in the shoe to give more heel grip and a padded tongue.
Each shoe model is available in three different closure systems. There is a BOA and strap, speed lace and strap, and lace option. The top of the line shoes, including the Stamp flat shoe, utilize a BOA system with a micro-adjustment dial. The speed lace version offers a fast adjustment with the laces being able to tuck into the tongue, and the classic lace system utilizes round laces and also can tuck the laces into a pocket.
The shoes are priced from $129.99/€129.99 to $199.99/€199.99 and the clip-in versions include Crankbrothers cleats pre-installed. The shoes are available in US sizes 5-14 with half sizes and are now available.
First Impressions
Mike Kazimer and I have both had the Crankbrothers shoes for a few days at this point. He's been riding the Mallet BOA clip-In version and I've been on the Stamp BOA flat pedal version. A few days is not long enough to give a review but, it's enough time to get a good impression of how the shoes perform.
One thing that stands out with the shoes we've been riding is the comfort. The shoes are incredibly comfortable and feel supportive as they should. The BOA system provides a really even tension as it tightens and it's easy to use. I've experienced no issues in my foot or heel slipping.
The shoes feel reasonably stiff, more than a lot of skate style shoes, and it's apparent that the flat shoes are designed with mountain biking in mind and remind me much more of a shoe intended to be ridden in than many other skate-style flat pedal shoes.
As far as traction goes, the Stamp's outsole is extremely grippy. With the standard being Five Ten's Stealth rubber, the Crankbrothers shoes are on par. The shoes lock into the pedal pins well and I found that picking up my foot to change its position was easier than it is with some skate shoes. After a couple of rides, there are some light wear spots from pedal pins in the rubber, but it's nothing too far out of the normal at this point.
For more information, visit www.crankbrothers.com
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These CB shoes look like they just took the Shimano shoes and changed a few lines...hell I wouldn't be surprised if the same design firm that I know did the Shimano ones did these.
The shoes are going to be hot as balls since the vamp is completely covered with TPU except for those TINY holes near the base of the u-throat. And then the quarter has super minimal non tpu coverage as well. I'd avoid these if you live in a warm climate.
Do I hate BOA, let me count the ways...
The thing is, there is better solution which different versions of these shoes use: lock laces/speed laces. Also, these types of laces are backwards compatible with other laces including the ole fashion strings.
Also Tonie if you profile is correct and you're in CH that's objectively not really a good test of a shoe's warm weather aptitude. Come ride in the desert areas of America.
@bennorz I was also stubborn about bike shoes too, until I realized I was going through almost $100 a season replacing them because they don't hold up as well. I spend less on mtb shoes, they grip better, have more support, more protection and last longer.
if you enjoy the fivetens then fine, I won't complain, but pretending that they are the only mtb-usable unicorn in the world isn't right
But I guess that translates to "if you don't have my shoes you may as well wear flip flops".
Everyone in the bmx world ran skate shoes for ages and even with the added stress of "braking brakeless" one didn't have to buy new shoes couple weeks of riding. Your mileage may vary of course.
I did own and use fiveten before. They are good shoes, but the price is kinda out there and other than that they weren't that different to other shoes in regard to sole stiffness and toe box
Feel free to reach to info@crankbrothers.com if you have any more questions!
The problem with the OG Freeriders is they are a crappy shoe as far as sports shoes goes. Paper midsole (!!!). They can soak up gallons of water and then take ages to dry. There is no system to restrain the excess laces from flying around and getting into your chainring so you have to tuck them somehow which can get uncomfortable. Great sole and all, but too many downsides and doesn't really last.
And the cherry on top is the lack availability lately.
on my third pair , I have wide feet and they fit perfectly, strong supportive sole and highly wear resistant and grippy.......but....
The sloes aren’t as grippy as 510 but I don’t mind that as don’t like the locked in feel.....
The soles do wear but I have had 3 years out of my current pair and the soles are on their way out.....
Would never buy 510 again as poor arch support for me and the last pair didn’t last 1 month ,the sole wore holes right through and I got them warrantied and got my money back... never again....
Now the 2Fo are on the way out have just started using RC power lines - very light and comfortable. I’m very impressed..... and no I don’t find them narrow or uncomfortable in any way
I'm really looking for a wider skate style flat that I can use for my commute and winter/fat biking. I have some 5.10s now and I'm not that happy.
Also, I don't believe there is a large market for wide shoes. We are just a noisy minority
And this is even before we get into talking about the plan shape of the toebox (like Specialized uses are very square toebox in their cleated shoes making them feel wider). Where the max width in the plan view occurs, what's the ball girth measurement (you can make a shoe feel "wider" without changing the width looking down at your toes), etc...
There are some standards for width... but a shoe has to sell A LOT of volume before it's worth it for manufactures to shell out the cost to make the same shoe but in a wide version.
And that’s exactly why they need to comment on how the shoe fits, where it’s wide and where it’s narrow, the general shape of their foot etc. Otherwise there is no point.
If I wrote a review and said a shoe was “comfortable “ without describing the shape of my f*cked up feet, someone with different shaped feet would think I was crazy.
Speaking from working in both retail and manufacturing side of footwear most people do not actually know about their own foot morphology and how that relates to footwear fit and performance. Do you know your Brannock heel to toe, heel to metatarsal, and forefoot width (heel width is important but not a brannock measurable item), BOTH in weighted and unweighted measurements? And those are just a 2D component of fit. Do you know your forefoot volume, arch height AND arch weighted stability, and instep volume? These are all things a consumer needs to truly know about their foot before we even start to talk about how that plays into performance and fit. I've had plenty of people go "I have a wide foot!" then a very narrow shoe fits them perfectly... Or on the other side the idea that you need to have a really wide shoe so that your foot can splay isn't a black and white thing. Too wide of a shoe and your foot is going to do more work and can end up injuring you. The ski boot industry is one of the instances where you are starting to see more numbers getting put onto widths, but again I've seen and read tons of instances of "oh I thought this boot would be too narrow since it said it's a 98 width."
I did forget one thing on the manufacturing side. Lasts (the form the shoe is built around) are essentially proprietary information and can define a shoe company's point of difference in the marketplace. So as a business you can't really be giving away the secret recipe just so someone doesn't have to try on your shoe.
Maybe they should say “I’ve got a wide forefoot and a narrow heel compared to most and they fit me great” or “my feet are super narrow and they fit great” instead of just saying “they are comfortable “???
I also hear what you're saying about too wide of a show that allows your foot to splay, my friend had her podiatrist tell her that her Dr. Martens were causing her foot pain since her narrow foot was splaying too much.
About two years ago I discovered MukLuk shoes, which have minimal padding but are supremely comfortable for me. Plus it's one of the few shoes that don't bother my hip which is degraded from all sorts of tramas over the years.
Vans are to narrow for me, most Nike-SB shoes, too. I ride in ION Rascal shoes. nice, wide, last over a year now, clip in....
Anyone had any experience with the Crank Bros fit?
www.vaude.com/en-INT/Women/Shoes/Bike-Shoes/32902/AM-Moab-Tech
What's the hold up Vaude? Freeride is alive and well in BC, let's goooo!
Yet more plastic landfill shoes.
They make great tools, nice pedals with good float, and I’ve been running their highline dropper post on 2 bikes for 3+ years.
Shoes: They had my size in stock (in a great color) so I’m going to give these a try.
///
My one gripe @crankbrothers > your dropper remote breaks cables after about 6 months where the cable enters the lever.
(and it seems to always happen when I’m traveling)
The force to actuate is also kinda high compared to the wolf-tooth long lever remote that I upgraded to.
The highline 7 is so good otherwise, I think it’s time to design a new lever.
At least they’re sold separately now.
A simple one line 'Crankbros has a shoe line out' and a link to their site would've netted the same info.
Also I’d like shoe companies (not just MTB companies) to start making shoes that are actually foot shaped.
I’d also like the cleats to either be further back or have a longer clear box.
W tend to use Shimano DX/AM... and deemed out the slots to move the cleats further back (as advised by Fabian Barel)
I want to buy both your Stamp Boa and Mallet Boa, but am not sure what size to get.
A few months ago I bought some Fizik Clima X2 in 44 and they fit BIG! luckily they are a cold weather riding shoe and I was able to use them with some thick wool socks.
I used the measuring chart on your site, and got a 270mm foot reading. This would translate to a Eu 42 or US mens 9.
Is this the size I should be ordering? or should I be bumping up a size?
Kinda hard to make this call when I don't think anyone in my area will be stocking them, and your sizing is off from most of the other products ive used
Sizing > I typically look at EU sizing, and the 44 I received are slightly bigger than my previous Five-Ten Kestrel Boa’s
Comfort, stiffness, and walkability are very similar to the five ten.
The shoe-pedal interface is great with new Candy 1 pedals.
The speed lace and Velcro work really well.
—
Overall quality looks really good.
Note> while they come with clips installed, they are not tightened down. Be sure to adjust and torque them to spec before riding.
www.adidas.com/us/five-ten-trail-cross-mid-pro-mountain-bike-shoes/EF3010.html
Shimano's AM9/GR9 is almost there.
Would like to see more shoes coming with the ankle cuff like the 5Ten Trailcross
I thought the first 2 were just bad batches.
3rd time's a charm though.
I've still gotta 9-10 y/o pair of Sam Hill's that if you remove the years of dirt, wear, and impact scars, they'd look new. Heck, if I could get 'em re-soled(with the same quality as the originals), I'd do it and still wear 'em
Ride Concepts came out just in time BIGthumbsup>
Between the adjustable traction pads of our Mallet pedals and the release of our new match shim, you'll be able to fine tune the engagement between pedal and shoe to fit your needs.
Feel free to reach out to info@crankbrothers.com, on Facebook, or call us at 949.464.9916 if you have any more questions!
-The Crankbrothers Team
Just kidding, I'm a Crank Brothers fan for a decade - but how did no PB commenter say this yet?
Mallet (US 9 / EU 42)
Boa - 858g
Speed Lace - 856g
Lace - 830g
Mallet E (US 9 / EU 42)
Boa - 878g
Speed Lace - 874g
Lace - 864g
Stamp (US 9 / EU 42)
Boa - 758g
Speed Lace - 766g
Lace - 752g
Cons: crank brothers fall apart and use cheap bushings.
"The clipless shoes are designed to work with any MTB clip-in system, Crankbrothers or SPD. The Mallet and Mallet E shoes come with a "Match" shim and Crankbrothers cleat pre-installed, out of the box, in a neutral position so it's ready to ride. Riders who use SPD cleats can remove the shim and replace the cleat to get the proper cleat height."
You just have to read my man
For example, the trails i ride the only time im ever off the pedals is to take a break, I dont want a sole for hiking. I dont want a sole that compromises pedal grip at all. I dont need hiking boots just because I'm outside.
bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/apparel-accessories/shimano-series-lsg-2020/SH-SD501A.html
Brands like CB are a joke; they somehow get OEM spec and some aftermarket sales despite having a lousy track record from day 1.
Not sure if things have changed, but those wheels and a few other more recent products I’ve seen from them are legit.