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Crankbrothers Candy 7 Review

A simple design and predictable performance, compromises aren't always bad
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Crankbrothers Candy 7 Review (Crankbrothers Candy 7)
Crankbrothers Candy 7
Credit: www.crankbrothers.com
Price:  $180 List
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Manufacturer:   Crank Brothers
By Joshua Hutchens ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Jun 22, 2017
65
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#16 of 21
  • Ease of Exit - 25% 8.0
  • Ease of Entry - 20% 6.0
  • Adjustability - 20% 5.0
  • Weight - 15% 8.0
  • Platform - 10% 3.0
  • Mud Shedding Ability - 10% 8.0

Our Verdict

A noticeable upgrade over the less expensive Candy models, the Candy 7 strikes a great balance of performance and weight savings. Lack of adjustability will deter some riders but traction pads may improve your experience with this pedal. Their simple design, excellent mud clearance and below average weight will be just the right combo for other riders. Read on to see if the new Candy 7is a good fit for you.
REASONS TO BUY
Simple
Great mud clearance
Lightweight
REASONS TO AVOID
Not much platform
Non-adjustable

Compare to Similar Products

 
crankbrothers candy 7
Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Mountain Bike Pedal
Top Pick Award
Another Great Trail Riding Pedal
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck
Top Pick Award
Best for Enduro and Downhill Riding
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Overall Score Sort Icon
65
87
81
75
75
Star Rating
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Bottom Line A simple mini platform pedal, it doesn't have much platform or adjustability but it's good all aroundStable platform, highly adjustable and available in a multitude of colorsShimano's latest enduro approved pedal grows up a bit and the refreshes are mostly welcomeA solid choice for those wanting next generation stability at an entry-level price pointSolid, stable and heavy, we found the control they offer top-notch
Rating Categories Crankbrothers Candy 7 HT Components T2 Shimano PD-M8120 XT... Shimano ME700 Shimano Saint SPD M820
Ease of Exit (25%)
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
Ease of Entry (20%)
6.0
9.0
9.0
8.0
8.0
Adjustability (20%)
5.0
10.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
Weight (15%)
8.0
8.0
7.0
5.0
3.0
Platform (10%)
3.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
10.0
Mud Shedding Ability (10%)
8.0
9.0
8.0
7.0
8.0
Specs Crankbrothers Candy 7 HT Components T2 Shimano PD-M8120 XT... Shimano ME700 Shimano Saint SPD M820
Weight per Pair (grams) 320g 380g 430g 482g 550g
Weight of Cleats and Bolts (grams) 33g 62g 51g 50g 50g
Cleat Type Crank Brothers brass HT X1 cleats SPD mountain SPD mountain SPD mountain
Style mini-cage mini-cage mini-cage mini-cage mini-cage
Platform Dimensions (lxw) 75 x 68mm 83.5 x 68mm 100 x 71mm 100 x 74mm 100 x 79mm
profile height 21mm 17mm 18mm 19mm 19mm
Q-Factor 52mm 56mm 55mm 55mm 57mm
Total Width from Crank Arm 88mm 90mm 92mm 93mm 95mm
Entry 2-sided 2-sided 2-sided 2-sided 2-sided
Adjustable Tension no yes yes yes yes
Traction Pins 0 4/side 0 0 4/side
Bearings Igus LL glide bearing / Enduro cartridge bearing Stainless Steel sealed cartridge bearings dual angular contact, metal retainer dual angular contact, plastic retainer dual angular contact, metal retainer
Cage Material 6061 Aluminum extruded/CNC machined aluminum anodized and machined aluminum painted aluminum forged and machined aluminum
Pedal Wrench Type 8mm allen 8mm allen 8mm allen 6mm allen or 15mm open end 8mm allen

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Crankbrothers Candy pedals are their mid-size, small platform pedals, offered in five different models. The Candy 7 that we put through the wringer is the lowest-priced model you can get featuring their new traction pads. Crankbrothers describes them as lightweight yet durable and dependable. Most performance-oriented mountain bike products strive to strike this balance, and the Candy 7 succeeds. Let's look at the rest of the story.

Performance Comparison


crankbrothers candy 7 - the candy's open body and chamfered edges provide just enough...
The Candy's open body and chamfered edges provide just enough platform.
Credit: joshua hutchens

Ease of Entry


The mini platform of the Candy makes them much easier to access than the standard Eggbeater. Although the mechanism features four-sided engagement, the mini platform makes it essentially a two-sided pedal. Similar to our thoughts on the Crankbrothers Mallet E, the engagement mechanism isn't always in the proper orientation inside the pedal which can complicate entry. The feeling of engagement is typical of Crankbrothers and not incredibly consistent, sometimes you hear a snap while other times, it's a vague click. You get used to it after spending some time on them and doesn't tend to be an issue for most of our testers, just our observation. The Shimano XT M8120 by contrast, gives a decisive engagement sound, a reaffirming audible 'click'.

Ease of Exit


The Candy is quite easy to get out of. Without any traction pins to get hung up on, a simple heel twist and you're free of the pedal. The sound and feel of release are also a bit vague, but release comes at the angle dictated by the cleat installation, 15 or 20 degrees. When twisting out, you're not sure if you're pushing against the spring tension or just encountering friction from the traction pad. You can swap out the traction pads with different thicknesses, resulting in more or less friction between the shoe and pedal. Getting the right fit helps to distinguish between the forces holding you in. We felt the Candy 7 release was far superior and more reliable than the Time ATAC XC 8. While they both had a faint feel, the Candy released with the same level of effort on each attempt.

crankbrothers candy 7 - unclipping from the candy 7.
Unclipping from the Candy 7.
Credit: joshua hutchens

Adjustability


Other than cleat placement and traction pad thickness mentioned above, the Candy 7 offers no adjustability. It's a limiting factor on the Crankbrothers pedals but if you're of average skill and weight, the mechanism seems to do a pretty good job keeping you secure and releasing when you needed. The traction pads provided with the pedals are either 1mm or 2mm thick and swapping them out changes the level of contact with the shoe's sole.

By increasing or decreasing this interface, it gives more or less friction to your heel float. Crankbrothers also offers a 0-degree float cleat that enhances pedal efficiency. The inability to adjust the release tension is a product of the simple design; we like the design, but the pedal loses points to every non-Crankbrothers pedal in the test for its 'one size fits all' tension.

Weight


At 320 grams, the Candy 7 is a lightweight pedal. This is the upside of having no adjustability, you're not weighed down by the extra hardware. The XTR M9120 pedal featuring adjustable release tension came in 52 grams heavier on our scales and the steel Shimano SPD cleats add 17 grams over the Crankbrothers brass cleats.

crankbrothers candy 7 - even after a good scrubbing, they're holding an extra gram of dirt.
Even after a good scrubbing, they're holding an extra gram of dirt.
Credit: joshua hutchens

Platform


In many ways, the size of the platform on the Candy 7 is nice. It achieves the objective of aligning the pedal with the cleat and the surface of the traction pads to provide a reasonable pedaling platform. The platform stops the pedal from rolling underfoot but as with the Mallet E, hides 2 of the entry points. Analyzing pedal-to-shoe fit, the Candy 7 and Mallet E have almost identical amounts of contact on our cross-country test shoes. Using the softer rubber-soled Five Ten shoes, our interface was greatly increased with the Mallet E. We rated the platform much better on the Mallet E because of this. It's important to pick the right shoes to utilize the size and function of your pedals.

crankbrothers candy 7 - measuring the platform length on the candy 7.
Measuring the platform length on the Candy 7.
Credit: joshua hutchens

We find the Candy 7 to be the sweet spot of the Candy pedal's price point. At $169 you get the traction pads that the 3 less expensive models lack and you're not dropping $450 for the titanium-clad Candy 11. Crankbrothers pedals haven't exactly been known for their durability but starting in 2016 all models have been upgraded to new Igus LL Glide Bearings, Enduro cartridge bearings, a double lip internal seal, and a new external seal. Keeping the muck out should prolong the life of these pedals or at least the stints between servicing.

Conclusion


The Candy 7 is a noticeable upgrade over previous iterations of Candy pedals. If you're not discouraged by their lack of adjustability we think they provide a nice compromise of light weight, ease of entry and mud-shedding ability. We'd recommend these pedals for a wide range of bikes, light enough to thread into a racing hardtail yet stable enough to grace our 5" trail bikes. We find the pedal caters better to those using stiffer soled all mountain and cross country shoes.

Recommended Pairing


This pedal can be worn with either a stiff-soled cross-country shoe or a slightly softer trail-riding shoe. The small platform does provide some lateral support, so that increases the options.

Joshua Hutchens