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Crankbrothers Double Shot 2 Review

The idea is better than the execution, this pedal lacks the performance serious riders are after
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Crankbrothers Double Shot 2 Review
Credit: crankbrothers
Price:  $100 List
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Manufacturer:   CrankBrothers
By Joshua Hutchens ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Aug 29, 2018
56
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#19 of 21
  • Ease of Exit - 25% 8.0
  • Ease of Entry - 20% 5.0
  • Adjustability - 20% 2.0
  • Weight - 15% 7.0
  • Platform - 10% 5.0
  • Mud Shedding Ability - 10% 6.0

Our Verdict

Pairing a clipless and flat pedal in one, the Crankbrothers Double Shot 2 pedal lets you choose to clip in or ride flat. The Double Shot 2 has a slightly concave and textured flat surface on one side and an egg beater clipless mechanism on the reverse, giving riders the either/or option. The pedals are stylish, attractive and thin but lack the performance that we feel is necessary to enjoy mountain biking safely. The pedal doesn't offer any adjustability, and we found the flat side of the pedal far too slippery for demanding terrain. If you're fond of the Crankbrothers feel, we could recommend the Crankbrothers Mallet E, which we found stable and confidence inspiring.
REASONS TO BUY
Dual sided
Thin
Attractive design
Inexpensive
REASONS TO AVOID
Slippery
Less mud clearance than others
Non-adjustable

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Star Rating
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Bottom Line Its a do everything pedal, but its shortcomings are just too apparentShimano'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 pointImpresses on the flat side and gets the job done on the clipless sideIf you want to travel light on a budget, this is your pick
Rating Categories Crankbrothers Doubl... Shimano PD-M8120 XT... Shimano ME700 Xpedo Ambix Shimano M520
Ease of Exit (25%)
8.0
8.0
8.0
7.0
5.0
Ease of Entry (20%)
5.0
9.0
8.0
6.0
9.0
Adjustability (20%)
2.0
8.0
8.0
7.0
8.0
Weight (15%)
7.0
7.0
5.0
8.0
8.0
Platform (10%)
5.0
8.0
8.0
6.0
3.0
Mud Shedding Ability (10%)
6.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
6.0
Specs Crankbrothers Doubl... Shimano PD-M8120 XT... Shimano ME700 Xpedo Ambix Shimano M520
Weight per Pair (grams) 406g 430g 482g 384g 374g
Weight of Cleats and Bolts (grams) 33g 51g 50g 52g 50g
Cleat Type Cranks Brothers brass SPD mountain SPD mountain XPEDO XPC SPD Mountain
Style clip/flat mini-cage mini-cage clip/flat no cage
Platform Dimensions (lxw) 94 x 78mm 100 x 71mm 100 x 74mm 102 x 84mm 42 x 61mm
profile height 21mm 18mm 19mm 19mm 22mm
Q-Factor 57mm 55mm 55mm 56 mm 55 mm
Total Width from Crank Arm 95mm 92mm 93mm 100mm 80mm
Entry 1-sided 2-sided 2-sided 1-sided 2-sided
Adjustable Tension no yes yes yes yes
Traction Pins 8 nubs 0 0 8/side 0
Bearings Igus LL glide bearing / Enduro cartridge bearing dual angular contact, metal retainer dual angular contact, plastic retainer 3 Sealed Cartridge Dual Angular Contact
Cage Material A380 aluminum anodized and machined aluminum painted aluminum Aluminum n/a
Pedal Wrench Type 8mm allen 8mm allen 6mm allen or 15mm open end 8mm allen 8mm allen

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Crankbrothers Double Shot 2 pedals are intriguing, pairing the acclaimed egg beater mechanism on one side with a rough, concave platform on the other. Could it be the best of both worlds? Sadly, no.

Out of the box the pedals are impressive, they're thin and relatively light with an industrial-like finish on the bodies. The clipless mechanism and surrounding bat wing structure look like something from a supercar. Crankbrothers is known for giving a little extra in the design department, and these pedals look pretty cool.

Performance Comparison


crankbrothers double shot 2 - an attractive and simple design, the double shot 2 features a...
An attractive and simple design, the Double Shot 2 features a concave flat pedal platform on one side and traction pins molded into the body.
Credit: joshua hutchens

Ease of Entry


The platform is sufficiently large and acts as an easy target for your shoe. We were able to clip into the Double Shot with ease most of the time but had a couple of incidences of slipping off the clipless side. Most of the pedals we tested are easier to engage and the Double Shot 2 received a low score as a result

Ease of Exit


The Double Shot 2 pedals are more competitive in this metric. The mechanism doesn't hesitate to release your shoe, and there is nothing to hang up on when releasing, creating a fast, fluid exit. It rates well in this metric as a result.


This pedal offered significantly less trouble than we experienced with the HT D1 and its complicating traction pins.

Adjustability


Swapping your cleat position to change the release angle is the only adjustment available on the Double Shot 2. The HT D1, in contrast, offers adjustable release tension, swappable cleats, and adjustable pins.

Weight


At 406g per pair, the Double Shot 2 pedals are respectably lightweight. If you were to upgrade to the Crankbrothers Double Shot 3 with traction pins for $125, you'd save 3 grams and add a little bit of security on the flat side of the pedal.

crankbrothers double shot 2 - 406 grams (plus a gram of dirt) the doubleshot 2 are respectably...
406 grams (plus a gram of dirt) the Doubleshot 2 are respectably lightweight.
Credit: joshua hutchens

Platform


The rough A380 aluminum body has a unique feel that offers a tough yet refined feel. Unfortunately, it doesn't offer a lot of stability or grip. The platform features nubs and ribs cast into the slightly concave shape. Using shoes with a Vibram sole, we found the flat, platform traction to be woefully insufficient. The cast nubs and ribs offer minimal traction against the shoe rubber and do not inspire confidence.

Switching to hard soled XC shoes had a predictably poor outcome and swapping to 5.10 stealth rubber didn't offer the life-saving grip we were hoping for. When the platform surface got wet, traction suffered even more, leaving us disappointed in the flat side of this pedal.

crankbrothers double shot 2 - the double shot 2 picking up some of that messy trail.
The Double Shot 2 picking up some of that messy trail.
Credit: joshua hutchens

Mud Shedding Ability


One accepted fact in the world of clipless pedals is that Crank Brother's egg beater mechanism works phenomenally well in mud. It's a revered design that leaves mud everywhere to go and provides very few places that debris can hang-up.

On the Double Shot 2's clipless side, Crankbrothers modified the egg beater mechanism for one-sided engagement. It this iteration it is held in place by a black X shaped insert. Clipping in is as simple as pushing down. The wings spread and the cleat engages. If there is mud in the engagement, it's forced out by the cleat. However, debris can lodge between the black X shaped insert and the engagement wing.


This platform insert is a choking point. In several of our tests, we fouled the pedal, making it inaccessible when debris clogged that very crucial spot. In their attempts at making a one-sided clipless mechanism, Crankbrothers impaired their long lauded design.

crankbrothers double shot 2 - the narrow space between wing and pedal is susceptible to blockage...
The narrow space between wing and pedal is susceptible to blockage which can prevent engagement.
Credit: joshua hutchens

Value


The Double Shot 2 is the mid-priced option in the Double Shot line up and reasonably priced compared to the competition. While we find the $90 price to be attractive, the $125 Double Shot 3 with adjustable traction pins would feels much safer.

Conclusion


While we think that there's a big potential market in dual-duty pedals, the Double Shot 2 comes up short on too many of our metrics to call it recommended gear.

Other Versions


There are two other versions of Crankbrothers Double Shot, here's how they compare. The entry-level, $59, Double Shot 1 uses a plastic resin body, which doesn't help with the already lackluster traction but saves on weight.
The Double Shot 3 at $125 offers an aluminum body with adjustable traction pins, providing some much-needed traction on the flat side. While none of the pedals address the engagement issue we experienced in the mud, we find the Double Shot 3 the only Double Shot we'd recommend for trail riding.

Joshua Hutchens