Crank Brothers Candy Pedals

I have been having a rough time disengaging my cleat on my Candy pedals. I read online that you can choose the float by putting the cleat with the dots on one side, anyone know if this is true? I can't find my box and don't want to move them if it is pointless.

I have the dots on the right side but can't get out of the left. I think the left requires more of an angle to get out but maybe I just can't unclip after using super loose road pedals? I don't want to change pedals since I have Smarties on my commuter but I may have to since I crashed once by not unclipping and have hugged a tree once or twice for the same issue. :o

Have you looked at the Crank Bros website?


http://www.crankbrothers.com/tech_candy.php

OK, I have eggbeaters and not candies, but you CAN change the release tension by changing the cleat installation.

Lucky for you, my manual was only shallowly buried in the hall closet, under a few spare seatposts :eek:.

"Cleat Installation & Adjustment"
Egg Beater cleats are compatible with all standard SPD shoes and do not have a front and back but there is a left and a right cleat that changes the release angle.

<editorial comment: grammar police don't read this manual>.

Cleat with the two circles on your right shoe means earlier release angle on both feet.

Cleat with the two circles on your left shoe means later release angle on both feet.

There is a diagram suggesting that the former setup will result in a 15 deg release angle, while the latter will result in a 20 deg release angle. Looks like the float is 6 degrees either way though.

I have my eggbeater cleats set up the easy-release way, and they are MUCH, MUCH looser than my road pedals (Ultegra SPD-SL), which are set to the loosest setting. I've actually considered reversing the cleats on my eggbeaters because the release is so easy I sometimes worry that I'll come out when I stand to accelerate out of a light.

This might be interesting to you as well, if your pedals are new (also from the manual):

"With conventional pedals, if the spring tension is set low, then it's easy to unclip but also easy to accidentally pull out of the pedal. If the spring tension is set high, than you won't accidentally pull out of the pedal but it's also very hard to clip in or out.

"The unique patented Eggbeater desing eliminates the need for spring tension adjustment. Retention is not dependant on spring tension. Clipping in and out will become easier after the cleats break in."

I would say this is true, actually. It does get easier. It's not dramatic, it goes from being a very crisp motion to being, er, a somewhat flaccid motion, but it does get "looser" feeling.

Thank you Liza! I hav mine as the easy set up. I have 200+ miles of commuting on them and about 70 miles mountain biking, I fear they may be as easy as they will get. :( My husband said his Time Attacs were easier than his Smarty pedals so I might just have to give in to change. Drat. That is two pairs of pedals though. Drat drat!

I am going to give them a few more rides and hope it is the newness of mountain biking over the pedals. I really like my yellow pedals but like my husband said "Do you like those weird greenish yellow bruises you got from crashing last weekend?" :o

When I first got my candies I would clip in and out, over and over, at red lights. First one side, than the other. It helps to wear the cleats down a bit to make it easier. While you have a lot of miles in them, have you clipped in and out a lot on the left side? If you use the right more often, you may still need to break in the left side.

I have the Candies, too, and use to have a lot of trouble clipping out. It's a bad habit, but I cannot seem to train my right foot to swing out to unclip, though my left does.

My final resort was buying two pairs of cleats:o. Now I can use the "easy" cleats on both shoes. This works out economically if you have a riding partner who likes the later release or just doesn't notice any difference...or claims not too!

It's mildly embarrassing to admit, a little more $$, but far fewer falls or near-falls which means more confidence riding in traffic.

The clips do break in, and now that my feet and my cleats are happy, I really prefer to Candies to my Shimano SPDs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Flur

When I first got my candies I would clip in and out, over and over, at red lights. First one side, than the other. It helps to wear the cleats down a bit to make it easier. While you have a lot of miles in them, have you clipped in and out a lot on the left side? If you use the right more often, you may still need to break in the left side.

---

I always unclip on the left. :o I may just need to unclip a whole bunch more.

I have candies and Quattros and they are wonderful. They are easy to get in and out of unless they have worn out. What you might want to do is see if you need to put a shim or two under the cleat so the clearance it the right amount. I ride with Specialized Mt bike shoes and had to shim the cleats to get the gap I needed otherwise the shoe interferes with the pedal. Check Cranks web site or give them a call, they are very helpful.

You know my husband had installed shims and then the LBS said I didn't need them. Maybe I will put them back on, I also ride Specialized shoes.

Wow, you all are mind-readers. I literally just sat down to post a question about Crank Bros, and here you are, with a lovely, informative thread about them!

I'm headed to my LBS tomorrow to see if I can "test ride" a pair. I also have Specialized mtn bike shoes, so I am curious how I will fare.

The thing that attracted me to these pedals: The price! I see that someone else has recommended the Time Atac, which was my second choice. But at almost twice the price of the Crank, I'll start with the Candies. (That just means I'll get to buy more gear with the leftovers.:o)

Thanks, ladies, for being so timely and helpful!