PEdal question -= difference between candies and eggbeaters

[farrellcollie]

I have a question about the difference between crank bros candy pedals and the eggbeaters. I understand that the candies have a platform and the eggbeaters don't - but what I don't understand is what difference it makes. Can anyone help? Thank you.

[SalsaMTB]

Candies will give you a slightly larger contact area on your shoe, depending on the shoe you are using.

Here is a picture of the candy w/ road shoe


As you can see, there is no contact at all on the platform. They will do nothing for you


Here is an image of the candy with a trail shoe, has some grip, but pretty smooth


There is still a small gap between the platform and the shoe. So they will do nothing for this type of shoe


Below is a picture of the candy with a meaty mountain shoe (sorry, not the greatest)


As you can see there is contact points near the bolt and the spindle. It is only slightly more contact near the bolt of a standard C pedal, but on the spindle side you do get a decent amount of more contact. This may help distribute the pressure a little bit

If you are looking for a shoe with a platform, this isn't the way to go, go for the mallets. They give good contact on a mountain shoe and can be used with a normal shoe. Personally, the tiny amout of additional contact the Candy give, I really don't see a need for it. I think people like them because they see the small platform and perceive it as doing more than it really does.

[bcipam]

Crank Brothers make the Eggbeater Pedals which come in different styles such as Candies, Mallets etc. The original Eggbeater is a small, 4 sided pedal which frankly looks like an eggbeater or whisk (you know like to cramble eggs with), Candies (as shown above) have a small platform which surrounds the eggbeater pedal, Mallets have a very large platform (and are suited for mountain biking).

The amount of surface supposedly distributes force outward. Many people like the smallness and ease of the original Eggbeater, plus it's very light weight. Platforms add weight but you gain some stability.

[SadieKate]

2 things: the platform on the Candies give you a more stable platform if you need to ride unclipped for a section of trail and it also provides a bigger platform in general for those who prefer more support under their feet (for instance, if you don't use a stiff-soled shoe).

Someone riding XC trails might be fine with Eggbeaters and someone riding mostly downhill might want the Candies, but it really is personal preference.

[Nanci]

Sierra Trading Post has plain Eggbeaters on sale right now.

Nanci

[bcipam]

2 things: the platform on the Candies give you a more stable platform if you need to ride unclipped for a section of trail and it also provides a bigger platform in general for those who prefer more support under their feet (for instance, if you don't use a stiff-soled shoe).

Someone riding XC trails might be fine with Eggbeaters and someone riding mostly downhill might want the Candies, but it really is personal preference.

Note the Eggbeaters and Candies can be used for road as well.

[farrellcollie]

Sierra tradingpost has the eggbeaters on sale and performance has candies on sale for the same price. I am looking to put clipless on my hybrid(commute) bike. My road bike has spd on it (so I am not cool at all - but I just prefer the mtb shoes).

[SadieKate]

Do you have 2 pairs of shoes? The Crank Bros cleats and the SPD cleats are different. Maybe you knew that. Just checking . . .

[Nanci]

Second that- I HATE road shoes. I should sell my perfectly good ones...

[farrellcollie]

I have heavier soled mtb shoes with the spds. I have some flexier soled lakes that I was going to start using to commute - they were not stiff enough for my longer road biking - feet would go numb. But I figure they would work fine for commuting 8-10 miles round trip. And the sneaker-y look would go better with my regular commute clothes too.

Also - thanks for all the advice and the pictures really helped me. I still haven't decided what to use (maybe spd pedals - the "campus" ones") - but at least now I kind of know what I am thinking about.

[emily_in_nc]

Okay, I admit it, I prefer the Candies to plain Eggbeaters for the colors!

I put blue Candy SL's on my Bike Friday to match (exactly!) the blue handlebar tape (the bike is white and has red accessories/bags), and they just look cute! When I get my new (used) Titus Racer X mtb back from its tuneup at the LBS, I am going to move the blue pedals over since I'm not riding on the road right now, and they exactly match my front fork!

I have gray Candy C's on my current Novara Bonita mtb; they go nicely with the frame as well.

Candies also come in red, yellow, and pink, I think. It's a fun way to accessorize your bike as some of us like to do.

Emily

P.S. And the pedals work great too!

[DirtDiva]

How's the mud clearance on the Candies? It looks like it'd be pretty good. My SPDs (a pretty entry-level model thereof, though) aren't the greatest in that respect, so I was thinking about replacing them before next winter...

[TsPoet]

How's the mud clearance on the Candies? It looks like it'd be pretty good. My SPDs (a pretty entry-level model thereof, though) aren't the greatest in that respect, so I was thinking about replacing them before next winter...

The mud clearance on eggbeaters, regardless of which variety, is excellent. The eggbeater is a 4-sided spindle, that looks like an eggbeater. As such, mud can be pushed on through.
I have a Candy on one bike and Eggbeaters on another, like them both equally well. The Candies really aren't enough of a platform to make that much difference IMHO - I'd get straight eggbeaters, or maybe go for the Mallets if the platform is that important.
I have a friend with plantar fascia, he can't use Eggbeaters, too small a platform for him. Everyone else I know who uses them loves them.

[wavedancer]

After hearing all the rave reviews about eggbeaters, I got some on sale at EMS and tried them on my mtb. My BF bike-wrench put them and the cleats on for me, we trimmed the soles a little bit, but for the life of me I could not get them to clip in! I occasionally did, but not consistently enough to warrant changing them. I would have everything apparently lined up correctly, standing on the pedals, and they still would not clip in. No problem clipping out, once I did get clipped in.

I tried them because I was having some trouble clipping in on my Frogs, but after replacing the cleats and putting a little white lightening on the pedals, the Frogs are working fine. So it's Frogs for me!

I have kept the SPDs on my road bike and feel very comfortable with them. Chose the Frogs for the mtb for the ease of getting out of them quickly...still not quick enough at times!

Linda

[bcipam]

It's interesting you like Frogs but have trouble with Eggbeaters. The engage system is similar. With some pedals (like my Time Z Control) you "click" and slid. With Frogs and Beaters you just slid so what you do is just start pedaling and the cleat engages. If you try stomping on them hoping the cleat will "click" it won't work. Beaters are really easy to get into. Maybe your cleat was not properly adjusted (is it facing the right way?).