Canfield Bikes Crampon Ultimate Pedal: Employee Review

Words by Adam Englander

Generally, when you refer to Canfield in the mountain bike world, bikes are the first thing that comes to mind. For me, that was definitely the case and when I had the opportunity to test out their Crampon pedals, I couldn’t say no. Canfield was nice enough to send both variants of their Crampon pedal, the Ultimate, and Mountain. Both are very similar but the Ultimate comes in a bit lighter at 342 g compared to the 398g of the Mountain version. For this section, we will be discussing the Crampon Ultimate.

Specs:

• 398 grams
• Thin 6mm front impact edges
• 106mm x 112mm wide platforms
• Polished, anodized finish
• Hybrid sealed bearings/DU bushing system
• Chromoly axle
• Replaceable dual sided pins, (allen key on both sides)
• Patented convex shape
• Price: $149.99

First Impressions:

Just look at them! If you don’t think these pedals are absolutely gorgeous then something is wrong with you. Not only that but they are extremely thin. I have tried many different pedals, but I think these might be the coolest looking. The quality is on point and they feel like they can take abuse no problem. The 6mm pins are sharp and replaceable, just be sure to keep those shins away otherwise there will be blood.  They also come in 11 different colors so you can easily color match them to your bike as I did with the purple. 

On-Trail:

As someone that generally prefers a concave pedal shape over a convex (the Crampon has a convex shape), I was a bit unsure if I would need to mess around with the pins to get the desired feel. For my first run, I decided to leave the pins exactly how they came so I could compare. They gripped great but I knew they could be even better. 

With all the pins level, there is a slight bump near the spindle that I found my foot resting on at times. By raising the outer pins of the pedal, it allowed my foot to rest above the bump and feel almost like a concave pedal which I absolutely loved. Once I made the change, the amount of grip was significantly improved. I was able to set my foot in place and feel locked in, even on the roughest of trails. Sticky, but not too sticky to the point that you can’t move your feet around on the pedal. (For reference, I wear FiveTen shoes).

Final Thoughts

After running the Canfield Crampon pedals for the past few weeks, I am sold. They look great, can take a serious beating, and provide insane levels of grip. They are a bit on the expensive side no doubt, but when you can see them and ride them, it is easy to understand why. They are like a piece of jewelry for your bike. Besides, pedals are one of the few contact points you have with the bike. Doesn’t it make sense to invest in something you love and are 100% confident in?