Crank Brothers Candy 7 Pedals: Customer Review

Crank Brothers has been making pedals for years now and have become many peoples go-to pedal when building up a new bike. Their Candy pedals are perfect for riders of all skill levels and make learning the basics of clipping in and out easy. In this review, our customer Jason purchases a pair of red Candy 7s. Check it out!

Overview

I decided to make the switch from flats to clipless for no better reason than that I was sick of banging my shins on metal pegs every time I was at a stop sign. I had originally put some mountain pedals on my gravel/road bike since my only cycling shoes were my Five Ten Freeriders. I didn’t think the investment for clipless pedals and accompanying shoes were worth it; then I really scratched my leg up and decided I could at least try it.

Of the 3 major clipless types I looked at (SPD, CB, and ATAC), Crank Brothers appealed to me the most because of the ease of entry and release. I did not want to solve the issue with barking my shins only to fall over at the same stop sign because I couldn’t get my feet free fast enough. I chose the Candy 7s because of the integrated traction pads, and the fact that the red color perfectly complements my bike. The Candy 3s probably would have been fine, but I felt extra $20-30 was worth it for the 7s.

Performance

The performance for the last couple of months has been great. Mostly road riding, but the pedals are easy to get in and out of, and I haven’t experienced any issues. One of the most common complaints I’ve found online was due to the longevity of the pedals; they often failed quickly after heavy use. These issues were apparently addressed in 2016, and Crank Brothers changed the bearing type.

The Pros

The Candy’s are light, easy to use, and have just enough of a platform that I don’t worry about my feet slipping off if I can’t get clipped in quickly enough (also some ribbed traction on the wings). The included cleats can be flipped around to change the entry/exit angle (15 to 20 degrees), and the shims can help adjust the cleat height. With the traction pads, you can really dial in the fit. I was able to get perfect contact with my Pearl Izumi Summits.

The Cons

The only con I’ve found is another common complaint. There’s no discernable “click” when you’re locked in. I’m never sure I’m clipped in until I try to move my foot. Not a deal-breaker, but some kind of feeling that I’m in the pedal would be nice.

Final Thoughts

The pedal is great for my uses, which are mainly road and some gravel. I can’t speak to the longevity of the pedal yet, but I don’t see them failing anytime soon for me. At around $150, these are not really an intro pedal. The nice thing about the current CB line is that you don’t give up many features by going with the Candy 2s ($100) or Candy 3s ($135). But I love the 7s for the nice extras and color scheme.