Crankbrothers Acid 1 Clipless Pedal

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I was given a pair of the Crank Brothers Acid 1 Clipless Pedals from a buddy that upgraded to a new style. After a dozen of rides on them, here are my impressions:

First Look:

Crank brothers did an excellent job at making these pedals look sweet. Nice curving lines and anodized blue pieces are a nice touch that some companies look past. The platform is a combination of metal and plastic that, so far has held together pretty well. For the most part, I feel Crank brothers spend a fair amount of time designing these before just throwing them out for a quick buck.

Function and Durability:

My friend owned them for over a year before handing them off to be and the bearings still feel fantastic. Nothing has been broken or bent yet which is also good. That being said, the 4-points-of-entry egg beater means that you can use any of the 4 surfaces to get locked in. Throwing a platform around it all makes it a little difficult to get clipped in. If it spins in just the right awkward angle can cause my foot to knock around just enough to cause me to look down when they should be looking at the trail. Having a fixed clip in surface, like Shimano’s SPD are a lot more consistent and therefore, better in my eyes.

Platform clipless pedals are typically meant for more challenging, rougher terrain. When clipping out and descending more intense sections of the trail, I noticed my foot got bounced around a bit more than I would have liked. Looking at the “pins” of the platform makes me question what Crank brothers was thinking. I would have liked to see them use some of the pins found on their mallets or just change the cast to imitate such pins for a more grip. The “pins” on these pedals offer no performance advantage and just adds weight.

Lastly, just like the rest of the Crank Brother lineup, there are no adjust for tension on clipping in and out of these pedals. Most riders can get past this and ride them just fine but if you are getting used to clipping in and out as a beginner, I would strongly recommend a pedal that offers this option.

If anything were to happen to these pedals, Crank Brother offers a 5 year warranty on them which is by far one of the best warranties in the industry. Their customer service is also very easy to get a hold of and file a warranty.

Bottom Line:

These pedals are quite good looking. Having the egg beater spin on you can cause a bit of jumbling before finally getting clipped in, the platform is lacking in grip, and there is no adjustable tension are some cons these pedals have. They are made by a good company with an excellent warranty and good customer service so if you ever have an issue with them, you should be taken care of well. If you find them on a killer good deal, they are worth looking at.