Crank Bros Candy Pedals. Help !

cedar404

I am trying to set up some Crank Bros Candy C Pedals on my CX bike however for the life of me I can't clip in. I am using them with Some Spz BG Pro MTB shoes and figured it would be a doddle but last night i was going slowly insane as I could not get the cleat to engage with the pedal.

I have left over 2 little metal pieces that look like the number 8, should I be using these, and if so where do they fit ? The rather pathetic instructions included with the pedals make no mention of what these are for.

I have tried using the shims that came with the pedals as well because I figured that perhaps there was a clearance issue with the shoe but these make no difference.

Any help muchly appreciated.

markmod

Are these any help with the pedal set up, seem very indepth to me?http://www.crankbrothers.com/support/product_documentation/instructions_candy.pdf

I take it you have right kind of cleats etc (sorry I have ask but you can imagine why) are they new or old beat up cleats?

is there adjustment to ease of engagement action on the pedal so it's somewhat looser ( please don't over undue any engagement action screw etc as all pedals have a nasty effect of falling apart if undone too much)

Have a good look at intructions if these are the right ones for your pedals, I'm sure the answer will be somewhere within mate. [/url]

CletePurcel

I have these on my road bike and they took quite a while to break in properly. I have one of the shims in the shoes (Shimano MT60s). Without the shim it was practically impossible to clip in.

Also have you got the cleats the right way round? The cleat with two circles needs to be on one shoe rather than the other to make clipping in and out easier (the right shoe I think).

cedar404

Hi Guys,

Cleats are brand new and are on the right way as mentioned by Clete. At work at the moment but will have another try tonight.

Those are the instructions markmod, which make no mention of what the additional metal bits are for ....

I figure there are 3 scenarios here:

1. I am being really thick
2. The cleats are just really stuborn to begin with
3. The pedals are faulty in some way

CletePurcel

It's probably stubborn cleats or cleat adjustment required. Unlikely that both pedals are faulty? I also agree that the instructions are not that great.

I have another set of Crank Bros pedals on my MTB (Mallet 1s) and I use the same shoes with both, but had a harder time getting used to/wearing in the Candys than the Mallets.

markmod

Some more info here http://www.crankbrothers.com/tech_candy.php they mention do not adjust the pedal tension and then go on further about if still to hard to clip in start cutting away your shoes??

Bikeradars own review alludes to some set up issues regards sole of certain mtb shoes see http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/pedals/product/candy-c-08-13456

Mmmm form over function... I'll stick to look's then...

cedar404

Bikeradars own review alludes to some set up issues regards sole of certain mtb shoes see http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/pedals/product/candy-c-08-13456

Thanks for that link, I reckon this might be the problem that the cleat is recessed too far in the shoe and hence won't engage, not sure I want to go down the route of trimming the sole of the shoe though ....

markmod

Send em back... You shouldn't have to cut up your shoes, if you knacker your shoes and they still don't fit I am sure you would be well p&£&ed off, I would be!

CletePurcel

I will just add that I didn't have to cut the soles of my Shimanos. I agree that I would send them back rather than do that.

cedar404

These look like the 2 bits I have left over, should I be using these ??

hoopyfrood

The bits you have left over should be as in this image:


I didn't have to trim my Shimano shoes to clip, but did have to grind some of the rubber away to get some float

cedar404

Cheers Hoopy, so the bit in my picture sits between the cleat and the screws - it would be nice if the Crank Bros instructions bothered to mention this.

If I can't clip in when I try again tonight I guess its case of file away some of the rubber on the shoe or look for some different pedals.

CletePurcel

Ironically I had a problem with my Candys today. A screw fell out of the shoe on the road about 4 miles from home and I couldn't disengage the pedal. Had to turn back.
:oops:

Maybe Crank Bros are not so good after all. Or maybe I should check how tight the cleatrs are before setting off. The cleats looked pretty worn out so I replaced them. I noticed at this point that the screws that came with the Mallets which is what I was using were actually shorter than the ones supplied with the Candys. So I havfe replaced the cleats with the longer screws.

rdt

cedar404 wrote:

Bikeradars own review alludes to some set up issues regards sole of certain mtb shoes see http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/pedals/product/candy-c-08-13456

Thanks for that link, I reckon this might be the problem that the cleat is recessed too far in the shoe and hence won't engage, not sure I want to go down the route of trimming the sole of the shoe though ....

The Crank Brothers cleat retention mechanism is fairly bomb proof, so I think it's highly unlikely to be fault in the pedal - possible but really not likely.

If you've not used egg-beater type pedals before, then there's an outside chance that it's just user error. But they're pretty straightforward to clip into, so not that likely.

And it my experience, Crank Brothers pedals don't need much (any) wearing in for the cleats to engage nicely.

Tread interference (cleat recessed too greatly) is the most likely culprit.

I've just fitted some Candy SL pedals, used with some Mavic shoes. The SLs came with two sets of shims. Without any shims, clip-in was possible, but the cleats didn't click nicely home. Clipping the shoe in without wearing it let me see that the tread was being compressed on the pedal wings. Using the slimmer set of shims, the problem is fixed. For thicker treaded shoes, the thicker shims would be needed. Worst case, you could double up the shims.

Can you see that the shoe tread is stopping the cleat from getting close enough to engage? If you look closely, it should be evident if that is causing the problem

If so, then do you Candies have just have the one set of shims? Can you get some more, or fashion something?

soveda

cedar404 wrote:

I am trying to set up some Crank Bros Candy C Pedals on my CX bike however for the life of me I can't clip in. I am using them with Some Spz BG Pro MTB shoes and figured it would be a doddle but last night i was going slowly insane as I could not get the cleat to engage with the pedal.

I have left over 2 little metal pieces that look like the number 8, should I be using these, and if so where do they fit ? The rather pathetic instructions included with the pedals make no mention of what these are for.

I have tried using the shims that came with the pedals as well because I figured that perhaps there was a clearance issue with the shoe but these make no difference.

Any help muchly appreciated.

I used the same pedal/shoe combination for several years, you need to add the small plastic shim under the cleat (should have come with the pedals) that makes the cleat slightly further from the sole, that extra clearance means that you don't need to cut up your shoes and the cleats are still recessed enough to walk/run in.

Have a look here:

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

They are the black bits in this photo:
http://www.torpedo7.com.au/torpedo7/images/products/CRPDMN8EC_zoom_1.jpg[/i]

rdt

I'm getting my various shims mixed up....

The two sets I mentioned were brass and came with the Mavic shoes. The pedals had a single black set as per soveda's post. If these aren't giving you enough cleat recess, you could easily fashion something to give you extra. The important thing is to take a look at the tread/shoe interface when you're trying to clip it in. Should be evident if it's the tread that's interfering.

cedar404

Tried in vain for 5 mins tonight to clip in as per the various techniques listed by Crank Bros but nothing is happening (this is with the shims).

There does not appear to be any interference from the shoe.

I am tempted to order some Shimano M520 pedals and see what happens with them.

I don't consider myself to be an idiot but I just can't get the Candy pedals and shoes to engage

Thanks for all the help.

rdt

cedar, you should be able to clip in a shoe using your hands...

Hook the front of the cleat under the front retainer of the pedal's "spring" mechanism. Make sure the pedal is at the bottom of the stroke and very firmly press the shoe simultaneously down and forward (hand inside the shoe), so that the rear of the cleat pops under the pedal spring's rear retainer - needs some force.

If no joy, then by rotating the shoe so you can see underneath it, you may be able to tell what's up. :?:

Or maybe it's all hosed!

cedar404

Success !

Tried again using the technique I remember seeing a friend who mtb's uses with his pedals - that is to stomp down on the pedal and hey presto I was clipped in.

I am a bit shocked though at the amount of force needed to clip in, I originally tried some road shoes and pedals but decided that having a dual entry pedal system to start with might be safer as well as giving me the option of walking if heaven forbid I am miles from home with some mechanical nightmare.

With the road pedal it was simply a case of push down gently with the foot and the cleat would engage, am I now resigned to a lifetime of slamming my foot down with the candy pedals or will it loosen up in time ?

soveda

It loosens up as the cleats wear down slightly.
Bear in mind that with your shoes and pedals it's easy to ride for a while not clipped in if you need a quick get away!

A little bit of advice with crank bros pedals, keep your receipt for ages (warranty claims) and grease the pedal spindle using the adapter that screws to the end of the pedal when the pedal spins too freely, this helps keep the bearings in decent nick. You should then get 3000 miles or so out of them before they need a rebuild (and they will need a rebuild).
They are fab in the mud though.

rdt

Good news.

cedar404 wrote:

I am a bit shocked though at the amount of force needed to clip in,

Maybe I've just got used to the feel after a few years?

Flipside is that you'll never need to check that the pedal's the right way before clipping in, so can zip away from lights without fuss, you'll never unclip unintentionally, but you should still be able to yank them out in a mad panic if you've forgotten to unclip when stopping and are tetering over in a 'clipless-moment'!