R.I.P. Crank Bros Candy 3. 18/04/2016 – 02/06/2016

Today whilst out riding they seem to have imploded. the left one got sticky, then clicked a bit and then locked up and un-threaded as i rode along (obviously as far away from home as possible).

Thats SIX WEEKS from brand new to broke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was a nice evening for limp mode home.

Now, Times – i hear the XC8 have play in them as you pull up – is this true?

good to see their “tested by animals” marketing hasn’t cascaded to their design or manufacturing depts…

handy rebuild guide for CB pedals here

Not fit for purpose. Got the small claims route if you have to.

handy rebuild guide for CB pedals here

I like! Would like to see Time included as well, but I like!

Re the XC8s, mine are faultless, as expected. No issues on upstroke that I’ve noticed. Occasional squeaking with my S-Works shoes, which I can’t quite trace, but it’s only very rare and not that annoying.

“handy rebuild guide for CB pedals here”

Lol! That guide should be issued with every pair of Crank Bros pedals. 😆

EDIT: Just worked out that I have a pair of Shimano SPD 515s from about 2003. Could even be earlier. Never serviced yet feel fine. Even better, I think they were the same pair a friend gave me (they came with a new bike he’d bought and he used Times), so I didn’t even pay for them. Win! 😀

Quite clearly you hadn’t undertook the daily servicing that is required. Love the pedals when they work, just got fed up with broken pedals, because I clearly didn’t rebuild them weekly.

Warranty and or ask for a refund?

why do people keep buying their crap?

why do people keep buying their crap?

Pretty boxes….look at the pretty boxes….in pretty colours.

6 whole weeks! Sounds like the promises of improved reliability actually have been delivered after all.

(I love my crank bros bars though, they have exactly the right amount of moving parts for a crank bros product)

I don’t understand how people have all these issues.

oohhh, pretty..

wait….stop…I see what you did there.

Because, despite the lazy meme, lots of folk get on really well with them. I run Candys on all my bikes. I reckon the oldest set have done over 10,000km and have been serviced once.

Not fit for purpose. Got the small claims route if you have to.

Someone should really start an online petition as well. Maybe get a hashtag trending.

Because, despite the lazy meme, lots of folk just me get on really well with them

fixed it, etc etc, no need to thank me.

It’s a mystery why anyne still buys these pedals when Times are available.

I really like the Candy’s, feel good and really light – trouble is I went through 3 pairs in a year…

Went back to 540’s, got a pair on each bike, been on 4 years now of twice-weekly riding…

Conversation overhead in bike shop 5 years ago, “crank bros? As long as it’s got no moving parts you’re OK”

Nothing changes…

I got some SPD’s (emphasis on the S) on my 16 birthday. They still work. I was 33 this year.

I really like my cb pedals. They have been no more unreliable than any other pedal I’ve owned flat or clip. I’ve broken most types at one stage…

#oldguysneedfloat

Who are the crank brothers anyway, are they actual peopl?

Which version were they?
I swapped from Shimano to CB last CX season for improved mud shedding as I was fed up of not being able to clip in when it got sticky during races.
I’ve got them on two bikes, one did 18 races, the other 14 & both are still buttery smooth despite jet washing after every race & 3/4 times during each race for the second half of the season.

Shimano must have a poor idea of business strategy compared to Crank Bros. I have two pairs of DX646 spd pedal that, quite frankly, I’m bored of. They’re 17 years old and have not needed more that 1 service since I’ve had them.

They’re a bit grumbly but still spinning freely. Boring. Boring. I wish I had some of those new spangly ‘short shelf life’ pedals. I love bike parts that are engineered to look great.

I think I’ve said this before. One of the first upgrades I did on my 1998 M2 was a pair of SPD 959s (after a review by Shaun in ST). Seemed super expensive. That must have been – 2001? They’re still on the bike, still running, after years of abuse. No service.

CB Candy 1 on my CX bike. 8 years old, never serviced, 6-7000 miles.

Today was the first time they’ve felt a bit sticky. They are interfering with clipping in with my new shoes.

I’ve no issues with confidence with CB pedals. I think I’ll go and order some Eggbeaters.

😉

Which version were they?

The 3 with a MRRP of £100!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’ve always liked the Crank Bros feel of their pedals, the float and the soft engagement, i din’t like Shimanos mechanical feel and click in/out.

I got given the Ti axle Candys years ago, they never failed, but did get loose, so i’d rebuild them until the next time. Over the years i realized i could pick up the pedals brand new from eBay for less than the price of a rebuild kit, and thus i accumulated a collection of Candys (& Look) in varying stages of wear and brokenness (eggbeaters missing from pic).

[/url]2016-06-02_09-50-13 by martinddd[/url], on Flickr[/img]

I recently tried to move away from the Candys and tried out some Look S-Track, but they needed shimming which in turn my knees didn’t like (#oldguysneedfloat), so i took another punt on the “improved” Candy 3 – but after 6 weeks of use, no more, thats truly pants & unreliable.

I’m thinking Time XC8.

Egg beater Sl’s getting on for 7 years old, never serviced – absolutely fine.
Egg beater 11 ti’s got to be at least 4 years old, serviced twice – absolutely fine.
Just thought I’d mention it..

“why do people keep buying their crap”

Lol

I buy their crap because they are light, have a good amount of float,I find them easy to clip into and they shed mud really well. Oh and they are low maintenance!

Oh and they are low maintenance!

That certainly applies to the OP’s pair. Absolutely none required and straight back for a refund.

Eggbeater SLs were on all my MTB bikes for around 8 years. 4 sets, never serviced, never broken.

On the other side of that, I’ve have a set of Acids, a set of Mallets and a set of Cadys that all died within a season.

I now have 8 sets of Time pedals 🙂

I’m a sucker for Candys.
My current set are 3s, are 2.5 years old and do 100 miles of road commuting a week. They have just been serviced for the second time as the inboard roller bearing disintegrated without warning! Same problem as last time…
It shouldn’t happen but I don’t care because they’re fab.

#wankbros

“That certainly applies to the OP’s pair. Absolutely none required and straight back for a refund.”

Very witty!

Return under warranty, that’s what it’s for.
Candy 3’s here 2 years + no issues.

I’ve had Candys and Eggbeaters for around 10 years and have had few problems with them. My look keo classic pedals on the road bike went before my original Candy pedals. As scotroutes said, there’s a lazy meme because of some really poor longevity occasionally; if all their pedals died after a few weeks they’d be out of business.

I have some old style Time ATACs (2009 and 2011 vintage); I only changed the tension on both from minimum to medium last year or so – not sure if the springs went slack or if I started to like them tighter.

I think thats about the age of my cheapest Candies…

Anyway for the OP just send them back to be swapped. Most people choose to ignore the major and minor redesign in the last few years. The earlier ones did suffer but the newer ones are much better internally. All companies have bad batches and to bin something rather than return under warranty is stupid, it’s one of the good things about buying new.

I’m just about to retire the XTR SPD’s on my CX bike they’ve done at least 8200 miles (but I think they did several thousand miles on the previous CX bike too).
I’ve never even looked at the bearings in that time but the cages are now so worn that they rattle, even with new cleats and they’re starting to unclip randomly.

At least CB stuff comes in a nice cardboard coffin in which to send them back in!

I don’t think they have ever made a product that lasts.

I also don’t think they ever read their reviews either. The comments on Pinkbike about their latest dropper post are a good summary of all they make.