Last updated at 03/24/2026 12:18:37
Crank Brothers Mallet Lace Clipless Shoes - US 11.5 - White - Red Splatter
60-day returns
originally posted on crankbrothers.com
They feel indestructable, look great, have a neat little pouch for my laces, the heel is rubberized to hold my foot in. I really love these shoes. However, they stink terribly of rubber and plastic. I think Crankbrothers needs to try to reduce the VOCs on their shoes. At least let them off-gas before selling them. I imagine the smell will go away with time, but it's so strong I can taste it while I'm wearing them.
originally posted on jensonusa.com
It can be tough to find a good cycling shoe for commuting and general riding around town. Most clip-less shoes are designed with on-the-bike in mind, and are therefore often impractical for walking around in for any appreciable distance. Not these Crank Brothers Mallets!Off the bat, the shoes' styling is very subdued. They look much like a sleek pair of "normal" shoes, so they look great even when you aren't kitted-out. The same can be said for their fit and comfort. Other than the stiffer sole, these shoes almost feel I'm wearing my favorite pair of street shoes and walking in them has not been at all uncomfortable. The Toe box is adequately wide and roomy and I have not experienced any discomfort or "tightness" that some cycling shoes are prone to. The Build and ... MoreIt can be tough to find a good cycling shoe for commuting and general riding around town. Most clip-less shoes are designed with on-the-bike in mind, and are therefore often impractical for walking around in for any appreciable distance. Not these Crank Brothers Mallets!Off the bat, the shoes' styling is very subdued. They look much like a sleek pair of "normal" shoes, so they look great even when you aren't kitted-out. The same can be said for their fit and comfort. Other than the stiffer sole, these shoes almost feel I'm wearing my favorite pair of street shoes and walking in them has not been at all uncomfortable. The Toe box is adequately wide and roomy and I have not experienced any discomfort or "tightness" that some cycling shoes are prone to. The Build and material quality feels high, and I imagine these will hold up well for some time to come.Crank Brothers advertises these shoes as being specifically designed for interfacing with their pedals and the shoes came with a set of Crank Brothers cleats already installed. I ride primarily with candy pedals, so this was a great bonus for me! Right out of the box I was able to clip-in with ease and without any clearance issues between the tread and Pedals. This is of course my experience with using Crank Brothers Pedals. If you ride with a different brand of pedals, you will still need to purchase and install the appropriate cleats separately. Any two-bolt cleat should be an easy swap though.I've worn other similar shoes from other brands and I often found them to still be either too stiff and bulky for extended walking, or too flexible to be useful as a riding shoe. The Mallets seem to have achieved the sweet spot in that regard. Serious racers would most likely prefer a stiffer shoe, but I imagine most riders would find the pedaling efficiency from the Mallets to be adequate for most riding situations. Over longer rides I never felt like the shoes were holding me back. The Mallets feel great to walk in as well. Make no mistake, these are definitely a cycling shoe and one probably wouldn't want to wear them on say, a long hike, but for at the store, work, or other run of the mill activities the shoes feel comfortable and walking feels natural. The cleats have not interfered with walking thus far, though of course that may change as the tread wears down. Time will tell!Overall I'm giving these shoes 4 stars for what they are. They aren't a high-performance racing shoe, nor or they going to replace you favorite tennis shoes, but I've found them to strike just the right balance to make them my new favorite all-around cycling shoe.
originally posted on tredz.co.uk
I love these shoes. I bought them mainly for use around town. They are very comfy and easy to walk in while still being stiff enough to pedal with. They feel very durable, miles better than the Giro Rumble they replaced anyway. I've also used them on a few short xc rides. They are snug so go a size up if between sizes. I'm size 10.5 (UK) and went for a EU46 which is perfect.
Crank Brothers Mallet Lace Clipless Shoes - US 11.5 - White - Red Splatter
60-day returns
They feel indestructable, look great, have a neat little pouch for my laces, the heel is rubberized to hold my foot in. I really love these shoes. However, they stink terribly of rubber and plastic. I think Crankbrothers needs to try to reduce the VOCs on their shoes. At least let them off-gas before selling them. I imagine the smell will go away with time, but it's so strong I can taste it while I'm wearing them.
It can be tough to find a good cycling shoe for commuting and general riding around town. Most clip-less shoes are designed with on-the-bike in mind, and are therefore often impractical for walking around in for any appreciable distance. Not these Crank Brothers Mallets!Off the bat, the shoes' styling is very subdued. They look much like a sleek pair of "normal" shoes, so they look great even when you aren't kitted-out. The same can be said for their fit and comfort. Other than the stiffer sole, these shoes almost feel I'm wearing my favorite pair of street shoes and walking in them has not been at all uncomfortable. The Toe box is adequately wide and roomy and I have not experienced any discomfort or "tightness" that some cycling shoes are prone to. The Build and ... MoreIt can be tough to find a good cycling shoe for commuting and general riding around town. Most clip-less shoes are designed with on-the-bike in mind, and are therefore often impractical for walking around in for any appreciable distance. Not these Crank Brothers Mallets!Off the bat, the shoes' styling is very subdued. They look much like a sleek pair of "normal" shoes, so they look great even when you aren't kitted-out. The same can be said for their fit and comfort. Other than the stiffer sole, these shoes almost feel I'm wearing my favorite pair of street shoes and walking in them has not been at all uncomfortable. The Toe box is adequately wide and roomy and I have not experienced any discomfort or "tightness" that some cycling shoes are prone to. The Build and material quality feels high, and I imagine these will hold up well for some time to come.Crank Brothers advertises these shoes as being specifically designed for interfacing with their pedals and the shoes came with a set of Crank Brothers cleats already installed. I ride primarily with candy pedals, so this was a great bonus for me! Right out of the box I was able to clip-in with ease and without any clearance issues between the tread and Pedals. This is of course my experience with using Crank Brothers Pedals. If you ride with a different brand of pedals, you will still need to purchase and install the appropriate cleats separately. Any two-bolt cleat should be an easy swap though.I've worn other similar shoes from other brands and I often found them to still be either too stiff and bulky for extended walking, or too flexible to be useful as a riding shoe. The Mallets seem to have achieved the sweet spot in that regard. Serious racers would most likely prefer a stiffer shoe, but I imagine most riders would find the pedaling efficiency from the Mallets to be adequate for most riding situations. Over longer rides I never felt like the shoes were holding me back. The Mallets feel great to walk in as well. Make no mistake, these are definitely a cycling shoe and one probably wouldn't want to wear them on say, a long hike, but for at the store, work, or other run of the mill activities the shoes feel comfortable and walking feels natural. The cleats have not interfered with walking thus far, though of course that may change as the tread wears down. Time will tell!Overall I'm giving these shoes 4 stars for what they are. They aren't a high-performance racing shoe, nor or they going to replace you favorite tennis shoes, but I've found them to strike just the right balance to make them my new favorite all-around cycling shoe.
I love these shoes. I bought them mainly for use around town. They are very comfy and easy to walk in while still being stiff enough to pedal with. They feel very durable, miles better than the Giro Rumble they replaced anyway. I've also used them on a few short xc rides. They are snug so go a size up if between sizes. I'm size 10.5 (UK) and went for a EU46 which is perfect.
First time trying Crankbrothers shoes and I'm very impressed. They are super comfortable and connect easily to the mallet pedals. The lace pocket is an awesome idea to keep shoe strings out of the way. I liked these so much I got a pair of flats to go with my regular pedals as well. If you have wide feet, definitely go 1/2 size up.
Fits great! Extremely good pedal feel! Very short lifespan.The mesh on the side of the shoe quickly disintegrates during contact with the crank arm and general wear. The insoles delaminate and wear through. Although they feel great before it happens.They also have a very thin toe box which has led to immense pain and suffering during rock strikes.
These were ordered along with some other bits and pieces and were not in stock at the time. I was told over a week before I would see them but they turned up a lot quicker than originally informed. So no complaints there.I wear size 9 (UK) footwear for everything and these were ordered as the EU size 43. When they turned up, the size on the box was EU43.5. They do fit well and I was concerned when first putting them on that they might still be a little too small, but once on, they were OK and will probably loosen up somewhat as I wear them more. They need to be a snug fit to serve the purpose they were designed for, really.I am mostly impressed with the styling as I think these are very cool looking cycling shoes and you can easily get away wearing these down the ... MoreThese were ordered along with some other bits and pieces and were not in stock at the time. I was told over a week before I would see them but they turned up a lot quicker than originally informed. So no complaints there.I wear size 9 (UK) footwear for everything and these were ordered as the EU size 43. When they turned up, the size on the box was EU43.5. They do fit well and I was concerned when first putting them on that they might still be a little too small, but once on, they were OK and will probably loosen up somewhat as I wear them more. They need to be a snug fit to serve the purpose they were designed for, really.I am mostly impressed with the styling as I think these are very cool looking cycling shoes and you can easily get away wearing these down the pub but probably not for long periods off the bike for walking. I won't know until I've owned them for a lot longer. I also like the little elasticated basket at the top of the tongue for stashing the loose laces. That's a really good idea.
I love these Mallet shoes. They look really like a casual shoe instead of a bike specific shoe. The sole is stiff enough for good support and power transfer. The insole has a little bit of cushion so they are comfortable to wear for extended periods. They are stylish enough to wear to the ride and lounging after. My favorite clip in shoe!
I've gotten a few emails about reviewing these shoes so I thought I'd hop on to talk about my experience. I tried these on in-store a while ago and liked the look/feel of them. When I ordered a men's size 6 (women's 7.5) online a month later, however, the shoes seemed to be completely different sizes from one another when they arrived (see picture). One seemed to be a wider/perfect fit while the other one was super narrow and my foot barely fit into it. I emailed Crankbrothers about an exchange and they responded only with a link to return the item... I returned the shoes and went with another brand. I was really excited about the mallet laces but I'm disappointed with how this all turned out!
Look no further, these kicks are top-of-the-line!I upgraded my shoes from another big competitor of Crankbrothers and I must say that I am SO happy I went with the Mallet Laces! The other clipless shoes I had provided a toe box too small for my foot, so I found I would lose feeling in my feet on a ride greater than 10 miles, not ideal! I've taken my CrankBros out for multiple rides since receiving them and can say, that numb feet are behind me!Also, they are way more stylish than my previous shoes. All around I am beyond excited with this purchase and highly recommend CrankBros. Customer Service was top tier and shipping was pleasantly quick! Thank you all!
I highly recommend these shoes to anyone riding clips. Not only do they look good and have a solid feel around the foot, but they are very comfortable. The cleat box is also large so you can adjust it to the perfect spot for your riding style. I keep mine far back as I ride mostly enduro/dh tracks. No problem rocking these on or off the bike, in fact, I picked up a second pair as an off-bike shoe until I wear these out. My only complaint would be that CB cleats wear out quickly but that's not a reflection of these shoes.
The Crankbrothers Mallet clip-in shoe plays nice on the race track and at the bike park. Our innovative Match System optimizes engagement for any MTB clip-in system whether that’s Crankbrothers or SPD. It comes with Match shim and Crankbrothers cleat pre-installed in a neutral position so they are ready to ride with Crankbrothers pedals right out of the box. Match Box The ramped cleat box offers easy front and rear pedal entry and mud shedding. A Race Zone setback on the cleat track allows the cleat to be positioned further toward the heel for added control and stability when descending. Match Compound Our mid-friction rubber compound (MC1) allows for easy pedal entry and exit and is hard enough to hold up to wear and tear. The radial lug pattern around the cleat box is designed to provide smooth release from the pedal body. Match Outsole The tread pattern is designed for traction off the bike. Directionally angled and spaced toe and heel lugs offer traction for hiking up or down steep terrain. The ramped toe provides walkability on steep terrain.
The Crankbrothers Mallet clip-in shoe plays nice on the race track and at the bike park. Our innovative Match System optimizes engagement for any MTB clip-in system whether that’s Crankbrothers or SPD. It comes with Match shim and Crankbrothers cleat pre-installed in a neutral position so they are ready to ride with Crankbrothers pedals right out of the box. Match Box The ramped cleat box offers easy front and rear pedal entry and mud shedding. A Race Zone setback on the cleat track allows the cleat to be positioned further toward the heel for added control and stability when descending. Match Compound Our mid-friction rubber compound (MC1) allows for easy pedal entry and exit and is hard enough to hold up to wear and tear. The radial lug pattern around the cleat box is designed to provide smooth release from the pedal body. Match Outsole The tread pattern is designed for traction off the bike. Directionally angled and spaced toe and heel lugs offer traction for hiking up or down steep terrain. The ramped toe provides walkability on steep terrain.
The Crankbrothers Mallet clip-in shoe plays nice on the race track and at the bike park. Our innovative Match System optimizes engagement for any MTB clip-in system whether that’s Crankbrothers or SPD. It comes with Match shim and Crankbrothers cleat pre-installed in a neutral position so they are ready to ride with Crankbrothers pedals right out of the box. Match Box The ramped cleat box offers easy front and rear pedal entry and mud shedding. A Race Zone setback on the cleat track allows the cleat to be positioned further toward the heel for added control and stability when descending. Match Compound Our mid-friction rubber compound (MC1) allows for easy pedal entry and exit and is hard enough to hold up to wear and tear. The radial lug pattern around the cleat box is designed to provide smooth release from the pedal body. Match Outsole The tread pattern is designed for traction off the bike. Directionally angled and spaced toe and heel lugs offer traction for hiking up or down steep terrain. The ramped toe provides walkability on steep terrain.
The Crankbrothers Mallet clip-in shoe plays nice on the race track and at the bike park. Our innovative Match System optimizes engagement for any MTB clip-in system whether that’s Crankbrothers or SPD. It comes with Match shim and Crankbrothers cleat pre-installed in a neutral position so they are ready to ride with Crankbrothers pedals right out of the box. Match Box The ramped cleat box offers easy front and rear pedal entry and mud shedding. A Race Zone setback on the cleat track allows the cleat to be positioned further toward the heel for added control and stability when descending. Match Compound Our mid-friction rubber compound (MC1) allows for easy pedal entry and exit and is hard enough to hold up to wear and tear. The radial lug pattern around the cleat box is designed to provide smooth release from the pedal body. Match Outsole The tread pattern is designed for traction off the bike. Directionally angled and spaced toe and heel lugs offer traction for hiking up or down steep terrain. The ramped toe provides walkability on steep terrain.
