Canfield Crampon Mountain Flat Pedal

Feature and photos by Brandon Turman

Whether it's outright grip, durability, impact clearance, weight, appearance, or some other trait that makes your favorites your favorites, almost everyone has tried a set of their personal 'best flat pedals ever.' Some look to the classics, some to recent designs, and some to oddball concepts that somehow work for them.

Today we'd like to present what the Canfield Brothers consider to be their best pedal ever - the Crampon Mountain. It's an ultra-thin design they've been tirelessly developing, testing, and perfecting over the past several years.

Crampon Mountain Highlights

• Thin 6mm front impact edges, 14mm at axle
• 112mm x 106mm wide platforms
• Anodized finish, available in 10 colors
• Sealed bearing/DU bushing system
• Chromoly axle
• Up to 11 pins per side
• Replaceable dual sided pins
• Patented convex shape
• 400 grams per pair

If this pedal looks familiar, you're not mistaken. It has many of the same features that make the Crampon Ultimate awesome, but gains a few tricks of its own.

"The Mountain is the culmination of years spent designing and testing flat pedals, and incorporates the best features of the Crampon line," says Chris Canfield, Canfield Brothers co-owner and designer. It replaces the Crampon Classic.

In addition to a fresh new look and a whopping 10 banging high-polish colors to choose from, these gain a few millimeters of width for added support. Canfield also made the move to slightly thicker pins for better traction.

Internally you're looking at a DU bushing at the inner side and three stacked and sealed micro-bearings on the outer edge. That's a bearing or two more than most competitors, and a change from the dual DU design in the Ultimate. After the update Canfield claims "this is a zero maintenance pedal versus the Ultimate that needs grease and bushings periodically with hard use." When asked about durability of the inner bushing, they informed us that "the DU is able to withstand more load in the inner side and is longer wearing as it is easier to seal."

The pedal body tapers up from just 6mm at the front and rear edges to a very reasonable 14mm at the thickest part of the axle area, creating a convex shape that the Brothers love. While many riders and companies tout the benefits of concave designs, Canfield believes "the unique convex shape contours naturally to the foot, aiding in grip and placing your foot as close to the spindle as possible for maximum pedal stroke efficiency, eliminating dead spots." The move to bearings on the outer edge means a slightly thicker pedal at the axle, up from 10mm on the Ultimates (which will remain in the line for those looking for a super thin and light option).

Those ultra-thin leading edges do a great job of reducing pedal strikes, and the chamfered profile is there to help ensure that won't get hung up if you do smack one. Canfield even rounded out all the sharp edges to ensure it glances off obstacles without issue.

Initial Impressions

Pulling these bad boys out of the box, we were immediately blown away by the look and feel. The color pops like you wouldn't believe, and there are enough colors to choose from that every bike can be matched. Running your fingers along the body you can only be impressed by the traction provided by the extra machining, and we can confirm that it translates to the trail.

The threaded pins are accessible by allen key from both sides, which means if you smash one it's all good. One side is protected by being inside the body. They arrive pre-Loctited to ensure they stay put over time.

That convex front-to-back profile doesn't feel odd under foot, as the pin height actually gives a flat or very slightly concave feel. Side-to-side the pedals are concave along the axle, which cups your foot well and provides nice stability.

Traction wise we only noted a slight loss of traction while climbing super steep terrain. The pedals ship without the center pin to give a more traditional feel, but after adding it back we're in maximum grip mode. Combined with a good pair of Five Ten shoes they're as solid as can be.

After a handful of days of use the pedals still look amazing, though we're curious to see if the anodized finish near the axle will hold up over time. Beyond some initial oozing of grease from the inner seal, all systems check out, they spin in a smooth and controlled manner, and we're giving them two big thumbs up. Time will tell if the new micro-bearing design withstands a foot out flat out riding style without developing play.

Pricing and Availability

The Crampon Mountain retails for $149 US and is available immediately on their web-store and in local bike shops. Visit www.canfieldbrothers.com for more details.