Mavic Crossmax XL Pedal - Review
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![Mavic Crossmax XL Pedal reviewed 2014]()
Mavic Crossmax XL Pedal
Mavic announced that it will be developing a range of pedals in partnership with Time. The names and price points of the new pedals mirror Mavic's wheel monikers: Crossmax, Crossroc, and Crossride, and the first round of products are simply re-branded Time ATAC items. Mavic's interest in the Time pedal comes at the right moment, because Mavic's successes in enduro racing have provided the need for one, and perhaps more importantly, because in the technical realm of the sport, there are only two standout pedals for riders who clip in: The extremely reliable Shimano XTR/XT Trail, and the very popular Crankbrothers Mallet which, to be kind, has a rather spotty history for reliability. Time's ATAC system uses a simple, spring-loaded, non-adjustable mechanism, similar to the Mallet, that excels in muddy conditions and has proven to be eminently reliable. The possibility of a third player in the all-mountain/gravity pedal game, powered by a strong development team like Mavic's is a brilliant one, so we got our hands on a pair of Crossmax XL pedals for an introductory review.
Mavic
![Mavic Crossmax XL Pedal reviewed 2014]()
Mavic Crossmax XL pedals use a carbon reinforced nylon body, molded into a rectangular platform that is streamlined vertically to evacuate mud. The stainless steel engagement mechanism is basically a pair of stiff wire springs. Ramps and guides are molded into the pedal body that usher the cleat into the pedal, while encouraging mud and dirt to escape as the cleat enters the trap. The springs are not adjustable, but the cleat is profiled so that reversing it to the opposing shoe will increase the amount of angular play and noticeably reduce the force required to release the shoe from the pedal. The steel cleat adapts to any SPD-type shoe and it allows the shoe to move 2.5 millimeters left or right, and also offers five degrees of angular freedom. Friction between the shoe and the pedal platform mask the pedal's free play, so the shoe can find its sweet spot without giving the rider a sense that his or her foot is floundering on the pedal. Depending upon the right/left orientation of the cleat, the Crossmax pedal mech will release at 13 or 17 degrees of foot rotation. The springs build tension as the foot releases, giving the rider a clear indication of the release point, while also allowing the foot to swing wide without accidentally releasing - a major plus when jumping, or pulling off an athletic move, like launching up a rock step or jerking the bike around a tight switchback turn. Our test pedal, the Crossmax XL, has a chromoly steel shaft that rolls on sealed ball bearings. The pair weighed 380 grams on the scale and the MSRP is $249 USD. Mavic offers a titanium-shaft version for $399 that weighs a reported 340 grams, and lower-spec models are available for as little as $99.95.
![Mavic Crossmax XL Pedal reviewed 2014]()
Pinkbike's Take:
Mavic Crossmax XL Pedal
Mavic announced that it will be developing a range of pedals in partnership with Time. The names and price points of the new pedals mirror Mavic's wheel monikers: Crossmax, Crossroc, and Crossride, and the first round of products are simply re-branded Time ATAC items. Mavic's interest in the Time pedal comes at the right moment, because Mavic's successes in enduro racing have provided the need for one, and perhaps more importantly, because in the technical realm of the sport, there are only two standout pedals for riders who clip in: The extremely reliable Shimano XTR/XT Trail, and the very popular Crankbrothers Mallet which, to be kind, has a rather spotty history for reliability. Time's ATAC system uses a simple, spring-loaded, non-adjustable mechanism, similar to the Mallet, that excels in muddy conditions and has proven to be eminently reliable. The possibility of a third player in the all-mountain/gravity pedal game, powered by a strong development team like Mavic's is a brilliant one, so we got our hands on a pair of Crossmax XL pedals for an introductory review.
Mavic
Mavic's cleat is designed to sit between two powerful springs, so the contact points naturally displace mud and grime. Ramps molded in the pedal platforms effortlessly guide the cleats and shoe into position.
Mavic Crossmax XL pedals use a carbon reinforced nylon body, molded into a rectangular platform that is streamlined vertically to evacuate mud. The stainless steel engagement mechanism is basically a pair of stiff wire springs. Ramps and guides are molded into the pedal body that usher the cleat into the pedal, while encouraging mud and dirt to escape as the cleat enters the trap. The springs are not adjustable, but the cleat is profiled so that reversing it to the opposing shoe will increase the amount of angular play and noticeably reduce the force required to release the shoe from the pedal. The steel cleat adapts to any SPD-type shoe and it allows the shoe to move 2.5 millimeters left or right, and also offers five degrees of angular freedom. Friction between the shoe and the pedal platform mask the pedal's free play, so the shoe can find its sweet spot without giving the rider a sense that his or her foot is floundering on the pedal. Depending upon the right/left orientation of the cleat, the Crossmax pedal mech will release at 13 or 17 degrees of foot rotation. The springs build tension as the foot releases, giving the rider a clear indication of the release point, while also allowing the foot to swing wide without accidentally releasing - a major plus when jumping, or pulling off an athletic move, like launching up a rock step or jerking the bike around a tight switchback turn. Our test pedal, the Crossmax XL, has a chromoly steel shaft that rolls on sealed ball bearings. The pair weighed 380 grams on the scale and the MSRP is $249 USD. Mavic offers a titanium-shaft version for $399 that weighs a reported 340 grams, and lower-spec models are available for as little as $99.95.
The longevity of the Crossmax XL's fiber-reinforced plastic body was in question. We did not break them although the cages show evidence that we tried to. Experience with its Time predecessor demonstrated that, even if one does manage to bash off a corner of the pedal, the mechanism can still function well. Perhaps Mavic will offer spare parts.
Pinkbike's Take:
 | Mavic's Crossmax is a great start to a competitive pedal development program - and those who are familiar with its sister, the Time ATAC pedal, will no-doubt agree that the engagement and release feel of the mechanism may be the best made. While there is a guided path for the cleat to slide forward into the mech, the cleat can also engage simply by placing it on the pedal and pressing downwards - something that gravity riders will no-doubt appreciate. There is plenty of warning before the shoe releases, and the entrance and exit is accompanied by a smooth, decisive action, along with a reassuring sound. Built-in lateral and angular float makes setting up the cleat to match the rider's pedaling action much easier, as a small angular error will not force the foot out of position and risk messing up a knee while test-riding your setup. If a second adjustment is required, there is also less anxiety about getting it wrong and falling back to square one - an issue that Shimano SPD users deal with sometimes. We had a chance to use the Mavic Crossmax XL pedals in a range of conditions, including sticky clay mud and a lot of boulder hopping - the latter of which, created much concern for the lifespan of their molded-plastic pedal platforms. Muddy conditions afforded no issues with engagement or disengagement, and we are happy (perhaps, "lucky" may be a better word) to report that the pedal's carbon-reinforced nylon platforms survived repeated bashing without a crack or complaint. We are not naive to the fact that it is possible to break the plastic platform cage, as we have done so riding its Time counterpart, but we also must add that the pedal is far tougher in that respect than its appearance may lead one to assume. We can hardly wait to see what the collaboration between Mavic and Time will produce as Mavic moved forward with its pedal program. In the meantime, the Crossmax XL is my new go-to all-mountain pedal. - RC |
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see?
I hate seeing that one too it's not difficult!
Jerome Clementz rides for Mavic yet he used to use crank brothers . so they partnered with a pre existing pedal company and slapped their logo on it so jerome can now ride a mavic pedal .
"jerome rides theses to win world cup enduro races , now you can too for a paltry $100"
POW POW
£49
Look closely.
SAME PEDAL!!
I'm a bit confused on the prices of PLASTIC body pedals shown here. The weight difference isn't that high either. 50g savings vs. indestructible platform or 400€ with a bit more weight shaved plus that chance to crack some of that precious platform off. Kind of no-brainer to me.
Time MX4 will do. Same as Mavic but cheaper.
www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/mx4-mtb-pedal-147103/wg_id-8867
You are not stuck with one position as in SPD and as for comparison to CB.....I've been using time for 2 years and they did not break...
Price-tag for "Mavic" is just to high..
I'd rather go with TIME MX12 Titanium in this price range.
...but Hey! - It's Mavic so it has to cos ;]
Obviously written by an American. Crank Brothers pedals are a joke for reliability.
Time pedals have been around for ages in Europe and they last longer than "extremely reliable" Shimanos because of their sealed bearing simplicity... Ah yes In Europe....hey ho
Been running Times for well over ten years after getting sick of Shimano's inconsistency in the mixed sand and clay conditions I was riding in. Not as intuitive to get into as Shimano, but they work ALL the time and the release is consistently the same regardless of conditions.
I have a set of carbon caged Times - touch wood, no chunks missing yet. If experience is anything to go by, my massively beaten up Z-Controls (that do have chunks missing after seasons in the Alps) still work perfectly.
Brilliant products. I just hope Mavic don't double the price for adding a yellow sticker.
"and the very popular Crankbrothers Mallet which, to be kind, has a rather spotty history for reliability."
Living in the PNW means rain/mud and I was getting sick and tired of my XTR pedals becoming mud platforms in the middle of a race. Yes, CB's need more maintenance, but they're super easy to tear apart and rebuild.
And as WAddict said - the newer CBs are a vast improvement over previous generations.
Also, buy the cheaper versions of CB pedals, upgrade to aftermarket Ti spindles and save a sh*t ton of $$
shop.titaniumspindles.com/CLICK-HERE-FOR-TI-SPINDLES-THAT-FIT-CRANK-BROTHERS-PEDALS_c2.htm
I really like my time mx6, but I have already bended one spring, so the pedal was loose on the feet. Hopefully fixable by shiming the other end of the spring.
Plastic body is really strong, you can smash it on rocks without breaking it, and platform support is real, unlike shimano.
I ran them with Specialized shoes, and then Mavic's one.
Serious question - were they Crank Bros cleats? They're similar to the point they vaguely work, but as far as I know Time have always used brass cleats.
but would you be able to maybe get the parts from time to fix the pedals though?? not very ideal to have to search for parts though.
on a side note , anyone with a lower leg dust cap from a X fusion vengence for sale?
I also tried them with the cleat further back and it felt much better in DH applications.
I guess it boils do to "to each their own"??
Plus, the simplicity of the design is what makes it reliable - its just a simple spring. You add in tension adjuster, and it changes the design of the product all together.
The most baller CNC'd flats go for like $300 MAX.