After spotting a gap in the range between the ultra minimal Eggbeater cross-country pedal and the Mallet downhill pedal, Crank Brothers have come up with the Acid - an all-mountain clipless pedal with caged support that's available in two versions - the aluminium Acid 1 and the Acid 2 made from magnesium and featuring carbon inserts.
The weight is pretty low on both models - Acid 1 is 405g/pair, while the Acid 2 is 385g/pair - but not so light that they're afraid of a few knocks. The tried-and-tested jaws on the pedal locate the cleat as easily as the other Crank Brothers pedals, and they have the more positive 'click' that the Eggbeater is known for, not the slightly vague feel of the Mallet that's caused by the platform meeting the sole of your shoe.
The Acid looks far tricker than the Mallet, and not as alien as the Eggbeater, so it certainly gets a lot of attention - everyone here has wanted to take a pair of these unusual looking magnesium/ carbon pedals for a spin.
There's enough support for you to ride in casual style shoes, but you don't feel odd riding in technical mountain bike shoes either. The Acid is going to be a popular pedal.
