Their new product line includes redesigned mallet and 5050 pedals, wider handlebars, a level 1 group, saddle, new or redesigned tools, wheels and packs. Crank Brothers has been realigning their product suite, and they have divided it up into collections (cobalt-Cross Country, iodine-All Mountain, sage-Freeride and opium-Downhill), and then levels within each product line (11-Best, 3-Better, 2-Good, 1-Entry), except for the pedals, which are only categorized by their numerical level.
Magura USA (aka Magura Direct) hosted an incredible press camp in spectacular Sedona Arizona in mid-May, and they were kind enough to invite Francis and I on the wondrous shindig. The invited editors and writers got to test out the Magura Direct products that they distribute, which includes Magura (brakes and forks), uvex (helmets and sunglasses) and Vaude (packs and apparel), and they also were joined by SKS and Crank Brothers. We got to test the products from each of the companies on the inspiring, scary and extremely technical trails of Sedona, and the riding experience was simply superb. Our awesome Crank Brothers hosts, Amanda Schaper and Jason Firsty, gave us an excellent and in depth walkthrough of their entire product suite.
Cockpit
The cobalt and iodine bars (1, 2, 3, 11) get a larger selection of widths, including the addition of an ultra wide 780mm in the 11 level, which is made from strong and lightweight carbon. The cockpit (bars, stems, seatpost) gets a new level 1, which is for entry level users and will be spec’ed on OEM bikes, and they come in cobalt (seatpost, bar) and iodine (bar, stem). The opium 3 and sage 2 bars have been added, and they measure in at a whopping 780mm wide with two rise heights (15 or 30mm).
| Bar Model | cobalt, iodine 11 | cobalt, iodine, opium 3 | cobalt, iodine, sage 2 | cobalt, iodine 1 |
| Weight (narrowest) | flat: 132g, rise: 160g iodine -178g |
flat: 180g, rise: 230g iodine – 238g Opium – 290g |
flat: 227g, rise: 262g sage – 325g |
flat: 278g, rise: 318g iodine – 328g |
| Rise | Flat: 8mm, Low: 15mm iodine – 30mm |
Flat: 8mm, Low: 15mm iodine – 30mm opium – 15, 30mm |
Flat: 8mm, Low: 15mm iodine – 30mm sage – 15, 30mm |
Flat: 8mm, Low: 15mm iodine – 30mm |
| Sweep (only cobalt flat) | Flat: 6° Rise: 6° 680mm 9° 700, 740, 780mm |
Flat: 6° Rise: 6° 680, 700mm 9° 720mm, 780mm |
Flat: 6° Rise: 6° 680, 700mm 9° 720mm, 780mm |
Flat: 6° 600, 680mm Rise: 6° 680, 700mm |
| Width (only cobalt flat) | Flat: 600, 680mm Rise: 680, 700, 740, 780mm |
Flat: 600, 680mm Rise: 680, 700, 720mm opium – 780mm |
Flat: 600, 680mm Rise: 680, 700, 720mm sage – 780mm |
Flat: 600, 680mm Rise: 680, 700mm |
| MSRP | $120 | $80 | $50 | $30 |
The cobalt (2, 3, 11) and iodine (1, 2, 3) stems are very trick, and the cobalt 11 is a gorgeous full carbon unit. For clamping purposes the cobalt series uses an innovative plunger system that uses a single torx bolt at both the steerer and handlebar, which pushes out in a uniform manner, giving a cleaner surface area and a more distributed load, and allows a much higher torque setting. The iodine series uses the typical clamping systems, except for the iodine 3, which uses a carbon faceplate for weight savings and a plunger system on the steerer.
| Stem Model | cobalt 11 | cobalt, iodine 3 | cobalt, iodine 2 | iodine 1 |
| Weight 100mm | 125 grams | cobalt 140 grams iodine 158 grams |
cobalt 158 grams iodine 167 grams |
190 grams |
| Rise | 6º | 6º | 6º | 6º |
| Length | 80mm-120mm | cobalt 80mm-120mm iodine 65mm – 100mm |
cobalt 80mm-120mm iodine 65, 80-120mm |
50, 65, 80 – 110mm |
| MSRP | $300 | cobalt $100 iodine $130 |
cobalt $80 iodine $90 |
$70 |
I bought the cobolt grips, they were noticeably wearing down after the first ride. After 5 rides the texture was totally worn off in places. Stick with just the pedals!
Crank Brothers products have traditionally been some clever twist combined with poor execution packaged and polished nicely. I expect nothing different from anything new they make. Early reports have it that their “new” Egg Beaters aren’t much more reliable than the old ones.
Anyone should think twice about investing in their products.
Yeah, the grips probably wore down because they weren’t on a 29er. If they were on a 29er they’d last until the end of time. Just like titanium.
Actually they were on a 29er. Maybe they wouldn’t wear down on a full suspension, mine’s SS rigid..
All,
Sorry to hear about the issues. I am an SPD pedal person myself, so I never really use Egg Beaters.
I will be testing and reviewing the iodine wheels, bars, saddle and stem shortly, so I can’t comment on the longevity of those items, but they were fine in the week of abusive terrain I tossed them into in at Sedona.