Which is the right way to use these pedals?

[Heifzilla]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3584/3469397407_28f9ff99a1_o.jpg

These are the same model pedals, the purple ones are an older version with a resin (?) shank. But the shape of the pedals is identical.

See the little teeth? The metal shanked ones have only one tooth in the middle, while the purple ones have two teeth. Which way should the foot rest on these? Teeth up, and long side of the pedals towards the front of the bike, or teeth down, and the narrow side of the pedals towards the front of the bike?

And what exactly are the teeth for, anyway?

Inquiring minds want to know :D

[fidlfreek]

Um. I think the right way to use the pedals is whichever way your foot happens to go down on this after the stop light :)

Aren't the teeth just for traction on the sole of your shoe?

[Heifzilla]

I'm curious because the pedal is shaped differently on either side so it makes me wonder if you're supposed to place your feet on it a certain way so it can support the foot properly. Also, if the teeth are for better traction on your shoe, why aren't they on both sides of the pedal? :confused:

[VeloVT]

http://bicycling.about.com/od/allaboutyourbike/ss/bike_pedals_3.htm

Looks like toe clips screw into the holes on the side of the pedal on the "short side". The tab goes to the back, at the bottom side of the pedal.

Maybe it helps with kicking the pedal over to slide your foot into the cage?

Paging DebW!

Also maybe Oakleaf or Smilingcat?

[Heifzilla]

Thanks for that link! it does appear that the smaller side of the pedal is supposed to be forward, with the teeth downward.

These are my pedals. And I have been riding with the teeth upwards since I got the bike. I too figured they were to help keep your shoe on the pedal. I've also been working out some numbness issues in my feet. Since I raised my saddle, it hasn't been as bad, but still there on occasion. Today I was riding and for some reason, I had the thought that maybe having the teeth pushing up into my feet as I pedaled was part of the issue. So I flipped the pedals over and at first it felt really weird because there wasn't that pressure there but after a while I got used to it...and, lo and behold, I wasn't having any of that tingling sensation I'd been getting in my feet. So, it got me to thinking that perhaps I'd been using my pedals the wrong way. When the teeth are up and forward, it seems like a lot of my weight is on the smaller section of the pedal, and I wonder if my foot was flexing over the edges of the pedal, combined with the upwards pressure from the teeth on my foot...maybe that is part of the issue.

So, that's why I asked this. I know it seems like using a platform pedal should be obvious, but I wonder now if it really is, especially for pedals that are not exactly the same on all sides.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Those loops sticking up look like attachment gizmos to me, not like traction teeth. I wouldn't think you're supposed to put your foot on those things that stick so far up. I agree, must be cage attachments or something. Put your foot on the 'flat' side that only has the 'regular' smaller teeth.

[DebW]

The tabs are to flip the pedal over with your toe as you slide into the toe clips. Toe clips always weight the pedal so it ends up upside down. The side you have up in the right hand picture is the bottom of the pedal. Actually unusual to have two off-center tabs like that right set. The tab on the inside of the pedal is to direct the toe strap upward around your foot. Otherwise the strap (at least when your foot is not in it) will catch the crank arm and prevent the pedal from swinging freely.

[Heifzilla]

I feel really stupid, but hey, at least I asked :D

Live and learn, eh? I wonder, though, how many people have been using their platform pedals incorrectly and how much of their foot numbness is caused by it.

Thanks for your replies :cool:

[DebW]

Typically the spindle is offset on that type of pedal, so if you use it right side up your foot doesn't press hard on the center of the pedal, or the center area around the spindle is flattened for comfort. The other side often has the spindle area bulging up. If they made the pedal symmetrical you'd be more likely to catch it on the ground leaning into a turn.

[DebW]

Oh, and those pedals are not actually platform pedals. They are quill pedals. Platform pedals look like this (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_p.html#platform) and are used by cycle tourists with non-cleated shoes.

[Heifzilla]

Oh, and those pedals are not actually platform pedals. They are quill pedals. Platform pedals look like this (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_p.html#platform) and are used by cycle tourists with non-cleated shoes.

Quill pedals? I've never heard that term. I am really learning a lot on this forum, and that's great.

Seriously, thanks for taking time to answer questions like this. It's one of the things I really like about this forum. At some point I might even be able to discuss this stuff in public without looking like an idiot :D

[Irulan]

wouldn't they be marked R and L?

We call the ones pictured in this thread "bear traps" because of how they chew up your shins.

This is also called a platfrom pedal, AKA flats:
http://www.maxlifestyle.net/shopimages/mountainbiking/pedals/346-13101l.gif

[DebW]

wouldn't they be marked R and L? They are usually marked L and R, but in any case can only be installed one way since the left pedal has left threads and the right pedal has right threads.


We call the ones pictured in this thread "bear traps" because of how they chew up your shins. Rat trap pedals is another name. Bear trap must refer to the leg-hold type animal traps? Rat traps look like mouse traps, so that analogy is not as obvious.


This is also called a platfrom pedal, AKA flats:
http://www.maxlifestyle.net/shopimages/mountainbiking/pedals/346-13101l.gif Yes, any pedal that supports much of your foot and can be used comfortably with a soft-soled shoe. The ones you picture are also called BMX pedals, as they have small studs to keep your feet stable doing BMX jumps.

[Heifzilla]

Yes, any pedal that supports much of your foot and can be used comfortably with a soft-soled shoe. The ones you picture are also called BMX pedals, as they have small studs to keep your feet stable doing BMX jumps.

The quill pedals...are they supposed to be good with a soft-soled shoe? They don't seem to be as large as those BMX pedals. I usually ride in gym shoes, but I did just order Keen Commuters.

[Irulan]

well, they call them bear traps around here and we call flat pedals of any sort: "flats" whether you've got on them on a downhill, freeride, XC,commuter, DH, DS or BMX bike.

[DebW]

The quill pedals...are they supposed to be good with a soft-soled shoe? They don't seem to be as large as those BMX pedals. I usually ride in gym shoes, but I did just order Keen Commuters.

If you do long rides on quill pedals in soft soled shoes, you start feeling the vertical plates of the pedal after awhile. Of course, it depends on the shoe to some extent. A softer shoe will slip less on the pedal, but your feet will feel it more. I remember the old days of getting grooves in my sneakers from quill pedals. But when you tightened the toe straps, they did hold you in fairly effectively. Racers wore rigid soled cleated shoes with quill pedals and clips+straps. The cleat was a grooved metal plate that was nailed on the shoe and held your foot securely when the strap was tightened. Of course, you couldn't removed your foot from the pedal until you reached down and loosened the strap. [And people complain about clipless systems?!?!] With the old shoes, you rode them without the cleat until the pedal left a mark on the shoe, then you went to a cobbler and had the cleat tacked on 1/8" forward of the mark (so your toes weren't pressed against the toe clip). There were also some uncleated riding shoes that were basically sneakers with stiffeners in the sole of the forefoot to make the quill pedals more comfortable.

That's your history lesson for today, kid. :D

[Heifzilla]

If you do long rides on quill pedals in soft soled shoes, you start feeling the vertical plates of the pedal after awhile. Of course, it depends on the shoe to some extent. A softer shoe will slip less on the pedal, but your feet will feel it more. I remember the old days of getting grooves in my sneakers from quill pedals. But when you tightened the toe straps, they did hold you in fairly effectively. Racers wore rigid soled cleated shoes with quill pedals and clips+straps. The cleat was a grooved metal plate that was nailed on the shoe and held your foot securely when the strap was tightened. Of course, you couldn't removed your foot from the pedal until you reached down and loosened the strap. [And people complain about clipless systems?!?!] With the old shoes, you rode them without the cleat until the pedal left a mark on the shoe, then you went to a cobbler and had the cleat tacked on 1/8" forward of the mark (so your toes weren't pressed against the toe clip). There were also some uncleated riding shoes that were basically sneakers with stiffeners in the sole of the forefoot to make the quill pedals more comfortable.

That's your history lesson for today, kid. :D

I am imagining the wipeouts as people got tangled in their bikes because they couldn't get their feet loose :eek:

[ZenSojourner]

I am imagining the wipeouts as people got tangled in their bikes because they couldn't get their feet loose :eek:

Yes, I too cannot imagine tying one's self to the bike like that.

[OakLeaf]

You'd just leave one strap loose until you got past the last stop sign in town.

Remember back in those days we used to have to reach down! :eek: to SHIFT! :eek::eek: as well, so we were used to taking our hands off the bars. :cool: Straps had a quick-release, so it only took a fraction of a second.

[DebW]

I am imagining the wipeouts as people got tangled in their bikes because they couldn't get their feet loose :eek:

There were more people who could do track stands in those days. Unfortunately, I never learned. But I only fell over once due to forgetting to loosen the toe strap.

[JasonM]

It should have an indicator whether its left or right on every bike pedal (https://adventuregearhub.com/entry-level-clipless-pedals/)..

[Trek420]

There were more people who could do track stands in those days. Unfortunately, I never learned. But I only fell over once due to forgetting to loosen the toe strap.

Tell us your FU (failure to unclip) fall! :rolleyes: ;)