Pitbull pedal

Hey everyone. I just wanted to gather some opinions on this new bike pedal that we've come up with. I have a couple videos attached to show everyone how good it works. Just like everyone, I'm just trying to come up with a better product, this one just happens to be a bike pedal. As I would frequently miss clipping into my other pedals while riding in a group, with this you're gonna get in virtually 100% of the time. Let me know what everyone thinks, please don't judge too harshly. I'm not sure if there was a different areas that I should of posted this.

joejack951

What is creating the attachment between the pedal and cleat? Is the cleat snapping around the pedal/axle or something else?

1nterceptor

"Let me know what everyone thinks,"

One reason I like Speedplay is the double sided entry; no problems with entry. Unlike my experience with Look KEO; even after a few months - would still miss clipping in at times.
For commuting/grocery runs; I like Shimano's SPD. Or it's copies; using Xpedo M Force and MKS US-S on my folders.
Other things will come into play in pedal selection; cost, weight, reliability, color/s(?), etc.

Hapsmo911

How does it work with a heel down hard effort, or heel down standing on the pedals?

joejack951

There's also Crank Brothers pedals with four sided entry:

1nterceptor

Have tried many systems over the years, @joejack951
Shimano SPD, Look KEO, Speedplay X1 & X2, MKS Urban Step-in A(Time ATAC clone); as well as Carnkbothers Eggbeaters.
As I mentioned earlier; I couldn't clipin at times with the KEO's. It was either upside down or my road shoes would just slide over.
With the Eggbeaters; engagement is not as smooth as SPD. Plus it felt weird when I was clipped-in; like I needed a shim or plate
between my shoe and the cleat.

generalkdi

Never have any trouble clipping in my speedplays. It looks like a solution to something that's not an issue. the market is already pretty crowded, so good luck trying to get your share of the pie.

Otherwise, the cleats look like it could bend, or just break if someone walks a lot with them...
Also, How much float can you get out of these pedals?

That would be my main concerns besides the heel down concerns already expressed by people before me.

joejack951

Interesting. I've found Crank Brothers Candy, and the similarly designed but now discontinued LOOK Quartz pedals to be smoother than SPD for clipping in. Yes, they do need to be shimmed to lock in securely. The cleats (both CBs and LOOK) come with shims for this.

All that said, I can clip into my SPD-SL pedals without looking 90% of the time. 99% of the time I clip into my LOOK Quartz pedals without looking. Not really in the market for a system that as noted appears to have a very fragile and difficult-to-walk-in cleat and little resistance to accidental disengagement. 25 lbs. in any direction isn't that much for my guads

goenrdoug

Looks interesting.

My worries would be that I'd pop off of it when pulling/pushing at different spots around the pedal circle, as I might do when trying to recruit alternate muscles during a long climbing effort or something.

Also, by design, it appears to provide absolutely no room for float -- which might be a plus/preference for some riders, I'm just saying...

rosefarts

I accidentally invented this on slickrock about 25 years ago. My Onza's came off and we're still attached to the shoe. Just slide on to the bare axle and ride...

I didn't look too close, are there bearings? Or just low friction on the rod?

Have you weighed the "pedal" and cleat together? Is it competitive? Has a big guy sprinted on them yet?

Are the cleats a wear item or will they have protected areas to keep from wearing them out from walking.

For nostalgic reasons on that ill fated ride, I like the idea.

rosefarts

Forgot to mention, these should come with the suggestion to only use with carbon or other zero flex type shoes.

People who want easy access to pedals might not have high end shoes. A walking sole would get pretty uncomfortable with these.

WhyFi

In the vid, he said that there's carbide plate, where to contact the ground, to protect the aluminum body.

kbarch

If some people want fool-proof engagement, seems like you've got it there. However, I can't say that's something I'm looking for, and the lack of a platform is a non-starter for me.

Zaskar

I love that someone's working on a better pedal. I came to road cycling from mountain biking (EggBeaters). I was surprised how "dumb" the road pedals were - one-sided, gotta nudge them over sometimes, etc. All for aero gains? Anyone who says they don't ever miss clipping in, is lying. It happens.

Is this the solution? Don't know. The float question is valid. I wonder how the UCI will view the potential for impaling injuries. But, I'll stay tuned. Good work Pitbull.

joejack951

Foot retention, platform size, and ground clearance while cornering are other (more important than aero, for me) reasons for one-sided road pedals. If your pedals need to be flipped manually to the right spot to clip in then you need to check the bearings.

Zaskar

Solid points @joejack951. Ironically, I just rebuilt my Keo 2 Carbon Blade (geez these pedals have a long name)... But there's a balance - spin too much, the pedal can over-rotate, not enough spin.... Profile for cornering is big too.

But remember - the MTB environment is pretty demanding too. Clearly retention is a HUGE deal. Clearance is also a huge issue. And, not just cornering. Additionally, the MTB pedals get the *#&@ beat out of them as they're often smacked on rocks as the pedal comes down - literally lifting the bike/rider up... and they handle it. All while dealing with sand, mud, water crossings.

I actually like my Keos. It just seems like the road pedal is a component that hasn't seen a lot of innovation... yet.

Maelochs

I like this pedal system .... I have had good luck with Time pedals, but this system looks a lot simpler. As for people who want a platform, the platform can be built into the cleat body for people who want to wear soft shoes---it is an aluminum cleat, so maybe just a few stiffening ribs.

People who want fast, foolproof clip-in every time are the obvious market---and as a commuter/traffic rider, i'd say that matters more to me than to any racer (how often does a road racer unclip?)

This would be great for suddenly changing stoplights where the cars behind get impatient, or when a car starts to run a stopsign/light, see the cyclist, suddenly stops, and then expects the cyclist to take off--except he is fumbling with his cleat.

This would also be great for off-road, where being able to drop a foot and clip back in quickly can be ride-saving.

Let me know when there is a low-cost Chinese knock-off.

(More seriously, the first thing you need is a better video. You don't need flashy graphics or anything ... just a better-planned demonstration, so you can start looking for investors.)

Keep us updated please .... keep the weight and price comparable with the competition and when I need new pedals (assuming you actually make and market these) I would probably buy a set.

Fiery

No less than MTB pedals - they are just optimised for different needs.

Pitbull pedal

So I'm going to just put a number and space this all out instead of replying to each person in a series of posts.

#2 Yes there is a piece of spring steel at the correct angle and measurement to snap it into place with zero slippage.

#3 Speedplay clips in on both sides but we clip in, 360 degrees, nothing to line up.

#4 Actually your heel is up and just your leg weight simply bends the spring steel and it just clips in.

#5 Again, 360 degree entry.

#6 Our aluminum cleat is strong and flat, there is no feeling that it would make you need to shim it.

#7 You are lucky that you never miss ever on your speedplay. But riding in group rides, I saw lots of people missing and once they miss they got nervous as as bikes are going by them and then they would miss again. The pedals that are in the video have zero float but they can be made easy to have 2 or 3 degrees of float.

#8 This pedal may not be for you. I have been riding for only 5 years but have gotten pretty good at it. I am 6'1" and weigh just under 200lbs. I can stand up and hammer them up hill with no problems. My top speed up to date on flat ground is 40.2mph. I rode across FL from the east to west coast and many century rides with no problems. Just saying!

#9 Will not come off unless you turn your heel out. Truth!

#10 There are three bearings in each pedal, they spin like your front tire. Haha. As far as the weight, it is about 6oz per side in total. As far as competitive, I'm not totally sure what you mean, as far as pricing or how it works? For pricing I'm not sure what it would cost to be mass produced, but for competitive in the market I do not think there is a more reliable or quicker pedal.

#11 The pedal should work on any shoe, the large flat area gives plenty of support all the way across the shoe. They are easy to walk in but they are meant to be ridden with. Haha

#12 Yep, carbide insert.

#13 The weigh of your body is spread out over the 2.5 inch cleat on your shoe.

#14 The end of the pedal is completely rounded off and smooth.

Pitbull pedal

I think that you totally get the concept that we're shooting for. Obviously any noobie that would want to move to clip in pedals, this would probably be the easiest and safest to learn with. Thanks man.

Pitbull pedal

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I just want to put my 2 cents in on what I've personally learned over the last 5 years about cycling. I've been with specialized from the beginning. My first bike was a Roubaix comp. My second bike was a specialized venge, and the bike I have now is an S-works Venge. In the past 5 years what I have learned is cheap bikes and fantastic bikes like my venge, still have to be peddled. A couple grams here or oz there, in my opinion just don't make that much of a difference at all. My partner and I joke all the time as we come across the bridge and we're fighting a 20mph headwind, and I'll say that I'm sure glad I spent $300 on these S-works aero bars, or maybe I should change a few of the bolts out to titanium. Bottom line, I woudln't trade my bike for anything. What I think that my bike has done for me is given me the desire to go further and faster. I seem to push myself the extra 100 yards in a sprint or try and get a few extra miles in every week so I can get a little better. We just came up with these pedals, because it was a nuisance trying to get in to our LOOK pedals the first time, every time. Like I had said earlier, if I miss people start passing me in the group, and before I know it I have missed again and I've been dropped and forced to play catch up.

Anyways I hope you all enjoy riding, it is the best thing that I've ever taken up.

VinceB

Looks similar to this effort: MöBIUS | Superior Pedal Design

Maelochs

Similar ... but with that maebius there is still a fair chance of missing.

CliffordK

Pitbull pedal,

What force does it take to pull the pedal out pulling your foot straight back without twisting, as one might get from pulling the pedal up with the toe pointed downward. I have a fear of accidental unclips.

It looks like TriRig and Ultralight Sports have a similar spindle pedal design, but use more of a vertical clip in/out.

https://www.bikeradar.com/news/artic...mercury-36207/

https://newatlas.com/ultralite-world...-pedals/24146/

For me, so far the SPD pedals have been working well, and allow walkable shoes, and for the double sided pedals, can usually be caught while pedaling.

LesterOfPuppets

Reminded me of an easier, but heavier version of the Cirrus pedals



Which at the time reminded me of ye olde Aerolites