Pedal strike sucks.
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 135
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Pedal strike sucks.
Okay, I admit it.
I always thought pedal strike was kind of a non-issue.
Not a big enough worry to be concerned with.
Today on my way home, I leaned tight into a turn so I could turn around on a narrow residential street. As I came around in the right direction I felt my pedal catch on the ground, and I got thrown off. Unfortunately the bike was still connected to my opposite foot so I flew about ten feet and the bike came down on top of me. It's undamaged and, beyond a bit of road rash, so am I.
But now I have learned the dangers of pedal strike.
I always thought pedal strike was kind of a non-issue.
Not a big enough worry to be concerned with.
Today on my way home, I leaned tight into a turn so I could turn around on a narrow residential street. As I came around in the right direction I felt my pedal catch on the ground, and I got thrown off. Unfortunately the bike was still connected to my opposite foot so I flew about ten feet and the bike came down on top of me. It's undamaged and, beyond a bit of road rash, so am I.
But now I have learned the dangers of pedal strike.
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 413
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Even though it sucks, you have to strike your pedals once or twice, or else you'll never know just what the limit is when cornering hard. I've struck a few times, usually when I've been riding my road bike a lot (the nice thing about freewheels is that you corner HARD), but have managed to stay on the bike all but one time. I definitely just about crapped my pants every time, though.
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 166
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I've never had the pleasure of experiencing pedal strike, but sometimes I do lean over pretty far. Every now and then on those turns I look down as the pedal reaches its most downward point and think to myself 'oh ****, i'm gonna get thrown', but thankfully it never happens. Good to hear you came out relatively ok.
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 135
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Yeah.
At first I thought it was just adrenaline, but I got all the way home and chilled out and I'm definately not hurt too bad.
I agree that you have to hit to learn how far over you can go.
At first I thought it was just adrenaline, but I got all the way home and chilled out and I'm definately not hurt too bad.
I agree that you have to hit to learn how far over you can go.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: toronto
Posts: 50
Bikes: pake
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
i dont think ive EVER hit a corner hard enough to slam since ive been riding tarck.
when i used to ride ss i used to make a point of seeing how hard i could corner... im going to make a point of testing the limits because of this thread.
when i used to ride ss i used to make a point of seeing how hard i could corner... im going to make a point of testing the limits because of this thread.
#7
donut post
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Called him at the coaster room!
Posts: 58
Bikes: RRRIIIIIIIPPPPPPYYYOOOOUUUUURRRRRMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
my pedals are worn away at the corners from the places i've struck them, but i haven't got down - yet.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Stockton, CA
Posts: 229
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I've scraped my pedals but never gone down. I can't wait to get a bike with a higher bottom bracket and ditch my conversion.
BTW, are you guys scraping/striking on conversions or track bikes?
BTW, are you guys scraping/striking on conversions or track bikes?
#9
veggieburglar
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Santa Barbara/San Jose, CA
Posts: 647
Bikes: 60s Peugeot conversion, 2002 Santa Cruz Heckler, 2007 Bianchi "Everyone has one" Pista, Beat up Beach Cruiser
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Same here. There are a couple turns on the campus bike path that are way too much fun to take fast, but I've never eaten it luckily. For what its worth, I'm riding a Pista. I used to hit my pedals ALL the time when I had a beater conversion.
#10
Fails at being impressed
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 378
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I've touched down a couple of times, but never on my 'proper' track bike.
The keys is are 1.) proper bottom bracket height 2.) proper crank arm length 3.) proper pedal Q factor
With a proper track (or even semi-tarck) bike's bottom bracket, 165mm crank arms, and narrow track pedals, you should lose the front end way before you ever touch down.
The keys is are 1.) proper bottom bracket height 2.) proper crank arm length 3.) proper pedal Q factor
With a proper track (or even semi-tarck) bike's bottom bracket, 165mm crank arms, and narrow track pedals, you should lose the front end way before you ever touch down.
#11
Señor Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Brooklyn
Posts: 289
Bikes: Surly Steamroller, Specialized Sirrus, KHS Solo SE
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I've never gone down from it. I did strike going around a corner fast.. made my bike skip to the side.. almost into a truck. And there are also these weird bulges in the city streets that I've hit a couple times.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Oregon
Posts: 61
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I've struck a couple times but never in a big way. I'm actually thinking I could manage 170mm cranks.
Anyone gone from 165 up to 170? I would love a little more torque.
Anyone gone from 165 up to 170? I would love a little more torque.
#14
Elemental Child
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Minnesoter
Posts: 232
Bikes: 1989 Schwinn World workhorse, 1979 Trek Summer Bike, 1995 Schwinn Moab that never gets ridden
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I ride 170's on my Trek conversion and haven't experienced anything more than minor striking. I rode a friend's bike which had 165's and it felt quite cramped. I have long legs.
#15
Utilitarian Boy
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Bronx, NY
Posts: 3,235
Bikes: Check the sig to find out
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
4 Posts
I pedal striked when I had my first fixed, which was a conversion. I took a slow U turn on an incline and fell over. What "deadforking" said is true because you'll never learn your limit.
Eventually you'll want to learn how to skid whip turns/drift them so that way you won't have to turn so sharply on some turns. It keeps you from pedaling through some turns and having your pedals touch. Of course you gotta get used to the balancing of doing that though (practicing hockey stops will help you get the balance of doing that).
Eventually you'll want to learn how to skid whip turns/drift them so that way you won't have to turn so sharply on some turns. It keeps you from pedaling through some turns and having your pedals touch. Of course you gotta get used to the balancing of doing that though (practicing hockey stops will help you get the balance of doing that).
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 413
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I have yet to strike on my track bike.
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 764
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I've pedal struck once but didn't go down. Now I do what I do on the motorcycle at the track going around turns: I lean my body off the bike. Since the feet are clipped in, I lean my upper body as far as I can off the bike into the turn; this effectively moves the combined center of gravity (bike and rider) into the turn without the bike having to lean as far. This allows me to take the turns faster without excessively leaning the bike, avoiding the dreaded pedal strike.
#18
Full Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Lyon, France
Posts: 258
Bikes: Custom Mercier - Velo'v - Peugeot FG conversion
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I had a pedal strike once, but I managed to catch my balance and didn't fall off. It's a good lesson to learn because now I am careful not to lean in too far.
#20
delicious
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: nyc downtown
Posts: 316
Bikes: The one under my bum.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I've touched down a couple of times, but never on my 'proper' track bike.
The keys is are 1.) proper bottom bracket height 2.) proper crank arm length 3.) proper pedal Q factor
With a proper track (or even semi-tarck) bike's bottom bracket, 165mm crank arms, and narrow track pedals, you should lose the front end way before you ever touch down.
The keys is are 1.) proper bottom bracket height 2.) proper crank arm length 3.) proper pedal Q factor
With a proper track (or even semi-tarck) bike's bottom bracket, 165mm crank arms, and narrow track pedals, you should lose the front end way before you ever touch down.
I've scraped pedals more times than I can shake a stick at, and it's never caused a crash (yet... fingers crossed). It's happened to me on high-zoot road bikes, my commuter bike, and conversion bikes, while making u-turns, pedaling through corners, racing, whatever. Usually it happens a few times with a new bike until I learn how far I can take it. My current roadie is terrible, I am so disappointed to not be able to pedal through fast turns anymore.
On my real track bike it is pretty hard but not impossible to get the pedal to touch down. It happened once on purpose when I first got it, and was trying to learn how far it would go making figure 8s on a basketball court. Good cleated bike shoes with decent pedals help a lot. Good road/track pedals stick out less than bmx, mountain, or (gasp!) platform pedals, and are less likely to scrape.
True track bikes have high bottom bracket, as has been pointed out. This makes an enormous difference.
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MKE, WI
Posts: 52
Bikes: Alien, Fuji Track, Eight Inch Scrambler
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Actually...I just broke my hand, ripped open my chin thus exposing muscle tissue, and endured some other random bits of road rash because of pedal strike. A low bottom bracket and 170 crank arms will ruin your day...
Easily my worst fall.
Easily my worst fall.
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: illinois
Posts: 549
Bikes: surly steamroller - towniefied.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Never actually pedal struck before but I have managed to turn hard enough to loose traction along the sidewall of my tires and simply hit the ground. Not fun either time but not serious either. I do believe I've got pretty short crank arms though.
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 280
Bikes: 1994 Trek 1200, 1984 Raleigh Prestige, 1980 Motobecane Grand Jubile, custom 531 track, and a bunch of tinker bikes of all type
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
if youre quick enough, you can throw your weight around and hop the back wheel back in line (like how you do in a skip stop) and retain your balance as soon as you realize you just struck. that takes a bit of awareness and faith in your skills though. i run 170mm arms on a high bb frame though so it is a rare event indeed.
#24
^posier than thou
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Honolulu, HI
Posts: 317
Bikes: black 62cm IRO Angus w/Fusions on Phil hubs, Sugino 75 cranks, Soma track drops
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Damn, that sucks man. I hope you're alright. Luckily I've never been a victim of the deadly pedal strike. 165mm Suginos + Crank Bros. clipless = so far so good.
#25
shreddin'
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: RVA
Posts: 47
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
On a conversion with bmx pedals i once had a pedal strike that forced me into a 15-20 foot sideways skid when a car cut me off with a surprise left turn. The chain jumped off and jammed the rear wheel.
Not once have i struck on my track bike with track or clipless pedals.
Not once have i struck on my track bike with track or clipless pedals.