Pedals - Priority Bicycle Owner's Manual

E.Pedals
1. Toe Overlap is when your toe can touch the front wheel when you turn the handlebars to steer while a pedal is in the forward most
position. This is common on small-framed bicycles, and is avoided by keeping the inside pedal up and the outside pedal down when
making sharp turns. On any bicycle, this technique will also prevent the inside pedal from striking the ground in a turn.
WARNING: Toe Overlap could cause you to lose control and fall. Ask your dealer to help you determine if the
combination of frame size, crank arm length, pedal design and shoes you will use results in pedal overlap. Whether you have
overlap or not, you must keep the inside pedal up and the outside pedal down when making sharp turns.
2. Some bicycles come equipped with pedals that have sharp and potentially dangerous surfaces. These surfaces are designed to
add safety by increasing grip between the rider's shoe and the pedal. If your bicycle has this type of high-performance pedal, you must
take extra care to avoid serious injury from the pedals' sharp surfaces. Based on your riding style or skill level, you may prefer a less
aggressive pedal design, or chose to ride with shin pads. Your dealer can show you a number of options and make suitable
recommendations.
3. Toeclips and straps are a means to keep feet correctly positioned and engaged with the pedals. The toeclip positions the ball of
the foot over the pedal spindle, which gives maximum pedaling power. The toe strap, when tightened, keeps the foot engaged
throughout the rotation cycle of the pedal. While toeclips and straps give some benefit with any kind of shoe, they work most effectively
with cycling shoes designed for use with toeclips. Your dealer can explain how toeclips and straps work. Shoes with deep treaded soles
or welts which might make it more difficult for you to insert or remove your foot should not be used with toeclips and straps.
WARNING: Getting into and out of pedals with toeclips and straps requires skill which can only be acquired with
practice. Until it becomes a reflex action, the technique requires concentration which can distract your attention and cause
you to lose control and fall. Practice the use of toeclips and straps where there are no obstacles, hazards or traffic. Keep the
straps loose, and don't tighten them until your technique and confidence in getting in and out of the pedals warrants it. Never
ride in traffic with your toe straps tight.
4. Clipless pedals (sometimes called "step-in pedals") are another means to keep feet securely in the correct position for maximum
pedaling efficiency. They have a plate, called a "cleat," on the sole of the shoe, which clicks into a mating spring-loaded fixture on the
pedal. They only engage or disengage with a very specific motion which must be practiced until it becomes instinctive. Clipless pedals
require shoes and cleats which are compatible with the make and model pedal being used.
Many clipless pedals are designed to allow the rider to adjust the amount of force needed to engage or disengage the foot. Follow
the pedal manufacturer's instructions, or ask your dealer to show you how to make this adjustment. Use the easiest setting until
engaging and disengaging becomes a reflex action, but always make sure that there is sufficient tension to prevent unintended release
of your foot from the pedal.
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