# pedal strike is killing me



## sgtrobo (Aug 19, 2014)

So I did my first race today. Had a blast but I was having serious issues with pedal strike. I was hoping thati could get some help on this. Is that just typical of clydes? Is it a suspension thing perhaps?


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## langen (May 21, 2005)

I find it is a matter of learning how to time your pedal stroke to avoid the strike. 
I've been riding 190mm cranks for a few years on my FS on rocky/rooty singletrack. I obviously get the occasional pedal strike, but I'm living with it just fine. 

How long cranks do you run?


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## sgtrobo (Aug 19, 2014)

langen said:


> I find it is a matter of learning how to time your pedal stroke to avoid the strike.
> I've been riding 190mm cranks for a few years on my FS on rocky/rooty singletrack. I obviously get the occasional pedal strike, but I'm living with it just fine.
> 
> How long cranks do you run?


I think my cranks are 175mm on a size M Stumpjumper FSR 29. LBS checked my sag today
Afterwards and said I was at 35% or something so he adjusted it to 25% and said to try it out for a bit


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## tehllama (Jul 18, 2013)

I've just started accepting frequent pedal strikes for some trail types - I guess 175mm cranks on a 12.8" static BB height ran at 30% sag has a really specific drawback, but as soon as I start bombing downhill on stuff and get to enjoy that stability and maneuverability. 
I think the difference is just actually seeing the effects on the pedals and cranks over time, where lighter guys are barely chewing through the finish.


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## Fleas (Jan 19, 2006)

Sometimes if you can push a bigger gear you have a little more flexibility in timing your pedal strokes.

-F


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

Hmmm... I find this interesting. Reading this thread made me remember I was getting pedal strikes in my FS 29er when I first got it. I also switched the cranks from 175 to 180. I was getting strikes on climbs that were more or less straight with rocks and roots.
I couldn't tell you what I'm doing differently, but I haven't had a pedal strike on either of my bikes in a VERY long time.


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## lorsban (Sep 2, 2009)

Fleas said:


> Sometimes if you can push a bigger gear you have a little more flexibility in timing your pedal strokes.
> 
> -F


+1

This is what I notice as well.


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## tigris99 (Aug 26, 2012)

My issue was similar, too much say got the bb height too low, how such a little different matters but.... And TIMING, takes a while to learn. Kind of a subconscious thing after a while, ull see something that pedal may hit and bring pedal or pedals up and ratchet over it (if needed).

Take some time on familiar trails (bit easier to concentrate on learning that when u know what's coming anyway). Bit of time, suddenly u dont even realize lack of strikes, at least till it hits you that ur better at it then BAM, hit a freaking pedal lol.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

I think it's mostly timing and familiarity with the bike. Though Specialized has a reputation for a lower bottom bracket.

Was it only when you were pedaling, or did you get it other times too?


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## sgtrobo (Aug 19, 2014)

AndrwSwitch said:


> Was it only when you were pedaling, or did you get it other times too?


mostly while pedaling. I got the suspension tightened up in the back, think I was too droopy, so going to have another go at it this week


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## Beezbeck (Nov 23, 2013)

Just ride more. Concentrate on timing your pedal revolutions to avoid rocks. Like was said earlier, familiarity with the bike on trail and while racing with your HR way up will go a long way. It's not a bigger rider thing and not really a low BB thing. I'm about 2 bills and ride chunky chunky trails up here in Tahoe and smooth trails down lower in the valley. I pedal strike about once a year, if that. If you concentrate on it, it'll go away. As far as your sag goes, 30% might be excessive for an XC racing setup if that's what you were doing. The shop was right to stiffen it up to 25% Sag really comes down to preference within a certain degree and then moves to bike design outside that. Keep riding. Race with the rubber side down on your new rig.


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## Bttocs (Jun 21, 2014)

This was my first year of mtbing and I get a fair amount of pedal strikes also. I ride a 29 hardtai, so sag isn't a big factor. I use flats, Canfield crampons, which are about as thin as it gets. Sooooo it is me, and I don't deny it. I actually haven't figured out how to time it so I don't strike yet. I see a rock, especially if climbing up a steep hill, and I am thinking don't hit it, but I need to pedal otherwise I will stall, and sure enough I hit it. I am guessing going faster will help so I can stop pedaling for a few sec's to clear a rock, but sometimes hard to do. I do that down hill or on the flat, but not uphill. What I haven't developed is a half pedal, where I rachet back and re pedal. Can anyone explain how to time it??


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## sgtrobo (Aug 19, 2014)

Bttocs said:


> I see a rock, especially if climbing up a steep hill, and I am thinking don't hit it, but I need to pedal otherwise I will stall, and sure enough I hit it.


yeah, this one is a problem with me too, that much I know and I know it's my own fault.


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## sgtrobo (Aug 19, 2014)

well, after 4 hours of riding yesterday in which I had almost zero pedal strike issues, I'm fairly certain it was the rear shock that was the primary issue. Either that, or the area I rode in yesterday somehow had roots that got out of the way of the pedals, unlike the other area I was riding, where I was pedal striking almost constantly. I wasn't even thinking about it for the first few hours, and then it occurred to me that 'hey, no pedal strike, I didn't even notice'


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## manpurse (Feb 6, 2011)

Something that helped me was putting on bigger tires with more volume. This gets the bike a bit higher with the taller tires.


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## davidmac4u (Dec 9, 2021)

any difference in using clipless pedals or flats I wonder when it comes to pedal strikes??


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## dysfunction (Aug 15, 2009)

davidmac4u said:


> any difference in using clipless pedals or flats I wonder when it comes to pedal strikes??


Not really.


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## Battery (May 7, 2016)

If you have full suspension, check your air pressure and sag. After that, it's all technique. In my Turbo Levo FB group, riders complain constantly about pedal strikes. I have no idea what they are doing but I rarely have a pedal strike on my Levo. I think it's just bad/sloppy technique and they are trying to find excuses to upgrade their bike.

I did experience more pedal strikes on my SC 5010 though. I tested the low position and I had a few more scrapes than I usually do. All I did was flip the chip back to high and called it good. I couldn't feel a difference between low and high settings anyways.


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## Bike Whisperer (Aug 7, 2012)

Battery said:


> If you have full suspension, check your air pressure and sag. After that, it's all technique. In my Turbo Levo FB group, riders complain constantly about pedal strikes. I have no idea what they are doing but I rarely have a pedal strike on my Levo. I think it's just bad/sloppy technique and they are trying to find excuses to upgrade their bike.
> 
> I did experience more pedal strikes on my SC 5010 though. I tested the low position and I had a few more scrapes than I usually do. All I did was flip the chip back to high and called it good. I couldn't feel a difference between low and high settings anyways.


The Turbo Levo bikes, like many e-bikes run short crankarms, 160mm I believe which makes pedal strikes much less frequent. I don't own an e-bike but I did switch from my stock 175mm crankarms to a set of 165mm crankarms and have noticed a significant reduction in pedal strikes. I haven't noticed any reduction in power and in fact find the 165mm arms are easier for me to climb on (but I am 5' 11" with a 32" inseam so YMMV for taller riders) since I spin more with an even cadence than I did with the 175mm arms.


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## xjbaylor (Sep 22, 2006)

davidmac4u said:


> any difference in using clipless pedals or flats I wonder when it comes to pedal strikes??


A small difference, just because most flats have more surface area, and are less likely to "miss" obstacles.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Flats are significantly wider and longer than just about any clipless pedal. I regularly see people on flats catching a pedal on rocks I have no problem pedaling through.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## dysfunction (Aug 15, 2009)

Swapping between XT trail pedals and Canfield crampons (same bike, cranks etc), there really isn't any difference IME.. Then again, the XTs are about twice as thick as the crampons.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

davidmac4u said:


> any difference in using clipless pedals or flats I wonder when it comes to pedal strikes??


You resurrected a seven year old thread?

Very impressive 🤣


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## CaveGiant (Aug 21, 2007)

Seven year old thread, but a valid question. 

Bigger pedals are more likely to catch. 

However as this was in the Clyde group another thing to consider is that the damping is likely far too soft and therefore pedals strikes will be much more common.


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## Battery (May 7, 2016)

Bike Whisperer said:


> The Turbo Levo bikes, like many e-bikes run short crankarms, 160mm I believe which makes pedal strikes much less frequent. I don't own an e-bike but I did switch from my stock 175mm crankarms to a set of 165mm crankarms and have noticed a significant reduction in pedal strikes. I haven't noticed any reduction in power and in fact find the 165mm arms are easier for me to climb on (but I am 5' 11" with a 32" inseam so YMMV for taller riders) since I spin more with an even cadence than I did with the 175mm arms.


Interesting info with regards to climbing!. I'm 5'11" and 29" inseam myself. I tend to stick with 170mm cranks on my regular bikes and 165 on my DH. I actually received my RaceFace Atlas crank the other day for my 5010. I went with 170mm cranks. I have to check the mail to see if my chainring showed up. 

In case anyone wants to go with a different crank length, Fanatik Bike has cranks on sale right now!


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Skillset issue


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## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

Definitely skillset for the most part. It did start happening to me out of the blue about 6 months ago, but I suspected low shock pressure right a way. Sure enough, my shock seals are on their way out. Now I just pump my shock up a little before each ride. I do the same with my tires anyway. I don't want to through down money for a rebuild yet.


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## XC Only (Jul 9, 2007)

Skillset, flat pedals, and long, low slack bikes being used where long, low, slack bikes are not ideal. Unfortunately, just about all of the full suspension bikes and the aggressive hardtails are going this route. There is a noticeable difference in BB height from bikes I've had from 2008 to bikes I have now.


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## Bike Whisperer (Aug 7, 2012)

XC Only said:


> Skillset, flat pedals, and long, low slack bikes being used where long, low, slack bikes are not ideal. Unfortunately, just about all of the full suspension bikes and the aggressive hardtails are going this route. There is a noticeable difference in BB height from bikes I've had from 2008 to bikes I have now.


True story, I just measured my 2007 Stumpjumper FRS 120 w/ 26 x 2.4" tires and my current Motobecane HAL Comp Boost with 27.5 x 2.8" tires. The Stumpy is a full 2cm higher than the Moto. And the Stumpy was known to have a "low" BB height while my Moto is not as long and low as many new 29" and 27.5" bikes these days. Now I understand my Moto would be ~1" higher with 29 x 2.3" tires but it's also got 20mm more travel. I rarely had/have pedals strikes on the Stumpy with 175mm crankarms, I was getting pedal strikes all the time on the Moto with 175mm crankarms which I recently swapped out for 165mm that has reduced the strikes significantly.


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## 53x11 (Jan 28, 2014)

You need to get a bike with a HIGH bottom braket - 14 or 15" Like Zinn cycles offers


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## Tallboy723 (4 mo ago)

Years ago I had crank bros mallets and was hitting my pedals way too often. That’s when I switched CB egg beaters. Never ever again have I had any strike since. I just recently picked up som candys for a bit more support with my repaired ankle. They work well also.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

BBs went stupid low recently. A few years back was a happy medium. It's not the DH stuff with the pedals level, its the freaking uphill pedal strikes all over the damn place. No, we are not asking for 15 or even 14" BB heights...but things have gotten stupid.


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## In2bikes (5 mo ago)

Pedal across the parking lot trying to bounce your suspension bike while you pedal.
next try the exact same thing trying to prevent the suspension from moving at all. which technique do you want to use on the trail?


glide down the trail with one foot straight down at 6 oclock. how high is your foot off the ground? How long does it take to have a pedal strike? continue ths exercise but tip the bike over to gain more clearance for your foot.


combine pedalling technique w pedal timing with bike side to side movement and you will be fine.


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## Travolta (Oct 26, 2016)

Sanchofula said:


> You resurrected a seven year old thread?


which is only a problem with outdated issues. something like pedal strikes for longer cranks isnt one of those.
the same thread could be made today and be valid.


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## SoDakSooner (Nov 23, 2005)

All good stuff in my opinion. Even after many years i still get some, but run fairly long cranks. Run a taller gear so you can grab a little speed through the chunky sections, learn to ratchet the pedals. It's really mostly technique.


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## Ray Lee (Aug 17, 2007)

davidmac4u said:


> any difference in using clipless pedals or flats I wonder when it comes to pedal strikes??


for me its noticeable, my clipless are narrower/smaller than my flats so less sticking out, not as low when leaning, but the I think the biggest thing is the rounded off corners of my SPD pedals don't grab like the hard edges/pins on my flats... get more glancing blows vs hard stop feeling.


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## theturkeyman (4 d ago)

well if the OP got a new stump jumper in the past 7 years, he can try flipping the flip chip to raise the bottom bracket a bit.


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## In2bikes (5 mo ago)

deleted


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

In2bikes said:


> never run clipless, but tapped a pedal more than i would like. i guess if you tap a rock or the dirt with pedals, the pedal takes the hit (usually) in clipless, do you notice the hit more on the shoes?


Uh what?


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