# inverse pedals??



## spazzy (Aug 15, 2004)

anyone ever thought of making a pedal with a thin block of rubber over a frame and then having pins in your shoes? it would most likely suck and not work but i just had a thought when i was studying inverse functions today, even sharp plastic sole with a sticky rubber pedal?

just a thought and i was just wondering if anyone had thought of it and if it would work


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## $ally Hu$tle (Apr 6, 2007)

As in, finding a company that would produce shoes with a sharp plastic sole, or doing it yourself? Because I doubt a company would do that...


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## 08nwsula (Oct 19, 2005)

you could make your pedals and wear golf shoes with them. haha, that would put fiveTen out of business


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## rustyskills (Dec 23, 2007)

08nwsula said:


> you could make your pedals and wear golf shoes with them. haha, that would put fiveTen out of business


haha that'd be like riding clipless


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## chooofoojoo (Feb 22, 2007)

you'd be hard pressed to make modern golf shoes work with a rubber pedal.... Most golf courses prohibit Metal spikes now a days, and so you'd be hard pressed to find some. and most plastic spikes are made to be soft and flex so they 'grab' the turf (most grass is softer then rubber.....) 

But hey good idea none the less.


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## rkj__ (Feb 29, 2004)

The shoes would not be as good for walking, that is for sure.


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## rustyskills (Dec 23, 2007)

not to mention how often you would have to replace the pedals


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## rkj__ (Feb 29, 2004)

your pedals would not gouge your shins nearly as much though


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## spazzy (Aug 15, 2004)

i dunno just an idea i had from my DC snowboard boots, they have CTR (cold temperature rubber) when the temp drops below freezing (or close to it) the sole hardens up and creates little spikeys that grip like mad into the ice if youre hiking a jump or rail or what not, and i was thinking maybe cuz pins would suck to go into your foot if you crashed or something. i could have little plastic spikes that would stick to the rubber. granted you would hit rocks and have to replace the rubber but i was thinking just have a thin base and have a rubber sleeve slide over the pedal body and sleeves could be replaceable and pretty cheap and easy to do. just slide the sleeve off and toss it, and throw another sleeve on. vs replacing allen headed pins in pedal bodys...

anyway just an idea i had, i might try and work up a prototype with stuff laying around/under 20 bucks at menards


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## warriorltd (Oct 6, 2006)

good thought but i feel like the rubber on the pedal would be jello-like and move and stretch around. not a very sturdy surface.


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## ianinco (Jan 19, 2006)

There is a company called "icebugs" (I think). they make outdoor shoes that have retractable cleats (spikes) like studded snow tires. You could try this concept by grinding off any spikes you have on your current pedals and using a contact adhesive to glue some rubber to your now flat pedals. You can buy those work mats from home depet or somewhere like that. However I do feel that golf shoes would make the ultimate statement. You could match those with a pair of plus fours and an interesting plaid shirt.. NICE


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## NorKal (Jan 13, 2005)

ianinco said:


> There is a company called "icebugs" (I think). they make outdoor shoes that have retractable cleats (spikes) like studded snow tires. You could try this concept by grinding off any spikes you have on your current pedals and using a contact adhesive to glue some rubber to your now flat pedals. You can buy those work mats from home depet or somewhere like that. However I do feel that golf shoes would make the ultimate statement. You could match those with a pair of plus fours and an interesting plaid shirt.. NICE


I can see it now, Plaid will become the new "white". Everyone will be clamoring to get one of those god-awful argyle Demos to match their clothes


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## njhcx4xlife (Jan 9, 2006)

Although a really cool idea (which might not even work) there may be some sort of liability issue with spiked shoes. I am imagining someone taking a digger on a race course and kicking a spectator in the face with spikey shoes. That could get ugly. Pretty cool thinking though.


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## AW_ (Jan 3, 2006)

njhcx4xlife said:


> Although a really cool idea (which might not even work) there may be some sort of liability issue with spiked shoes. I am imagining someone taking a digger on a race course and kicking a spectator in the face with spikey shoes. That could get ugly. Pretty cool thinking though.


That is an interesting point. I think racers should be leashed to their bikes (just like snow / surf boards) in case they bail and the bike goes off into the crowd.


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## ianinco (Jan 19, 2006)

SO, just to get a little off topic here but I am reminded of a story my boss told me. 

He was a laborer on a building site in the early 50's and then the guys would nail horse shoes to the bottom of their work boots to prolong the life of their soles. Anyway one day he was asked to stand on a metal beam to hold it down while they welded it in place to another beam (he was also told not to look at the bright lights). So with his eyes closed the welder proceeded to weld the horse shoes on his boot to the beam leaving my boss stuck there unless he took off his boots......

This being said, how about if someone just made an integrated shoe/pedal that was permanently fixed to the crank arm. I can't see any more positive connection anyone could have with their bike. Also, if you endo'ed then maybe you could just "ride it out" as your feet would not come flying off. 

I guess maybe to achieve this we would also have to strap our wrists to the handlebars....Not so safe

Sorry to go off on this tangent, I am just a little bored at work


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## LoozinSkin (Jun 29, 2004)

This thread has produced some of the absurdly funny content in a while. 

I feel like I just smoked a huge doob reading all these ideas!


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## spazzy (Aug 15, 2004)

im gunna try the golf shoes, ill get an old pair from my roomie and hit the park and see what peeps think lol jk, i just wanted to see what people would say about this idea cuz i was reading the "fly paper pedals" the other day and i think i have a revolutionary idea too


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## ianinco (Jan 19, 2006)

> im gunna try the golf shoes, ill get an old pair from my roomie and hit the park and see what peeps think lol jk, i just wanted to see what people would say about this idea cuz i was reading the "fly paper pedals" the other day and i think i have a revolutionary idea too


Enlighten us


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## spazzy (Aug 15, 2004)

my sweet new rubber pedals were the revolutionary idea that already failed cuz im poor and my roomie doesnt have any golf shoes for me, maybe in the summer or ill make a design plan and send it to like vibram or something, most likely not that either tho lol


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## ianinco (Jan 19, 2006)

So, how about this?

I was thinking of a ski boot and binging system, but then realised that you can't bend your ankle. So what about a tele or Cross Country binding where you just clip in your toes and have a flexible or free heel. Sweet.

Then I thought about the extra length on your pedals and rock clearance etc, however, are any of these ideas realistic enough to put his much thought into them? I am not so sure.

Velcro night work. Actually this may allow for some minor re adjustment mid run and even allow you to do a no-footer. Awesome.

On the Velcro thing though would you have the soft part or the sharp and pointy part on your shoes. We can't go head first into these ideas without some proper fore-thought. (And yes I realised I said the opposite a second ago)


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## kenbentit (Jan 2, 2003)

Revolutionary? as in round and round... my head hurts now


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## eabos (Jun 11, 2005)

Reading this conversation I have seen a bunch of ideas to keep one's foot attached to a pedal. We're talking about velcro, ski bindings, shoes fixed to crank arm.......I bet this is similar to the conversation people had 10 years ago when they invented CLIPLESS PEDALS.


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## ianinco (Jan 19, 2006)

That's true, however I feel that clipless pedals have merit and golf shoes, velcro and ski boots in mountain biking, well, lets just say that whoever thought of this must have been in the crawl space of the lowest point of their life


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## lelebebbel (Jan 31, 2005)

I like the idea, it's an interesting thought!
But the pins on the shoes would wear out really fast whenever you walk somewhere. Think track sprint shoes - 100ft on asphalt and the spikes are toast.









You would have to take it further and build rubber singletrack, too, to save the shoes. Then of course everyone would run tires made of rock and dirt to get traction.


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## ianinco (Jan 19, 2006)

> I like the idea, it's an interesting thought!
> But the pins on the shoes would wear out really fast whenever you walk somewhere. Think track sprint shoes - 100ft on asphalt and the spikes are toast.
> 
> You would have to take it further and build rubber singletrack, too, to save the shoes. Then of course everyone would run tires made of rock and dirt to get traction.


I thought of this also, however I felt that you could dip the pedals in the rubber compound that makes up the running track.

I am surprised that no one has thought of using crampons and a "single use" pedal made from ice. The cooler at the top of the course my look a little sketchy, however. We don't want people thinking that down hillers like a drink.


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## ianinco (Jan 19, 2006)

Also, my wife has just read all of my posts on this topic and is making snide remarks about being an idiot and a jerk all at the same time. For some reason she is beginning to doubt my superior intelligence


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## ianinco (Jan 19, 2006)

So, I was also reminded of an old Aussie solution

IF ITS FUCT, USE DUCT.

I am quite embarrassed that I did not think of this earlier


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## Djponee (Dec 20, 2006)

> your pedals would not gouge your shins nearly as much though


that is disappointing


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## Rover Nick (Jul 13, 2006)

Spikes on your shoes, there's a new way of racing dirty in a 4x race?


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## Dirt_Dog (Sep 21, 2007)

I do a lot of snow riding, so I think it would be a great idea!

Nothing would dig into a steep uphill with snow and ice like a shoe with metal spikes!

In fact I'm going to try wrapping an inner tube on mine and wearing some sports cleats. :thumbsup:


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## Trocadero (Sep 13, 2007)

It's a good idea but you would go through pedals like nobody's business.


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## 317000 (Mar 2, 2007)

Trocadero said:


> It's a good idea but you would go through pedals like nobody's business.


Nah, how many 5.10 shoe soles do you wear out?

This is a great idea. A pedal with replaceable 5.10 Stealth rubber "soles" and then a shoe with a metal sole with a rubber heel and really hard, replaceable metal spikes. Hell, maybe the shoe plate could be removable for when your just walking around.

Killer idea, you'd never f*ck your shins again and you could have SUPER long pins without worrying that your break them off when your pedal hits a rock.


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## idrunk (Oct 19, 2007)

i just spent 10 minutes of my life getting dumber. heres my contribution. what about just using basically a spindle looking pedal with a spring ball bearing on the end of it (like in adjustable length ski poles). the shoe would have a U-shaped bracket that would enter from the side of the spindle and slide on. youd probably get some wicked foot-hot-spot from having a narrow surface pressuring on the foot for awhile, but you cant say its any dumber than the rest of these ideas.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

$ally Hu$tle said:


> As in, finding a company that would produce shoes with a sharp plastic sole, or doing it yourself? Because I doubt a company would do that...


heavy lawsuit....you put your foot down and your ankle go boom.....something you wouldn't want....I like that you are thinking outside of the box....cool you are thinking but this one failed....we need more visionaries


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## Trocadero (Sep 13, 2007)

ianinco said:


> Also, my wife has just read all of my posts on this topic and is making snide remarks about being an idiot and a jerk all at the same time. For some reason she is beginning to doubt my superior intelligence


women tend to do that


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