While going up/down hills today, I started thinking about
pedals. More particularly, I was thinking about how uni
pedals should be different from bike pedals.
On a bike, it’s ok to strap in, because UPD’s are so rare.
On a uni, it’s not ok, because UPD’s are so common.
So how come uni’s don’t come with a completely different
kind of shoe/pedal combination that works more like a
ski release, so that strapping in won’t be so dangerous?
My first idea is this: eliminate the spinning part of the pedal,
and build it into the shoe. Then the shoe will clasp onto
a simple spindle.
Second thought: have a little tooth on the shoe that hooks
into what’s left of the pedal so that you an lift up on the
shoe and still power the crank. On a UPD, the tooth
on the shoe will simply fall out, and shouldn’t keep the
shoe from disengaging and slipping off to keep you
from falling.
Alternatively, simply mount a version of a quick release
ski binding on the pedal and adjust it so that it releases
very easily.
