Re: Catalyst Pedals?

On Thu, 24 Apr 2025 07:46:30 -0500,
  AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

 On 4/23/2025 9:20 PM, John B. wrote:

On Wed, 23 Apr 2025 19:59:22 -0500, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

On 4/23/2025 7:48 PM, Frank Krygowski wrote:

On 4/23/2025 7:57 PM, Ted Heise wrote:

https://naturalfootgear.com/blogs/shoe-footgear-reviews/
catalyst-pedals-review
>
Has anyone ever used these and have experience they could
share? I've ridden on clipless for 30 years, so I'm not
sure if I could get used to platforms (though I do have
Campy Super Leggeri pedals with toe straps on my fixed gear
bike).

>
I've not used that brand of pedals, but I've long been a fan
of more conventional platform pedals. Some bikes have had
Lyotard Model 23s for decades:
https://classicrendezvous.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/
Lyo_berL.jpg
>
A couple now have modern copies by MKS:
https://mkspedal.com/?q=en/product/node/76
>
Those are not equivalent to your proposed pedals because the
force of the foot is still applied through the ball of the
foot, not the arch and certainly not the heel. But for me,
at least, those are comfortable for riding with ordinary
footwear. They make a stiff shoe sole much less important.
>
But I'm a bit skeptical of what seem to be claims that it's
more natural to push with the entire foot. (I'll confess to
not watching the video all the way through.) ISTM that
pushing with the entire foot is not normally done in
situations where we want extra power.

Yeah, I don't disagree with sketicism about their claim for better
locus of force appliction from the foot.  I think the stiff soled
shoes that are typical for road biking do a fair job of doing
this.  That said, from Catryke's post it seems the claim about
engaging different leg muscles may not be all wrong.

What are those situations in non-bicycling life? The first
is climbing stairs. Another might be walking up a fairly
steep hill. In those cases, I certainly push off with the
ball of my foot, bringing my calf muscles into action. I
just tried climbing stairs using my entire foot on the
stair, and it felt clumsy, literally "flat footed."

Makes me think of my ballroom dancing, where a part of rise
(though just a part) comes from the foot and ankles.  The degree
of knee bending is also a factor there.  And the muscles needed
differ noticeably between the two!

I do agree with the website regarding pulling up on the
backstroke. It's been pretty conclusively shown that
cyclists exert upward force on the rear pedal only rarely.
It does help climbing and low cadence acceleration to _try_
to pull up in the rear, because it lessens the unproductive
backward torque on the crank.

Yeah, I agree with you, Frank.

I rode Lyotard 45 for years; about 8 to 10 years each before
they were worn beyond repair as the top rivets just erode.
>
I changed to Lyotard 460D about twenty years ago. Same idea
as you and Mr Heise but more durable.

(I also ride with toeclips in regular leather sole Florsheims
or Allen Edmunds)

Me too (on the toeclips with basic dress shoes).

Tried to view your reference and get error "detected an issue
and did not continue to www.velobase.com."

 
 Try this:
 
 https://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/european_influence/lyotard-a-short-history-of-one-of-the-most-widely-used-pedals-in-cycling/

Thanks both the helpful thoughts.

--
Ted Heise      <theise@panix.com>       West Lafayette, IN, USA