Jan wrote:
Tread usually is measured over the pedal mating surfaces of the crank, not the pedal center. Even with pedals of different width, most racers place their feet close to the crankarms.
How have you determined 'usually'? Is this based upon some kind of documentation or was it detemined by fiat by the 'we' and 'our' of BQ? How did you determine the position of 'most' racers foot placement? How did you document this? Have you ever looked at the soles of used cycling shoes? Given that I used to sell them and had the opportunity to observe large quantities thereof, it became very evident that the major positioning element for the foot on the pedal was actually the outside pedal spur and not the inner spurs. You can verify this for yourself by taking a new set of shoes with leather soles and go for an hour ride on traditional pedals. If your experience is anything like mine, the soles will show an outer spur placement long before an inner spur placement. You can therefore make the assumption that it is the outer limit that determines foot placement, rather than inner limit.
Steven Maasland
Moorestown, NJ
USA