When should you use pedal washers?
Pedal washers exist primarily to ensure a good pedal to crank arm interface, but they can also aid in dialing in your bike fit. All SRAM cranks come with pedal washers while most cranks from other manufacturers do not. Some notable exceptions include Shimano Saint and Zee cranks.
What do pedal spacers do?
Designed to move the foot out and away from the crank arm to provide more foot clearance, Pedal Spacers / Pedal Extenders add to stance width for cyclists needing help with knees-out, excessive toes-out, extra wide feet, wide hips, or for those with discomfort on the outside of the knee.
What is pedal Q factor?
Essentially Q-Factor is the distance between the pedal attachment points on the crank arms, also referred to as Tread. It could also be described as the width of your crankset. This affects your stance, if you’ve ever been snowboarding think of it as the same thing, essentially the distance between your feet.
How do I widen my pedal stance?
- Add up to two 1mm pedal washers each pedal.
- Add a pedal extender each pedal (each extender is +20mm).
- If you have Speedplay pedals, you can add longer pedal spindles (+3.175mm, +6.35mm, +12.7mm)
- If you prefer Shimano, you can opt for their +4mm Ultegra pedals.
Does Q factor make a difference?
Decreasing your Q-factor, or bringing your crank arms closer together, may make you more aerodynamic, but it won’t necessarily make you faster. You may lose a significant amount of power, or stop recruiting your glutes in such a narrow position.
What does a wider Q-factor do?
You will know if your pedal stance (usually determined more by Q-factor) is too wide. If too wide, your knees will start diving inward at the top. You might also experience knee pain as well.
Does Q-factor make a difference?
What is the ideal Q factor?
Due to bottom bracket size, minimum chainline guidelines and chainstay length, there is an acceptable range for Q-factor, which is typically between 150mm and 170mm. Road bikes tend to have a narrower Q-factor (150mm), while mountain bikes tend to have a greater Q-factor (170mm).
What is a pedal extender?
Pedal extensions (also referred to as pedal extenders) are bolt on devices that bring the pedals of the vehicle closer to the driver, providing more space between short-stature drivers and the steering wheel.