Actually, you might think, the pedal is a rather simple component on the bike: It is supposed to do nothing more than provide a surface for the foot to stand on so that the power can find the last part of its way from the foot to the pedalling crank. Normally, this works relatively smoothly - even with inexpensive, simple pedals such as those found on most bikes ex works. The ergonomic potential has only been discovered in recent years, although the number of ergonomic pedals is still very limited.
How the pedal supports pedalling
There are essentially three aspects to pedal ergonomics. Firstly, the footprint: Physically, pressure is the force per area. The larger it is, the less pressure is exerted on the contact points on the foot. This can have a particularly positive effect on the forefoot area, which is often sensitive anyway, if pedals with a larger footprint place less strain on it, as they distribute the pedalling force over larger areas of the sole of the foot.
Secondly, the position of the pedal axle under the foot plays a role: it should generally be positioned between the metatarsophalangeal joint of the small and big toe. If you ride clipless pedals, you should mount the cleats in this area. But even without bindings, a recess in the Ergotec pedal should help to optimise the foot position at lightning speed.
The third ergo aspect revolves around the lateral alignment of the feet: SQ-Lab, for example, offers a pedal with axles of different lengths and thus larger stance widths so that cyclists with large "pedals" do not drag on the cranks.
The bicycle pedal types at a glance:
Standard pedal - with different axle lengths
The SQ-Lab 521, a common standard pedal in terms of construction, is available with four different axle lengths. Cyclists with large feet can choose a longer axle so that their feet are further away from the crank and therefore do not drag their heels on the crank. This can easily happen, especially if your feet are in a V-shape. sq-lab.com
Click pedal
With clipless pedals, lateral freedom of movement is particularly important for ergonomics and orthopaedic health: many systems allow the feet a little room to manoeuvre when riding. This means that the heels can be turned inwards or outwards within a certain angle, which counteracts one-sided or unnatural strain, especially on the knee joints.
Adjusting cleats
The cleats should be fitted in such a way that the pedal axle is positioned roughly between the metatarsophalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints. It is best to mark the positions of these joints - recognisable by the slight protrusion - on the soles of the shoes and draw a connecting line with a ruler. The centre of the cleats should be in the middle of this line, or possibly a little further forwards or backwards depending on your individual anatomy or riding position.
Ergonomic pedal
Special ergonomic pedals such as the Ergotec EP-1 offer your feet a larger surface to stand on. This allows the force to be distributed more evenly so that there is less pressure on the forefoot. In addition, the pedal surface is concave, i.e. slightly curved inwards. This is intended to adapt it to the natural shape of the balls of the feet and position them ideally almost automatically. ergotec.de
