Unique interlocking pedal/shoe design- will it fly?
No, not that Klein. Fresh from Kickstarter, we have an interesting (as-yet unnamed) pedal/shoe concept. Consisting of a honeycomb-shaped pedal and mating shoe sole, what we’ll call the “Honeycomb” is said to provide the best of both flat and clipless pedal systems.
The Honeycomb design was born of it inventor Max Klein’s desire for increased on-pedal security with the option to quickly bail if needed. Simplicity appears to be the Honeycomb’s greatest asset- the concept is readily understood and there are no moving parts beyond the pedal spindle. The lack of aggressive traction pins should reduce the severity of any pedal-shin impact.
The pedal appears as though it would readily shed mud- and the mating lugs’s shape is said to have been optimised to do the same. The Honeycomb’s individual hexagons look to be approximately 1in across, however, ruling out fine foot position or angle adjustments- and the hexagonal arrangement means that a shift directly forward or back would require the foot to move a full 2in. For his part, Klein cites Bikejames’ (James Wilson’s) Flat Pedal Revolution Manifesto to support the Honeycomb’s lack of float or adjustability.
Currently coming in shy of a $35,000 goal on Kickstarter, the Honeycomb could close the gap with roughly ninety $199 (£131) shoes and pedal combinations. The ask may price the project out of reach of the commuters mentioned as a possible market- but it’s hard not to see the price coming down significantly if the patented design is adopted by a major manufacturer – and the price has just been lowered on Kickstarter too.
So what say you all? Does the Honeycomb look like a sweet solution- or is it one for the birds bees?
Comments (14)
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Just looking at it makes my knees hurt.
It is just like an SPD – without float or quick release….
I’m failing to see how you get a comfortable for position and for that reason I’m out
I meant foot damn it!
I hope the inventor of this hasn’t already given up his day job!
Not only a solution looking for a problem, but one that’s going to guarantee any customer will be on first nam terms with their physio in no time…
surely with smaller ‘honeycombs’ and a slight redesign multiple foot positions could be achieved?
This has been invented somewhere where they don’t have mud, hasn’t it?
That was my first thought, Honeybadger…
“surely with smaller ‘honeycombs’ and a slight redesign multiple foot positions could be achieved?”
Only a dead straight foot though so you either need to squirm in the shoe of suffer in the knee if it doesn’t line up right
One small stone in the shoe tread and it won’t work? Sorry but think I’ll stick with SPD’s.
Reckon the magnetic ones are a better dumb pedal idea
those shoes look remarkably like New Balance Minimus Trail shoes. you can see where they’ve been photoshopped.
anyway, bad idea.
It’s a bit like the good old days of mountain biking when terrible kit, at premium prices, was lurking out there, actually for sale. Occasionaly you/your mates would buy some shite like this, and then spend the next few miserable years trying to work around it, much to the amusement of your less gullible mates.
hilarious!
Leave aside the practicality of the design, I don’t think he has thought the finances through. Cant see how he can get this up and running for $35,000.
He needs an outdoor footwear designer with knowledge of the technologies, materials, and design and manufacturing processes.
He will need to get a far east factory to tool up for the shoe manufacture – in how many sizes? 5, 10, 15? they certainly wont tool up on spec for a new un proven product from an unknown brand.
Must be very little chance of creating custom colours for shoes on a low product run like that – there is a reason that brands produce shoes in a small range of colours – its very expensive to do anything else.
Cant see how the numbers stack up…