Pedals With Longer Spindles

Triathlon Forum
1

Looking for pedals that have longer spindles to reduce Q-Angle. Anyone have any ideas what the options are out there.

Thanks.

2

Looking for pedals that have longer spindles to reduce Q-Angle. Anyone have any ideas what the options are out there.

Thanks.
Huh? wouldn’t that increase the Q angle?

Anyhow, I think you can buy pedal extenders.

3

Huh? wouldn’t that increase the Q angle?

Frank,

Thanks. Reduce/increase, I guess it depends what way you look at it.

Want to move the pedal outboard/away from the BB. Where do I find “Pedal Extenders”?

4

longer than what? it might be easier to adjust / modify cleats.

Q angle will increase with longer spindles, all else being equal…

5

I am no help as to where to find them but do have a question.
Are you trying to accommodate a larger Q angle or trying to create one. If the first one that’s cool, but if the latter, why? Larger Q angles usually manifest as different lower extremity injuries.

6

Jason,

Thanks. Tried that. Most pedals don’t offer a heck of a lot of lateral adjustment.

FYI - Found these folks on a quick Google search and seem to be a possible solution:

http://www.kneesaver.net/

Anyone have any experience with these?

How would we know what length we want?

7

Specialized makes axle extenders. They add 2cm of axle length each side. Run about $20 for a set.

8

Jason,

Thanks. Tried that. Most pedals don’t offer a heck of a lot of lateral adjustment.

FYI - Found these folks on a quick Google search and seem to be a possible solution:

http://www.kneesaver.net/

Anyone have any experience with these?

How would we know what length we want?

I’d avoid those. They don’t come in carbon.

9

Zak,

Thanks.

Here they are here?

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=47406&menuItemId=9309&eid=4927

They are only available in the one size 2cm(200mm) That seems like a lot. How do we know how much we need? Trial and error?

10

what pedals are you using now? I know that Crank Bros makes a SHORT spindle version of the eggbeaters for the pros, so the standard spindle ones might have a little more adjustment.

I’m always a little leery of adapters, extenders and the like. They add another place where something can break in a spot where you really don’t want something to break.

Also, are you 100% positive that you need a wider Q factor, or is this something that would be better corrected through orthotics? I don’t mean to second guess you (you have a ton of experience), but there could be a better solution.

11

Another thing you could do is use a triple BB. Will move your right crank out about 5 mm.

12

Larger Q angles usually manifest as different lower extremity injuries.
Your evidence for such a statement?

13

Jason,

Thanks.

Agreed.

It’s a long story. We have tried many different things, time to try something else.

Need to keep working on it to try to keep doing the best we can.

SF

14

Those are the ones. 2cm can be a lot. It can depend on the pedals you use too. Speedplay cleats tend to have a fair amount of inboard/outboard adjustment to them. I do agree that the extenders are another place for something to fail and should be used as a last resort.

15

Speedplay makes different length spindles for their pedals, which increase the standard length by 1/3in, 1/4in, and 1/2in.

16

Steve:

With speedplay zeros you can replace the existing spindle with one up to 1/2" longer. This is the solution I most often use with customers.

Another option is a spindle extender, but these won’t work with pedals that don’t accept a standard pedal wrench.

scott
athleteslounge.com

17

if i understand you correctly and you are looking for longer pedal spindles to increase Q factor (what’s Q “angle”?) , then you really need to take a good look at keo 2 max pedals (not regular keo pedals). these new pedals from look have some pretty interesting features:

  • the pedal platform is considerably wider than normal and the extra width is all “outboard”.
  • the pedal shaft/spindle is also longer outboard of the crank (i.e., there is more distance between the crank and the pedal platform).
  • and most interesting, the pedal threads are many mm longer than typical for the exact purpose of further increasing Q factor. look sells special pedal washers/spacers that you place between the crank and the pedal spindle that can be used to further increase Q factor. the longer pedal threads ensure that, even with the spacers installed, there is no loss of strength or integrity in the threaded pedal-to-crank interface.
18

you are looking for longer pedal spindles to increase Q factor

Greg,

Exactly. Upon further thought, you are right. I want to increase the Q Factor or angle.

19

this looks like a really bad idea to me. I’ll admit I’m the worrying sort by nature, but those things really look like a recipe for ripping out crank threads. It just looks like a lot of added leverage to some soft aluminum threads.

What is the current q-factor, and how wide a q are you trying to achieve? I’d think that a combination of crank, BB and pedals would be a more tenable option. There are some pretty wide cranks out there.

20

Increased Q anlges create greater valgus forces at the knees leading to knee injuies (chondromalacia, patellar dislocation/subluxation, muscle imbalances of the quadriceps, increased strain on the mcl…) or forces the joints above or below to compensate. Excessive foot pronation, increase internal rotation and adduction at the hips, and increased lateral tibial torsion.

Orthopedic Physical Assessment, 4th ed. David J. Magee

Joint Structure and Function 4th ed - Pamela Levangie, Cynthia Norkin

Kinesiology of the musculoskeletal system - Donald Neumann

Granted the Q Angle is not the best measure of LE alignment. But my question was why even bother with trying to increase the angle. What good would come from increasing the angle? Trying to find a spindle to accomodate your Q angle may not be bad, but if the goal is to increase the angle i just struggle with the reason why.