gen3 Clark Pads for V11

[macgyvercanada]

This is my first set of acceleration pads and now that I have 'em there's no going back. However, I do have some comments about the product itself and how well it works. 

These gen3 Clark Pads have a pair of bolt channels for making solid mechanical contact at the bottom portion of the pads where some rigid infrastructure comes down to hang the bolts.  This is nice.  However, for the rest of the contact the pads have a pre-installed adhesive pad that covers almost the entire back of the pads, far more area of adhesive than could possibly be useful.  I've covered all areas of adhesive with loop velcro, except for the area around the bolt holes which was covered in leftover plastic. 

The V11 has a T-shaped area to attach to with the top of the T being the saddle; the potential contact area on the V11 is only about half of the area of the pads.  Finding the right position and placing was easy enough with all that loop material.  I stuck some hook velcro to the uprights and the lower edge of the saddle.  I will note that the saddle itself doesn't hold onto adhesives all that well...

Lots of overhang at the back (bottom of photo).  This means that when you lean back on the pads they fold inward as there's nothing for them to brace against.  A stiffer backing plate could help but probably not solve this issue.
https://aerospaceengineeringblog.com/sandwich-panel/

 

 

Edited July 19, 2021 by macgyvercanada
Flow

[macgyvercanada]

I'm going to try out some floating pads that are attached to the velcro on the pads and free-float above the V11's body.  I'll need to find some higher-density foam to make upgraded versions.  Here's the tiny prototype pads installed; sorry for the mess, it was all dusty trail riding last night!

These pads are too small and too squishy, but it's all I could manage on short notice.

It feels to me that the front and back of the pad are too far apart, eg: when they're positioned so acceleration feels comfortable then I have to lean uncomfortably far back for braking.  Considering the pads are designed to be cut and separated to increase this distance even farther I feel like this is erring on the wrong side of the problem.  My last complaint, and probably the biggest issue for me, is that the top of the Clark Pads don't follow the inward-sloping contours of the saddle.  Consequently, they dig uncomfortably into the sides of my legs around mid-shin.  I think I'm going to have to cut a downward arc out of these pads that follow the saddle's contours.

Overall I'm still happy with the purchase, and I now 100% understand the need for pads like this.  My ability to roll over rough terrain improved massively thanks to the improved torque control, and it's nice having my feet stay on the pedals when I take a drop.  However, considering that these were almost $300 CAD and they are a 3rd generation design specific for the V11... I had higher hopes.  There's certainly room to improve this design further and I hope we continue to see new innovations

Edited July 15, 2021 by macgyvercanada
words are hard

[.....]

1 hour ago, macgyvercanada said:

I'm going to try out some floating pads that are attached to the velcro on the pads and free-float above the V11's body.  I'll need to find some higher-density foam to make upgraded versions.  Here's the tiny prototype pads installed; sorry for the mess, it was all dusty trail riding last night!

These pads are too small and too squishy, but it's all I could manage on short notice.

It feels to me that the front and back of the pad are too far apart, eg: when they're positioned so acceleration feels comfortable then I have to lean uncomfortably far back for braking.  Considering the pads are designed to be cut and separated to increase this distance even farther I feel like this is erring on the wrong side of the problem.  My last complaint, and probably the biggest issue for me, is that the top of the Clark Pads don't follow the inward-sloping contours of the saddle.  Consequently, they dig uncomfortably into the sides of my legs around mid-shin.  I think I'm going to have to cut a downward arc out of these pads that follow the saddle's contours.

Overall I'm still happy with the purchase, and I now 100% understand the need for pads like this.  My ability to roll over rough terrain improved massively thanks to the improved torque control, and it's nice having my feet stay on the pedals when I take a drop.  However, considering that these were almost $300 CAD and they are a 3rd generation design specific for the V11... I had higher hopes.  There's certainly room to improve this design further and I hope we continue to see new innovations

Holy crap, $300? Proud of those bad boys arent they? Thanks for the info, lots of good stuff. Keep us posted how you get along with them. I am trying to see if my pads will work on a v11, but I won't bother claiming they will unless its a DAMN GOOD FIT. Not holding my breath. This info surely does help. Makes me wish I had access to a v11 for sure.

[Hellkitten]

If that layer of hook and loop are not sticking well to your shell. Give the contact area a light sand then a thin coat of a liquid adhesive (like contact cement). Let it go tacky then press the adhesive side of the hook and loop into that. Ive stuck a lot of Velcro to a lot of different products that way!

[Octo]

I just received my V3 Clark Pads for my V11 as well and I am just as confused about the design as you are.

I don't understand why anyone would want to make the pad wider than it already is? As it stands, I can't have both front and back contact areas available for use at the same time. It's either a choice of not having any acceleration padding or not having any braking padding, it is mind boggling to me why they chose this wider design. I have both of mine as high as they go to try and increase the amount of my leg that contacts the pads and there is still a huge (useless) gap.

I had hoped that the cutouts would be able to be modified to bring the pads together, but as you said there's just no way for that to happen without cutting out a huge portion of the inside of this pad and potentially ruining it. They were clearly designed to be made wider (with serious effort required). I'm not a large person by any means but even someone who has a solid 100+ lbs on me couldn't use this pad effectively as it stands.

I covered the back of mine with hook & loop and added a strip of padding on the area where your calf/shin comes in contact with the (extremely painful) top ridge. It seems to help a little, but after my short ride today trying to get comfortable with the pads I can already feel some deep bruises forming where my leg makes contact with the saddle area.

Is this just a design flaw that was drastically overlooked? Did they even test these on a V11 before mass producing them? I feel like I'm missing something here and for the price I assumed these would be much more comfortable and well thought out. I'd return mine if I could at this point, but with all the extra modifications I had to do to make them fit I would imagine that is not an option. What was the point of having the entire back of the pad be a 3M sticky surface when only about 3" of it could ever stick to anything? How did they not realize the rest of the pad would be floating off the V11's sides with no contact?

 

[YourAubsome]

I made a video review yesterday about this. The new Gen 3 Clark pads flat out do not work on the V11 for me. The Gen 3 foam (not for v11) work great on my RS 19 and the Gen 2 V11 pads work great on my V11, but I think the Gen 3 Foam V11 pads have a critical design flaw as described in the video.

 

[macgyvercanada]

1 hour ago, sevin7 said:

I made a video review yesterday about this. The new Gen 3 Clark pads flat out do not work on the V11 for me. The Gen 3 foam (not for v11) work great on my RS 19 and the Gen 2 V11 pads work great on my V11, but I think the Gen 3 Foam V11 pads have a critical design flaw as described in the video.

That's my experience as well, for sure!  It really seems like these never met a V11 before they hit the production line; the flaws are just so painfully obvious.  And I mean painfully, in that my inner shins are still getting beat up and bruised by the top edge of these pads!  The extra width of the pads means that I can mount them for acceleration or I can mount them for braking but they can't possibly be effective at both.  I find that I can't get the pad mounted back far enough to be comfortable for me; it needs another row of bolt channels.  I can tilt the top edge of the acceleration pad backward a bit more but then only the top of the pad makes contact with my leg and that hurts my shin too!  

Edited August 3, 2021 by macgyvercanada

[macgyvercanada]

Is Clark active on these forums?

 

[.....]

Ouch, that sucks to hear. And NOW we know...

[macgyvercanada]

On 7/24/2021 at 4:03 PM, Octo said:

 I'd return mine if I could at this point, but with all the extra modifications I had to do to make them fit I would imagine that is not an option. 

I checked the website, there's certainly no return policy mentioned.  Might be worth asking though.  Mine's all modded up too.  Maybe we can ask for an exchange for the old design?

EDIT: I sent them an email asking about an exchange; no reply yet but I'll keep y'all posted.

Edited August 4, 2021 by macgyvercanada
reasons

[CarlW]

10 hours ago, macgyvercanada said:

Is Clark active on these forums?

Good question?  It is one thing to sell generic products, but if you are advertising a customized item for a specific wheel this looks like a fail.  Glade I did not go with a V11.  I also never heard if they came out against the riding behavior in the NYC alley cat race since they helped sponsor the event and/or video.         

[Singasong]

This is a very interesting topic, i had no idea what the gen 3 pads were like. Seems a giant leap backwards to me. I have the gen 2 universal pads with Velcro on the back and interchange them on both my 18xl and my 16 x and they are just fantastic! Although they don't fit perfectly on the 16x, they function just fine. Visually they kind of stick out around the edges a bit but they fit flawlessly on the 18xl. The gen 2 pads fit a bit tight around the foot, but with thin shoes you can get fully locked in, both heel and forefoot. They are basically both power pads and jump pads in one. What they were thinking with this gen 3 design, only God knows.

[macgyvercanada]

UPDATE:  They're accepting my return so long as they're in good physical shape and all of the the adhesive (and Velcro) is removed from the back plate.  I think I have a bottle of Goo Gone somewhere...  but gee will that just melt the back plate too?

[.....]

Just pull the velcro with pliers and use the sticky of it or some tape. RUbbing alcohol can also help. Careful with chemicals as some foams dont like it at all. I find the old tape pull on glue to be a safe bet, if the material can handle the pulling.

Edited August 8, 2021 by ShanesPlanet

[Octo]

On 8/7/2021 at 5:16 PM, macgyvercanada said:

UPDATE:  They're accepting my return so long as they're in good physical shape and all of the the adhesive (and Velcro) is removed from the back plate.  I think I have a bottle of Goo Gone somewhere...  but gee will that just melt the back plate too?

That's good news! I will have to email them as well and try the same thing. I just can't fathom paying this much for pads I will literally NEVER use because of how poorly designed they are. I am not a super experienced rider but even I can see that there is no hope for the V3s.

I'd say get the velcro off, the adhesive should be their problem since they are the one's who put it there to begin with...Goo-gone might just compromise the whole thing. If they have your return in-hand and refuse to refund you fully you have the right to take it up with your bank/CC company and do a charge back.

 

edit: I sent them an email with some details about why the pads seem flawed just to drive the point home that this isn't one or two people running into this issue, hopefully they will accept the return.

Edited August 12, 2021 by Octo

[Octo]

I received a reply this morning from Clark Pads. They claim that the extra-wide gap is not only very purposeful by design but that it was also requested to be that way from feedback. I'll post my email and their response below.

Needless to say I'm disappointed in their response and lack of understanding about their own product. There was little to no acknowledgment of the issues we are having (or suggestions on how to remedy them). If these pads are "working as intended" then we are all missing something VERY key about them and ClarkPads needs to make some kind of video to clarify how these are supposed to be used properly. No acknowledgment of the massive sticky backing, no recognition of the leg pain from the top ridge, no suggestions on how to position it for both acceleration and braking use, no mention of the complete lack of physical support for the sides of the pads when on a V11.

I wonder how many of these they have actually sold, and how many of them are in daily use?

My email:

Quote

Hi there,

 

I was hoping to get some assistance with these V3 pads for the V11, I am very confused about their use. They do not seem to be designed for the V11. The extremely wide gap between the front and back pads make it so you cannot have braking and acceleration assistance at the same time, and the pad must be moved to pick one or the other. There also is not enough room in the slots, or a 3rd row of slots would need to be added for them to fit properly. The entire backing of the pad is sticky, yet only about 3" of it comes into contact with the V11 leaving wide gaps on the front and back where the pad doesn't make any contact with the V11. Additionally the top ridge digs very painfully into the leg while in use. This happens regardless of where the pad is positioned.

Am I able to return these pads to you for a refund? As far as I can tell these have multiple design flaws that were overlooked or ignored before being put into production. It appears I am not the only person struggling with getting these pads to function as intended. More than a few people in the EUC community have started threads/conversations about their confusion with these pads.
 

Please let me know if there is anything that can be done, the pads are in very good condition as I have been mostly unable to use them in a way that makes sense to me.
 

Thank you,

ClarkPads Response:
 

Quote

Hi Octo,

Sorry to hear you are not satisfied with the product.

The width is actually very tight, some actually ask for more width and want separation. (which is not possible for the V11)

We have also tested this pad ourselves. The reason for the size difference from the V2 is to allow for the more heel grab,

Which is missing on V2 and it was the biggest complaint.

 

Having said that, and if the pads are in good condition, please remove all of the sticky off of the back plate, in order to help

Us more easily prepare the pad for resale (assuming there is not other damage to the pad). Go ahead and ship the pads back

And I will be happy to give you a full refund.

 

Regards,

 

Who wants more separation??? "The width is actually very tight" ???? I'm so confused, are we even looking at the same product?

What size person was giving test feedback on these? Hercules? Thor? Maybe I need to hit the gym so I can develop some 30" calves.

[Octo]

Final follow up from me about this, as I am returning my pads and will likely never buy another item from ClarkPads after my interactions with their support. It's disappointing to see a company double-down on their own lack of support when a paying customer is trying to figure out how to make their product work. Odd timing since they are clearly trying so hard to get their name out there, especially with the promotional thing going on right now with the influencer crowd and CP doing a giveaway.

My email back to them is below; I had to ask for a return address and had hoped they might clarify on some of the other issues I had mentioned that they ignored in my first email:
 

Quote

Hey Chris,

 

Thanks for the reply. Will you send me a return address so I can get these boxed and back to you?
 

At the end of the day I really want to like these pads. Can you comment on any of the other things I mentioned as far as these pads not working for me and others? How are they supposed to be put on the V11 so both braking and acceleration are assisted by the pads if my leg is unable to make contact with both of them? What about the leg pain caused by the top ridge that doesn't sit flush with the V11?  And the lack of physical supports on the far ends of the pads where they don't come into contact with the V11? I'm just truly boggled about it.
 

Maybe a video describing how these pads differ from other pads and an example of how they should be used? I am not the only one questioning what's happening with these pads and it would be a great help to the EUC community if there was some clarity on them. You all seem to be confident they are working as intended, which is great, but some of your customers have no clue and these are quite expensive for a product that comes with no explanation or help.

Two days later, this is the reply I received:
 

Quote

Hi Octo,

Thanks for the feedback. We consider everything, and that is why the design as it is today.

The return address is:

<removed>

 

Thanks,

In summary? ClarkPads does not support this product or the customers who have purchased it. They designed it to be this way on purpose and they do not care that it is painful to use. They do not care that it doesn't work on the V11 and they appear to have no interest in offering guidance or support. My guess is they're sitting on a stockpile of V11 V3's and admitting fault would make their entire inventory worthless. Or they simply do not care. Either way, it's unacceptable and I would advise folks to avoid buying the V11 V3's from CP at the very least. I know I will personally never spend another dime with them.

I'm relatively new to the EUC world and this is my first "aftermarket" part for a wheel. This kind of interaction is super discouraging to new members of the community and it's sad to see that this company is being supported by "big names" in the industry when this is the way they treat people looking for support. As someone said above, if this were a universal wheel I would understand the need for modification to make it work properly for "any wheel," but in this case this is specifically designed (LOL) for the V11 and it should work out of the box as such.

Buyer beware if you're considering these pads and this company.

 

[conecones]

InMotion already makes foam pads specifically for the V11, so not sure why anyone would spend more than twice the money to get foam clarkpads.

In any case , generally, clarkpads biggest complaint is they don’t offer big enough of a gap. A stiff-legged beginner rider won’t understand this, but there is a reason why the Mike Leahy model allows for more gap and other riders have moved on to two-piece designs for the same reason. If pads have no gap, you might get away with riding on a suspension wheel but it’s a bad habit to not bend your legs. 

[macgyvercanada]

UPDATE

Had to do a bit of maintenance this week, so I finally got around to upgrading my 'brake pads'.

Old pads on the left ('puzzle mat' material)...
New on the right (yoga block material)...
Banana-colored knife for scale.  

Attached to the back of the Clark Pads with Velcro, whereas the side contacting the wheel can slide freely.

Definitely has improved braking power and the overall stability of the gen3 pads.  Highly recommended.

Edited October 26, 2021 by macgyvercanada