Any Inherent danger of Power Pads?

[Scubadragonsan]

Has any rider with power pads on their wheels experience this while falling? I was riding on my Veteran Sherman S along a trail and loss control. I and my wheel fell over. My right foot was momentarily trapped by my power pad. In the split of a second or shorter, I said to myself while falling, "I hope my foot wouldn't be caught/trapped in the pads. If it does, my ankle could be broken." Fortunately, my ankle at the right moment, at the right angle popped out of the pad. If someone were riding at a high speed and happened to fall, can the force of falling and twisting of the wheel break an ankle? Is this a concern or something to think about for riders using power pads? Or when choosing the kind of power pads and their placement on the wheel?

[Aztek]

More probably the pad can hold your foot and prevent you from stepping down the wheel in low speed fall and thus force you to fall face down.

I find, however, that my feet are never trapped by the pads in reality when falling.

As for falling during high speed riding, your ankles are the last thing to worry about. I would rather care not to hit something and get my neck broken.

Edited April 30 by Aztek

[novazeus]

haha, i had a v13 squirt out from underneath me unexpectedly, and as i laid there on the ground, with the v13 still pinning my right leg to the ground, 

haha, hell yes, esp the 120 pound v13. i had to sit up and lift it off my leg.

pro tip: if u do go down, unless a car is coming or a buffalo, just lay there and assess the situation. like i might have hurt myself worse by jerking my leg out.

[0000013]

[0000013]

[winterwheel]

I see their value for lighter riders in a time of heavy wheels, but I also think power pads are responsible for many lower-body injuries. So I never use them. The few times I have ridden with power pads I was super happy to escape back to my simple flat pads set up. 

[UniVehje]

I really think everyone should ask themselves why are they using power pads in the first place. Braking pads on a big and heavy wheel is good for security. Jumping pads are needed if you do jumping, otherwise they just might cause your feet to get stuck in accidents. Power pads are really not needed if you just learn to ride better. If you are not riding competitively you can do everything without them. And it’s better to be able to control the wheel without pads first. 

I just removed the jump pads on my new Lynx. I also tried the pads that were included in the deal but only left the back pads for security. I don’t have any problem accelerating fast or riding steep uphills without pads. I think most new riders put on pads without ever even trying to ride without them because they see the youtubers use them. They are a cause of a lot of wobbles and accidents. 

[Planemo]

For sure, I think pads are an additional risk (as if EUC riders need any more risk) and should make one think carefully about whether you actually need them or not. The drive for all and sundry to push everyone, including noobs into having the latest, greatest, biggest pad setup is bizarre IMO and seems to get it’s kudos from the suggestion that ‘big pads = speed/leet rider’. Fittingly this constant pressure/bragging about speed being another thing that gets my goat.

Pads do indeed carry additional risk. We can argue about how much but theres no denying the physics in that anything which could reduce the ability of your leg/ankle to exit the machine during a crash is a risk. Of course I can already hear the furious keyboard clattering from those who would argue that the use of pads could have avoided the crash in the first place but I would say if that’s the case, a better strategy would be to simply slow down and/or read your environment better (another area greatly lacking by many riders).

I can ride my heavy-ass EX30 perfectly well without any pads and I’m no man mountain either. I only have them (the most discreet ones I could find that actually do anything) because I do believe a pad to the rear for emergency braking could be beneficial and it doesn’t interfere with my usual knee bend for forward riding unlike the front section of the pad which does. The front also gets in the way of transitioning to seated which annoys me. The main gripe for me is that having anything forward of the shin just messes up the fluidity of riding the wheel and despite trying to get along with pads, as soon as my shin is in contact I find that it affects my knee bend (again, physics) because as the knee bends the shin travels forwards and thus applies more pressure on the pad which I may not want. Maybe it was because I learnt EUC with a constantly varying knee bend, entirely possible given I have much more time on non-suspended than suspended EUC’s. Maybe guys with locked-in pads don’t flex knees at all and just rely on whatever suspension they have. Or maybe they have learnt to deal with the wheel effects of increasing pad pressure as the knee bends. Either way, I don’t like pads interfering with the action of my knee bend. Further, I suspect that pads will give some riders a ‘sense of security’ which belies their skillset. Ultimately, the only reason I haven’t cut off the front section of my pad is because it offers crash protection and helps to stop the wheel flopping around when on its side in the car.

My caveat to all the above is hard off-road and/or jumping where a ‘jump pad’ (something that prevents the foot from lifting) could well be beneficial. Or, if one is intent on smashing stairsets of doom (another look at me billy-big-spuds pastime on FB which I really don’t get) then of course one could really do without their feet leaving the pedals.

I totally accept that my somewhat sarky and lengthy diatribe about pads will be seen as miserable but all I wish is that riders would at least try to ride without pads first and I maintain that noobs should stay away from them to better their wheel control. IMO it’s crucial to be able to fling the wheel around at will in all directions and pads can really make this difficult especially for noobs. Lastly, I kid you not I read a post on the FB sister site recently where some hero actually said words to the effect of ‘anyone who rides without pads isn’t riding properly’. I would bet my house on the fact that this obviously compensating individual wasn’t around when many of us were throwing around unsuspended and more fittingly, padless wheels at 45mph 5 years ago and neither were we crashing all over the place like many are now.

[varamontelo]

17 hours ago, Scubadragonsan said:

Has any rider with power pads on their wheels experience this while falling? I was riding on my Veteran Sherman S along a trail and loss control. I and my wheel fell over. My right foot was momentarily trapped by my power pad. In the split of a second or shorter, I said to myself while falling, "I hope my foot wouldn't be caught/trapped in the pads. If it does, my ankle could be broken." Fortunately, my ankle at the right moment, at the right angle popped out of the pad. If someone were riding at a high speed and happened to fall, can the force of falling and twisting of the wheel break an ankle? Is this a concern or something to think about for riders using power pads? Or when choosing the kind of power pads and their placement on the wheel?

I had your situation during my accident last year, my ankles were able to come out of the pads, fortunately. I had a single broken shoulder and a broken finger on one hand, months to repair, today I can ride with and without (lol) the wheel, I have regained my flexibility.I still use pads for light assistance, it's braking and acceleration assistance, but they still have enough space available between me and them.

[GothamMike]

Wear boots.

Have space between the top of your foot and the pads.

[Unventor]

Personally I prefer to ride without power pads.As you mention there is a risk to stay locked into the wheel especially if you have the mounted tightly.

In the old days it was easy to over power an EUC. But they have become more powerful, yet demanding high power at very slow speed put you at risk still depending on situation. This can happen on rough off road riding.

But also if you are going downhill while breaking hard on a fully charged battery. And this brings me into the other scenario that I want to avoid. Riding aggressive and have to super emergency brake and putting too much force on the wheel. I am not saying it will shut down, but I have no knowledge or experience in what is too hard to brake on my new wheel. And at speed in an emergency suprise situation there is less time to think and act smart and react to how the situation plays out. And in this case you could see being locked in to the EauC might save other from a tumbling EUC, or that this puts you at higher risk to sustain injuries.

So my point is power pads are adding to the chance that things go really bad when it goes bad.That said it could help you out of a situation too, it depends. IAM not a fan of reckless riding, as it aggressive and risk taking and high speed in thighs spaces, as this leaves you with little escape options.

But I have added pads to my V14. But the are a very loose fit to my stance. This was they are more of an plan B.

[novazeus]

170 pound rider, 70 years old, 120 pound wheel, and rougher terrain than most(no rocks and boulders, thank God, just skewers of dried lighter wood laying about, like the one that took me and the 70lb lynx down yesterday, thank God, no pads)and i can handle the v13 as easily as the lynx.

because now with hou's 40mm forward and 70mm drop backplate, the pedals are in the correct place. look at my van's. still about an inch hanging off the front, instead of an inch plus 40mm. my heels all fully on the pedals so stopping isn't an issue. 

the 40mm forward backplate allows the rider to use all of v13's power, and it has plenty for my needs. the v13's once compoetely dialed in suspension wise will probably be better suspension than the lynxes out here because the 22" tire advantage. 

the only thing the lynx does better or i feel more comfortable, at this moment, is slow, slow, speed maneuvering, which is hugely important. 

 

[winterwheel]

My "power pads" are flat blue foam rubber sheets cut from a camping roll and velcro'd on just like regular power pads. That gives a bit of cushion and friction and keeps me in touch with the wheel, but allows me to adjust my lower body however I want during the ride and they are totally out of the way if I need to jump off for some reason.

[Funky]

#NoPadLife

[on one]

Having something vertical to use as leverage against acceleration is wonderful, so without getting locked in, at least having something there provide a whole new dimension of input.

[UniVehje]

Even us paddles riders of course do sometimes grab the wheel to get more leverage in tight spots but we mostly ride free floating the wheel between our legs. Some soft material that adds grip is good to have. But these modern big pads are really not needed for most riders and especially newbies. 
 

Here’s my setup. I added those grey pads to make it more comfortable when sitting and to cover the metal part from seat (hits my knee). But these can help when I need to grab the wheel with my knees if I need leverage. They are not in the way when sitting and I’m not trapped in them. I highly recommend this kind of setup for most riders unless you’re riding competitively or know exactly what you need the big versions for. At least learn to ride without them if you haven’t already. It makes you a better rider. 
 

[Rawnei]

With experience you get your feet out very fast as a reaction, I ride a lot of technical off-road and the only time I would get surprised is from pedal clip which doesn't happen that much anymore (also experience).

The value of pads doing that sorta riding is invaluable.

[Funky]

I use original KS18XL pads and have never experienced a situation where i wasn't in control of wheel.

Have ridden even without those black pillows sometimes - like when i have finished working on wheel and gone for a test ride, before taping them back on. (ks18xl pads don't give anything useful to ridder anyways. More or less just for show..) I can't imagine not being available to move my feet around on pedals.. Also easy mount/dismount. If nothing else those "big" power pads only get in the way.

As @UniVehje said:

47 minutes ago, UniVehje said:

Even us paddles riders of course do sometimes grab the wheel to get more leverage in tight spots but we mostly ride free floating the wheel between our legs.

Pads are only really needed for off-roading and jumping. Simple commuting on smooth road - unnecessary. Sure unseen pothole, etc.. they may/will save you. But you need to be looking where you are going in first place..

[rcgldr]

Jump pads would be more of an issue in getting your feet locked in than power pads that don't look your feet in. I just got an 18XLV2: spiked pedals and mini-power pads in the form of protrusions at the front and back of the upper pads, which won't lock your feet in. The spiked pedals would be more of a factor.

 

 

[Duster]

Adam from Wrong Way has suggested that NylonNove pads are safer than most others because they detach with high forces. He even has a recent example of this. See the following video where he hits a root.

(Link because embed doesn't seem to be working)

Now, I doubt that this is foolproof, as slow crashes might not provide the force needed to detach a pad in an emergency. However, Rawnei is also right in that, with practice, you can habitually bail when a crash is imminent. There's video of me doing a tuck and roll after slipping in mud, and even without experience I was ready to bail. Of course, there's no guarantee of anything. However, if anything, pads can help you stop with more force, keep your feet as planted as possible in the event of a pot hole, and you can combine all of that to help you avoid emergency situations as best as possible. Think of pads as empowering, with benefits that outweigh the risks somewhat better than going without pads (given less safe commuting contexts).

Edited May 2 by Duster
Embed doesn't seem to be working, so I added a link instead.

[Asphalt]

A local rider going down stairs lost control and broke their leg because they were too locked-in with pads and couldn't disengage.

It's great that the wheel performance has improved and over-power cutouts are less common, however, as wheels get bigger and heavier they require more rider input force to accelerate and brake - pads have become a necessity to access all that power you've paid for.

Personally, I prefer riding lighter wheels that don't require pads to control.
On more than one occasion I've been able to run off situations that would have been a face-plant crash if I were locked in (sudden stops due to roots, potholes or dog attacks)
Respect the beeps and overpowering shouldn't be an issue.

Additional disadvantages of pads:

• prevent the pedals from folding up fully
• increase the width of the wheel
• wider profile can't store in narrow spaces
• more difficult to place wheel on its side (transporting in a trunk)
• jab into you when carrying the wheel
• jab into walls when leaning against
• get in the way of seated riding
• additional cost
• additional set-up time
• set-up configured to one set of gear
• makes wheel less shareable
• aesthetically questionable in a formal environment

There's no denying that pads provide better control of the wheel.
It's up to each rider to determine whether or not the trade-offs are worth it.

[Funky]

1 hour ago, Duster said:

Adam from Wrong Way has suggested that NylonNove pads are safer than most others because they detach with high forces. He even has a recent example of this. See the following video where he hits a root.

What's the point of power pads that comes off easily mid ride... Are they only for looks? One should be available to jump and pick up the wheel by pads.

Imagine they come off mid emergency braking... Or even while accelerating - faceplant.

Edited May 2 by Funky

[Hellkitten]

My pads aren’t going anywhere without a ton of work on my part…….   
My Men10 4 has Kai pads and my v11 and Sherman S both have grizzlas. 
I can close my pedals no problem. 
They have absolutely kept me on my wheel in many unforeseen situations. I feel much safer with pads, but I do think it comes down to size of wheel and use case. Of the crashes I’ve had I don’t think my pads ever caused me an injury. 🤞🏻 I could get by without them on my m10, (I like jumping over bumps) but a bigger wheel I definitely want pads. You padless riders are nuts. 🤣

Edited May 3 by Hellkitten

[winterwheel]

12 hours ago, Rawnei said:

With experience you get your feet out very fast as a reaction,

I'm actually hoping to avoid getting too much such experience. 

[winterwheel]

1 hour ago, Hellkitten said:

You padless riders are nuts.

How would you know this if you have no experience riding this way?