Are these the BEST pedals for recumbent trikes?

LINK - LINK - LINK to Utah Trikes Custom pedals:
www.utahtrikes.com/SEARCH-0:9...
Keep your feet securely attached to your recumbent trike pedals with one of these four types of pedals from Utah Trikes! NO MORE FOOT SLIP!!!
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"TAKE IT EASY ... TAKE A TRIKE!" - trike hobo
Steve's current recumbent trike is a 2021 HP Velotechnik Scorpion fs26 Enduro, outfitted with Schwalbe Marathon PLUS road tires instead of the stock knobby off-road tires. He has also owned a 2015 ICE Full Fat off-road trike, a 2014 Catrike 700 speed trike, and a 2007 ICE Qnt trike ... not to mention three bikes (Specialized Roll Elite - Motobecane Night Train fat tire - Easy Racers Gold Rush recumbent)
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Other websites by Steve:
trikeasylum.wordpress.com
silentpassage.wordpress.com/
trikegypsies.wordpress.com/
trikephantoms.wordpress.com/
mojavetraverse.wordpress.com/

[@garyseckel295]

Arthritic, 70-year-old Senior recumbent rider with no balance here. "Clipless" traditional cycling pedals are HUGELY unusable to me. Arthritic issues cause my feet to rotate away (outward) from being straight forward. "Recumbent pedaling" is not-at-all relatable to "upright pedaling." The obvious pedaling through one's balls-of-the-feet is totally irrelevant when legs are horizontal. Recumbent pedaling is through one's feet, as if a person is standing upright! Realize that standing upright is on one's heels, not the balls of one's feet! Balancing via one's balls of feet NOT needed when legs are horizontal! Just being able to move/shift one's supported feet, while riding, is also very increasingly comfortable. Picture a human body on one's back lifting maximum weight upward with legs. Heels, not balls-of-feet, by far strongest! I use pedals like shown, with any/all straps removed. Heel cup pads, however, are needed. Tennis shoes, or other, with tallest heel pull-on loops desirable. Gary AKA: "Jason Stillwater" in the recumbent world.

[@EZSteve]

Very well said Gary! Yes, pedaling on the balls of one's feet (toe pedaling) is like doing squats on one's toes, which is ridiculous, very unstable, and not at all the most powerful way to pedal. Whole foot pedaling allows MUCH more power to the pedal stroke! Thanks for the comment! steve

[@garyseckel295]

"Squats on one's toes" is also very descriptive in comparing upright versus recumbent pedaling foot muscles. Too many riders out there do not yet realize the differences!@@EZSteve

[@EZSteve]

@@garyseckel295 I have been lifting weights for more than 55 years to date, and have literally squatted with unknowable millions of pounds on my back. I always stand on my flat feet. It would be insane to stand on my toes doing this sort of thing! The instability would immediately lead to me falling to the floor and getting really injured. The instability factor for squatting is the same instability factor in pedaling a recumbent trike, but instead of falling down, on a trike, a rider just loses tons of power potential, while at the same time seriously injuring the forefeet from all the extreme pressure on the nerves. steve

[@garyseckel295]

Yup! Upright cyclists not likely to listen to the experience of recumbent riders! Horizontal legs on "clipless pedals" are not logical to me.@@EZSteve

[@The-GreenHornet]

Frankly those things look hideous! Who cares about the "sound" of velcro. SMH ...gees I never heard that before. All those variations look like Frankenstein sandals. They also look very restrictive. Keeping it real, I grade them on design a D- to F. I wouldn't put those on my trike if they were a gift. Yes, they look that bad.

[@gregsettle9725]

If using a pedal such as this gives you the ability to ride safely and comfortably then the pedals are spot on regardless of how they look.

[@EZSteve]

While I do not care for the look of really large pedals either, the benefit of these pedals is that they provide full foot support, which is the key to more power on the trike, while at the same time totally eliminating the dreaded Nerve Compression Syndrome, also known as "hotspots" in the cycling world. The large pedal that supports the entire foot is the key to foot health, so my personal choice is a hybrid, big, but racy and sleek looking, being that they were designed by a pro mountain bike racer, and they are also lightweight: pedalinginnovations.com/ steve

[@garyseckel295]

Thank you, "@Greg"! I cannot strap my feet onto pedals! That is Why I remove the unusable straps. Gravity alone, AND the heel cups work best for me from my 30-years' experience here. Lifting leg over frame and legs onto pedals of my "Hase" delta planform is work. Sitting on seat of my "Hase" delta planform trike is ALSO doable from wheelchair. Importantly, heel cup pedals shown do not require straps for many handicappers. BTW: I also tried magnet pedals! They did not allow enough movement for comfort of this limited mobility senior! Not ridden MY tadpole trikes for over 15 years now. Cannot get on/off tadpole trikes!!! @@gregsettle9725