SuperDelite pedals too close to ground :-/

[RMSDivine]

OP have you ever properly set up your suspension for sag? Just randomly adding psi is kind of a shot in the dark. This is very important as it takes your body weight into the equation and by adjusting the shocks accordingly at least you know you are at the proper level for your needs. Any FS bike, and even just a front shock can benefit from doing this and sticking to it as it will result in the least amount of bb drop during compression to start out with. Plenty of info online about the procedure.

All the other tricks mentioned above like shorter cranks and more air in your tires can help for sure but there is nothing better for avoiding pedal strikes than reading the terrain you are riding and avoiding strikes via timing your cranks to avoid any obstacles that might result in a strike. This can mean anything from just stopping pedaling altogether with the cranks in a horizontal position to actually ratcheting or slowing down your cranks that will keep your forward momentum going while avoiding what you think they might hit.

Dependent on the sensitivity of your PAS this can be somewhat awkward however as when you stop constant rotation it may shut down and have to restart when pressure is reapplied. I have found though, with a torque assist PAS at least, that if you slightly drag the front brake you can keep enough pressure on the pedals to keep the PAS active while slowing down your crank rotation to avoid strikes, at least of visible objects. As soon as the danger is past you let go of the brake and as you have kept the PAS active off you go.

You could never describe in a better way the scenario. I have set my suspensions to a very soft position to prevents too many shocks to my back, and this is the price to pay! Will definitely aim for a good compromise between comfort and security. Thanks to all for your considerations!

 

[Jay Kay]

The Gen 4 motor in eMTB mode has a new function to help riding in rougher terrain. When pedalling and you hit a rough spot/deep rutting, ‘gliding’ with the pedals parallel to the ground causes the motor to continue to provide power for a short time getting you past/over the obstacle.

If your bike has Sport mode you will need to get your dealer to change it over to eMTB - a 5 minute software job.

 

[nashdm2]

^ I had no idea about that. Where did you find that out Jay? Also, when you say "pedals parallel to the ground" do you mean at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock? How does the motor differentiate between a "rough spot" and just normal gliding on tarmac for example.

My SD came with emtb instead of sport and when I rang and asked why they told me it was a better option than sport. However, it works really well when you are using it like a MTB, but, I don't. I am purely tarmac, so, I don't know if I want it changed or not.

 

[Dallant]

I can't emphasize enough how easy it is to develop the habit of keeping the inside pedal high through the corners. It is the simplest and safest solution that does not compromise any other functionality and guarantees you will clear even the hardest corner without a pedal strike.

Right! Been doing this with every bike I’ve owned since the 70s.

 

[Jay Kay]

@nashdm2 it is a new feature added in the recent 85nm flash update to the motor. Yes the pedals need to be at 3 & 9 positions. It is called “Extended Boost”. Google should give you better info than I can provide.

”Finally, Bosch has worked on extending the thrust provided by the motor when you stop pedalling to get over a fallen log or a step or ledge on a climb. This overrun briefly powers the bike while your pedals are level, so the bike doesn’t grind to a halt and stall your progress. These refinements apply to both the intelligent eMTB mode and Turbo mode.”

Regarding your riding style, I would get Sport enabled instead of eMTB. It will serve you better. You have to work quite hard with eMTB to get the assistance. With Sport, the assistance comes instantly at the click of a button.

 

[Law]

The Gen 4 motor in eMTB mode has a new function to help riding in rougher terrain. When pedalling and you hit a rough spot/deep rutting, ‘gliding’ with the pedals parallel to the ground causes the motor to continue to provide power for a short time getting you past/over the obstacle.

If your bike has Sport mode you will need to get your dealer to change it over to eMTB - a 5 minute software job.

Is there a way to verify firmware version? Beyond this?

 

[nashdm2]

Thanks Jay, appreciated. Yes, I want a more linear assistance than emtb provides as I do not have the power to make the most of it. I remember on my KTM bike that the 3rd assistance level was a direct step up from the 2nd and I don't feel that with emtb.

 

[lloydt]

I was having the same issue. Shimano XT PD-T8000 pedals have cleats on and normal pedals on the other. When riding cleat side down, you have much lower chance of a pedal strike. I really like these pedals.

Shimano XT PD-T8000​

 

[RMSDivine]

I was having the same issue. Shimano XT PD-T8000 pedals have cleats on and normal pedals on the other. When riding cleat side down, you have much lower chance of a pedal strike. I really like these pedals.

Shimano XT PD-T8000​

View attachment 69282

View attachment 69287

I dont get this, the pedals thickness seems to be identical to the original ones... Where is the trick?!

 

[JVBulman]

You could never describe in a better way the scenario. I have set my suspensions to a very soft position to prevents too many shocks to my back, and this is the price to pay! Will definitely aim for a good compromise between comfort and security. Thanks to all for your considerations!

Have you checked the sag of your rear shock to make sure the PSI is set appropriately for your weight and riding position?

 

[RMSDivine]

Have you checked the sag of your rear shock to make sure the PSI is set appropriately for your weight and riding position?

As I wrote, I keep it low because a very loose tuning helps my back from hard shocks. I am aware that all this increases chances that a pedal strike occurs, but we have to admit that Superdelite pedal position is lower than usual!

 

[JVBulman]

As I wrote, I keep it low because a very loose tuning helps my back from hard shocks. I am aware that all this increases chances that a pedal strike occurs, but we have to admit that Superdelite pedal position is lower than usual!

Are you referring to the Open/Firm setting on the shock or the PSI of the shock?

If the PSI and sag are set for your weight, riding with the shock set to Open shouldn't cause pedal strike.

If you're runing the PSI low, it's worth noting the bike is designed around the assumption that the suspension system will be set up properly as per factory-recommend sag settings. You can try to get around this with shorter crank arms if raising the PSI to the proper level isn't an option.

 

[marcparnes]

I was having the same issue. Shimano XT PD-T8000 pedals have cleats on and normal pedals on the other. When riding cleat side down, you have much lower chance of a pedal strike. I really like these pedals.

Shimano XT PD-T8000​

View attachment 69282

View attachment 69287

I put these on yesterday and they eliminated the problem unless I'm really leaned over. Well worth it to me. The difference is that the pedal is concave on the non-cleat side so the edges are lifted up. Perfect! I'm going to take off the cleats and put some lead wheel weights down there so the non-cleat side always rotates up. Thanks for posting these.

Marc

 

[RMSDivine]

The dealer says the GT model I own is shorter than the GX series, which is higher 3 cm from ground? True? Can this be achieved simply changing the rear suspension?

 

[JVBulman]

The dealer says the GT model I own is shorter than the GX series, which is higher 3 cm from ground? True? Can this be achieved simply changing the rear suspension?

The longer travel fork does more to raise the drive unit than the shock.

Still curious if you've got the sag set properly on your current set-up - if you're running too low a PSI a longer travel shock or fork isn't going to do much to solve your problem.

 

[RMSDivine]

My sag is improperly set because I keep the suspension and tyres soft, it's noticeable how much this helps reducing vibrations overall, however the pedals are quite low by design. The dealer told me that he was experiencing the same issue in town on irregular surfaces and this is the reason he is only selling GX models. He states the GX engine is 3cm higher and this helps a lot.
I have also noticed that the crank arms have an extra cm over the pedal axis that is probably due to structural purpose. Who knows if some other brands are offering crank arms with a shorter end?
I could think about replacing the front forks....

 

[JVBulman]

My sag is improperly set because I keep the suspension and tyres soft, it's noticeable how much this helps reducing vibrations overall, however the pedals are quite low by design. The dealer told me that he was experiencing the same issue in town on irregular surfaces and this is the reason he is only selling GX models. He states the GX engine is 3cm higher and this helps a lot.
I have also noticed that the crank arms have an extra cm over the pedal axis that is probably due to structural purpose. Who knows if some other brands are offering crank arms with a shorter end?
I could think about replacing the front forks....

As I said, installing a fork with longer travel isn't likely to do much if you don't set up your sag properly.

 

[FlatSix911]

While keeping the inward pedal high is quite natural in a high speed curve, it's harder to concentrate pedalling avoiding bumps in off-road conditions, of course it requires a bit concentration, something that at 55yrs seems to be lowering

If you are already lifting the inside pedal when cornering, then you may want to shorten the crank arm length to avoid strikes off road.

 

[RMSDivine]

If you are already lifting the inside pedal when cornering, then you may want to shorten the crank arm length to avoid strikes off road.
View attachment 74489

What effect would have this on gear ratio? Wouldn't this spoil the gear ratio design?

 

[marcparnes]

My sag is improperly set because I keep the suspension and tyres soft, it's noticeable how much this helps reducing vibrations overall, however the pedals are quite low by design. The dealer told me that he was experiencing the same issue in town on irregular surfaces and this is the reason he is only selling GX models. He states the GX engine is 3cm higher and this helps a lot.
I have also noticed that the crank arms have an extra cm over the pedal axis that is probably due to structural purpose. Who knows if some other brands are offering crank arms with a shorter end?
I could think about replacing the front forks....

One thing to bear in mind when considering changing wheel travel of just one wheel and that is you will also be changing the geometry. If you lift only the front you will slow the steering down and if you lift only the rear you will make it steer quicker which could have the side effect of making the bike less stable at speed. There is always quite a bit of thought that goes into determining geometry by the designer so when you change it you have to be careful. I've done it many times on motorcycles and sometimes unpleasant issues arise.

Marc