Bicycle footpegs: types and tips for choosing

Nowadays, the variety of bicycles is as great as the variety of different attributes to them. In this article, we'll take a closer look at the topic of bicycle footpegs. This small, unobtrusive detail is a very handy addition to your bike. We'll also take a look at bike pegs for 16, 26, 29 inches wheels and review the brands Cube, Merida and others.

The footrest is a part of the bicycle that provides a stable position of the vehicle when it is stationary.... Public opinion in the usefulness of this accessory is fundamentally different: some of the footrest is necessary for cycling in the same way as wheels, others consider it very uncomfortable and remove it from a new bike as soon as possible.

A footboard is necessary under certain conditions in which the ride is carried out. Most often, a bicycle is used for:

• trips to parks, bike zones, courtyards, paths and sidewalks;
• movement on highways and city roads;
• cycling tourism (around the city, hills, forest roads);
• cycling.

There are a number of cases where a bike stand is not needed. For example, it is not needed at all for a tricycle.

For those who cannot imagine cycling without a footrest, it is often needed as an additional accessory. Indeed, during measured walks through the zones of parks, stadiums or playgrounds, it makes no sense to use a footboard: you can hold the bike yourself or lean it against a tree or a bench, for example. In such cases, the kickstand is not important, but it is not necessary to remove it.

Another group of people are cyclists on city bikes. They use special road bikes with either one or multiple gears or an integrated planetary gear shifting system. For these bicycles, the footrest is installed by the manufacturer.

Leaning it against something and putting it steadily is simply impossible, therefore a footrest will come in handy here.

Highways. This is a group of cyclists who ride the lightest bikes. The complete absence of all accessories, including footpegs, bells, mirrors, trunks, is essential for speed development. The weight indicator plays an important role during acceleration and further coasting on asphalt. Considering that the stand is not heavy at all, the question arises why not leave it. However, every road driver knows that when driving, the influence of each gram is amplified several times.

One of the popular hobbies among owners of a two-wheeled horse is cycling tourism. Riding is done over rough terrain and involves many obstacles such as uneven roads, thick grass, bushes, ravines and steep slopes. Placing a bike on the ground without a stand will create an obstacle for other cyclists. In this case, it will be much more difficult to move it in a prone position, it may be difficult to choose a place where to put the bike.

When the luggage rack is heavily loaded, the stand allows you to put the bike in a stable position. However, pay attention to the surface where to place the heel of the footrest. It must be firm so that the bike does not wobble.

Stand needed tourist bike... Loaded with everything you need, it will be easy to stably place it if you need to stop, have a snack, rest or take photos of the area.

Cyclists don't really need a footrest. It must be removed during competitions, as well as when riding in the mountains or participating in "dancing on two wheels", performing tricks.

The classification of bicycle footpegs is pretty interesting.

Such footboards are immediately placed on city ​​bikes designed for the city and flat dirt road. They are located in the area of ​​the carriage mechanism and hold the bike in an inclined position. Bogie steps are usually small, do not allow you to stand in sand or any unstable surface, and do not support large loads such as the trunk.

The mounting location of the kickstand on a city bike or mountain bike may be slightly different. Sometimes it is installed on the front rather than the rear wheel.

A stand attached to the drive wheel has several advantages. For example, this allows the trunk to be heavily loaded. The weight acts on the rear wheel and the front wheel resists the fall. This is a very convenient option for tourists: you can not only load the trunk, but also hang something on the front of the bike.

As a rule, they are mounted on the rear wheel axle or placed on a feather. You can also adjust the distance from the rear wheel.

The twin, or bipedal, symmetrical center stands are similar to those found on motorcycles. The kickstand, which is shaped like a flyer, lifts the front wheel of the bike slightly. The weight is evenly distributed, the standing bike is level due to the larger area of ​​the heel of the stand. However, such a step has a significant drawback - the weight is about 600 g. However, if you have a large load for transportation that should not fall, the step does not show any particular drawbacks.

Mounts between the rear wheel and the frame carriage assembly.Footrest lengths vary by wheel diameter and are found on nearly every road bike and on some inexpensive mountain bikes.

Also referred to as "long", this type of footboard looks like a tight long pin that has flyers around the edges: one for securing the frame, the other equipped with a stop, set on the ground.

Choose it if the bike does not have a special platform for attaching the footrest. It has both a bolt and a clamp, which is installed on the chain stays of the frame, and a special retractable mechanism. It allows the footrest to be placed on wheels with a diameter of 20 to 28 inches. Therefore, it is called universal.

It is more rigid and is installed on the left side. It can be installed both on the chain stays, and on the lower and upper frame stays.

This kind of stand has appeared recently. It contributes to the stability of the bike. Fits in the area of ​​the rear wheel hub.

They are characterized by the ability to change the length and angle of inclination. This stand can be put on different types of wheels and types of bicycles.

Installation with the required parameters, however, occurs in one go. In the future, it will be difficult to change the length or angle of inclination. When fixing, it is important to place the mechanism as accurately as possible so that the bike does not collapse to the ground in the future. The telescopic footrest is more expensive compared to other types.

The size of a bicycle wheel, measured in inches, influences the choice of a particular footrest. In most cases, when you buy it, you can find out which bike it fits on.

The main dimensions of the wheel and the suitable (approximately) length of the footrest:

• 16 inches - 18-20 cm;
• 18 inches - 20 cm;
• 20 inches - 22 cm;
• 24 inches - 25 cm;
• 26 inches - 27 cm;
• 28 and 29 inches - 29 cm or more.

You can choose a footrest for a bicycle either by consulting directly with the seller in the store, or by resolving the issue yourself. The main thing is that the chosen stand is as comfortable as possible for you.

The following factors influence the choice of footrest:

• the type of bike and the scope of its application;
• wheel diameter;
• type of footrest;
• its material and weight.

Regular one-legged footrest made of steel with a carriage or rear mount is suitable for those who do not go on long hikes and who don’t need extra grams. Biped suitable for those who prefer cycling and load the bike with tens of kilograms. For an e-bike, the strongest, most stable stands are most often chosen.

This is explained by the fact that, pressing into loose ground under the force of gravity, even a standard footrest will lower the bike and will not protect it from falling. This useful and interesting fact was revealed by tourists based on personal experience.

The material from which the footboard is made plays an important role. The division of rates by material is very simple.

• Aluminum... They are characterized by the lowest weight. The disadvantages include fragility and high cost.
• Steel. The cheapest, quite strong, can withstand almost any load. However, such rates are heavier than aluminum or titanium ones.
• Titanium. Like aluminum, they are also light and expensive, but stronger and of higher quality. They are rarely found in the store.

On the Russian market, there are many suppliers of various footboards. Let's consider the most popular ones.

• Cube... Most of the stands of this brand are made of aluminum or its alloys and weigh from 200 to 400 g. The stand can withstand a weight of up to 25 kg and costs around 2-3 thousand rubles.
• Merida. This company produces stands rather than stands.Racks are often used to securely position a bike when it is not needed. The rack from Merida holds the rear wheel of the bike, fits 20-29-inch wheels and costs up to about 1,000 rubles.
• Stels. The company, which is quite popular among buyers, produces footboards made of steel and aluminum for bicycles with a wheel diameter of 20-28 inches. Stels offers both one-legged and two-legged stands costing around 1,000 rubles.

So, in most cases, a bike footrest is a useful addition. It will play a role if you need to position the bike evenly and stably, rather than laying it on the ground. But, even if you are shown a large number of advantages of the stand, it is only your choice to install it or not.

For information on how to choose a footrest for your bike, see the next video.