Salt Lake City, Utah, July 20th, 2015 – New startup company Wasatch Bike Components LLC announced today its magnetic bike pedal, the MagLOCK Bike Pedal, has demonstrated to work well with lower limb amputees. The new technology allows riders to clip into their bike pedal via magnets inside of the bike pedal and a steel clip attached to their typical biking shoe.
“Clipless” bicycle pedals, in which a steel cleat attached to the sole of the rider’s biking shoe clips in and out of a mechanism in the pedal, are very popular with cyclists. They maximize pedaling efficiency, plus they help prevent riders’ feet from accidentally slipping off the pedals when going over rough terrain. However amputees find them very difficult to clip into and out of because of the rotational motion of the foot required to do so. Parker Eads, a below-the-knee amputee who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident, explains in a recently released YouTube video on his experience with the MagLOCK Bike Pedal (https://youtu.be/bCAfz9G3PTQ): “I would never clip in (with a mechanically clipping pedal) because it’s super hard, the positioning of your feet is really hard… You don’t have a lot of flexibility or capabilities with moving your prosthetic foot because you don’t have muscles to move it.”
The MagLOCK Bike Pedal works well for lower-limb amputees like Parker. “It’s easier to be able to get in and out of the MagLOCK Bike Pedal because of the magnetic pull it has. When you put your foot on it, the magnet will lock it in place with the metal plate that is on the bottom of the shoe,” says Parker. When clipping out, he pushes his knee outwards, forcing his foot to pronate off the MagLOCK Bike Pedal. “If you get to a rough spot, it’s easy to clip out quick and put your foot down. But at the same time it gives you enough magnetic pull to keep your feet on the pedals, so when you do go off jumps or you want to do those bunny hops, it will keep your feet on the pedals.”
To highlight this benefit, MagLOCK Bike Pedal has started the #MagLOCKMobility initiative. Everyone is invited to post pictures with the hash tag #MagLOCKMobility on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to show why they believe the MagLOCK Bike Pedal will enable their mobility.
For now, anyone can preorder a pair of the MagLOCK Bike Pedals by pledging $120 (plus shipping) to the MagLOCK Kickstarter campaign. Shipping is estimated for September 2015, assuming the pedals go to production. They are available to be shipped to most countries around the world.
More information is available on the Kickstarter campaign site or the MagLOCK Bike Pedal website.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1801092093/maglock-bike-pedal-safe-and-easy-way-to-clip-in-to
www.maglockbikepedal.com
Youtube video link:
https://youtu.be/bCAfz9G3PTQ