Although the foot pedal may seem insignificant when buying an elliptical trainer, they are actually a fairly important component on elliptical trainers.
Why are elliptical foot pedals important?
Elliptical foot pedals are an important elliptical component because they largely dictate how your body is situated while using an elliptical. A foot pedal configuration that isn’t comfortable for you will result in an awkward position and uncomfortable workout.
Elliptical foot pedal features
Size
The size of the foot pedal is important – both length and width. You want a sufficiently large foot pedal so that you have space to place your feet in a position that is most comfortable for you. For some people the feet positioning may be wider, while for others it may be more narrow.
Adjustable / Pivoting feature
Some elliptical foot pedals adjust/pivot by location enabling you to place your feet in an optimal position for your stance and stride.
A pivoting pedal means it adjusts forward and backward with your foot’s movement. This helps prevent “foot slap” as you use the elliptical.
Traction
If your foot slips while working out, you could get injured. Traction on foot pedals won’t guarantee you won’t get injured, however, it’s a good safety feature to look for.
Pedal edges
I recommend elliptical foot pedals with edges to help prevent your feet from slipping off the pedal. When you use an elliptical, you apply force to each pedal downward, forward, and backward. Therefore edges help prevent feet slipping off the foot pedals.
Some elliptical foot pedals have a slight covering at the front of the pedal for additional protection. An example of this is the Smooth Fitness Agile DMT elliptical (see foot pedal image below and read my Smooth Agile DMT review here):
Some ellipticals have no rear edge while some do. As with all fitness equipment, I advise you try different machines before you buy to see which features you prefer.
Space between pedals
Some ellipticals have no space between the foot pedals. This offers you the option for a narrow stance. However, if you seek this type of pedal configuration, be sure the pedals are over-sized so that you have some “wiggle room” for your foot placement. You may find when using an elliptical you prefer your feet to be a little wider apart.
More examples of different kinds of elliptical foot pedals
Horizon Fitness EX-78 (read my Horizon EX-78 review)
Yowza Captiva Elliptical (read my Yowza Captiva review)
Sole E95 Elliptical (read my Sole E95 Elliptical review)
Try before you buy
As you can see from the images above, the style, features and design of elliptical foot pedals vary significantly.
The fact is no one type of elliptical foot pedal is best. It really depends on your preferences. Therefore, given the importance of foot pedals to elliptical workout comfort, be sure to try different ellipticals with different foot pedals to get an idea which type of pedal you prefer.
To learn more about buying an elliptical read my Elliptical Buying Guide.
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