Why You Don’t Need a Concave Pedal Platform—And What You Really Need Instead

Let’s talk about a flat pedal feature that gets hyped up a lot—but may not actually be helping you ride better: the concave pedal platform.

If you’ve been riding flat pedals for any amount of time, you’ve probably heard the pitch: a concave pedal lets the ball of your foot “sink in,” increasing grip and control. Sounds smart, right?

But here’s the problem…

That entire design is based on an outdated and flawed assumption about how your foot should be placed on the pedal. Namely, it assumes you're pushing through the ball of your foot, not using your whole foot the way you would in any other lower body movement that demands strength and stability.

Here’s What’s Really Going On

When you push through the ball of your foot—whether you're squatting, deadlifting, lunging, or pedaling—you shift your weight forward and destabilize your foot. It’s what we call the "toe-tipping effect."

This shifts pressure away from your heel, unbalances the foot, and over-engages your quads and calves while under-engaging your hips and hamstrings—your biggest, strongest muscle groups.

That’s why riders on traditional flat pedals often feel the need for a concave platform. Their feet want to settle into a more stable position, so the dip in the middle of the pedal feels like it helps.

But that’s only compensating for a much bigger problem: a lack of proper support across the entire arch.

The Solution? Support Both Ends of the Arch

The Catalyst Pedal fixes this issue in a way no concave platform can.

By extending the pedal platform to support both the ball of the foot and the heel—just like the ground does when you squat—you instantly eliminate that forward-tipping sensation. No need to “sink into” a pocket, because the entire foot is already supported.

This creates a balanced foot position that engages your whole leg, maximizes hip drive, and improves power, stability, and comfort.

Thousands of riders have reported major improvements in pain relief, especially in their knees, calves, Achilles, and lower back—simply from switching to a mid-foot position supported by the Catalyst Pedal.

Here’s how one rider put it:

“It felt like I was pushing off the floor as I cranked in all the power I could muster... zero calf strain, zero Achilles pain.” —Sid M.

Still Not Convinced?

The research backs it up.

A 2007 study in the Journal of Biomechanics found no loss in power or efficiency when riders moved their foot back on the pedal into a mid-foot position. In fact, this shift placed less stress on the calf and Achilles and more on the hips—right where the power should be coming from.

So why are we still designing pedals that try to accommodate a flawed foot position?

Because that’s how it’s always been done.

The Bottom Line

You don’t need a concave pedal. You need full support across your foot—front to back—so your body can move the way it’s designed to.

The Catalyst Pedal delivers that support. And once you feel the difference, there’s no going back.

If you’re ready to ride stronger, more comfortably, and pain-free

Ride with purpose, not tradition.

Ride Strong,

James Wilson
Pedaling Innovations

P.S. If you’re still not sure, remember you’re backed by our 60-day money-back guarantee. Try them out. If you don’t love them, send them back—no questions asked. But fair warning: you probably won’t want to.