BatLogic Upgrade for Rower Foot Stretcher (?)

[Rockin Roland]

looking forward:
The key for me is to make the erg feel like a finely tuned boat...foot height (differential twixt seat and mid foot), foot width (stance), and reliable & comfortable stability are of supreme


Personally, I have not found the C2 standard issue erg foot-plate and strap system + my own shoes to be comfortable. I have a high arched "cavus" foot. Consequently, I have very little surface area in contact with the foot plate from with which I can push off. The Bat Logic System increases the area from which I can effectively start my drive at the catch.

C2 has done a great job from the standpoint of a "one-size-fits-all" design... My needs supercede such an approach.
Again: I am a rower who ergs (not an erger who rows).

You have a couple of other options available to explore before settling on Batlogic.

http://boat.shimano.com/publish/content ... Shoes.html

Have you tried the Shimano SRD600 Foot Stretcher and shoes ?
One pair of shoes does everything. You cycle down to the rowing sheds in them. Walk around the sheds and carry your boat down to the water in them. Then you just clip your shoes into your boat's footstretcher. I'm sure you could find a way to connect them onto your erg's footboard too.

Failing that Rowfit have a great shoe/stretcher system that I've used in a boat.

www.rowfit.com/news.htm

It allows you an incredible amount of adjustability in the boat to get the optimum power from your leg drive. They even have shoes that fit many different foot sizes due to the velcro strap tightning system on the heels.

But as far as the erg goes you'll still have a major problem if you continue to use C2 ergs. As you know C2 ergs have a rather wide central bar separating the feet. Your feet are placed much further apart than what you'd get in any boat. And there's nothing you can do about it. However with Rowperfect and Oartec ergs you can place your feet much closer together allowing your knees to be closer together(like in a boat) for a better drive with your legs. Plus the ergonomics of seat to footstretcher to handle height placement are much better than on a C2. Plus their dynamic movement helps greatly by placing less pressure on your feet because the footstretcher and erg/flywheel are not fixed.

Hence I believe that you are wasting your time adapting Batlogic to a C2 erg when you'd be better off on one of the dynamic ergs.

[Citroen]

http://boat.shimano.com/publish/content ... Shoes.html

Have you tried the Shimano SRD600 Foot Stretcher and shoes ?
One pair of shoes does everything. You cycle down to the rowing sheds in them. Walk around the sheds and carry your boat down to the water in them. Then you just clip your shoes into your boat's footstretcher. I'm sure you could find a way to connect them onto your erg's footboard too.

I think you'd be able to mount http://online-store.shimano.com/goods_en_jpy_3.html on an ergo's footplates.

It's a very clever re-use of Shimano's SPD cleat system, you'd want recessed cleats in the shoes as it's not easy to walk in rigid cycling shoes where the cleat is proud of the sole.

[Nosmo]

I think you'd be able to mount http://online-store.shimano.com/goods_en_jpy_3.html on an ergo's footplates.

It's a very clever re-use of Shimano's SPD cleat system, you'd want recessed cleats in the shoes as it's not easy to walk in rigid cycling shoes where the cleat is proud of the sole.

Looks like the rowing shoe does have recessed cleats (like mountain bike shoes) so one would ride the bike in the rowing shoes. Looks like a really good system if it holds up well to salt water. Don't really know how important the "toe up" shoe feature is or the rotation of through the ball of the feet or even the stiff sole is. I see the theoretical advantage but don't know if it would make one measurable faster. The adjustability looks really good and I could see how have a really secure connection to the boat could help with stability which could be a big advantage.

Price using today's conversion of $0.0108 (US) to the yen is $US 556 for the stretcher, $US 201 for the shoes, and $US 32 for the adaptor. Not sure when one would need the adapter. So cost is $750-$800 for the system. Rather expensive so I can see why it would not be standard.

Years ago I saw the original Time cycling shoe system in an 8+. Only one I ever saw

I agree with Rockin Roland about the C2 foot plates being far apart. It is one of a couple of things I find annoying about the C2 erg (I also find it annoying about modern bicycle cranks--the transition to more cogs in the cassette resulted in wider pedal separation--aka q-factor or tread--which bothers me.)

However I think most of us have other technical thing to worry about rather then shoes.

Bob--C2 makes an erg like system when one straps one's own shoes into the foot boards. They are in a few of our club boats but I didn't see them on the web site. People seem to like them.

[Citroen]

Looks like a really good system if it holds up well to salt water.

I got a rusty pair of cleats by walking across the muddy rugby field pushing my bike last time I got a puncture. The pedals on one of my bikes also need the rust cleaning off them - I know a sample of one isn't good, but my experience is that they won't last more than a couple of times with a dunking in salty water.

[Nosmo]

Looks like a really good system if it holds up well to salt water.

I got a rusty pair of cleats by walking across the muddy rugby field pushing my bike last time I got a puncture. The pedals on one of my bikes also need the rust cleaning off them - I know a sample of one isn't good, but my experience is that they won't last more than a couple of times with a dunking in salty water.

I assume they were the Shimano SPDs? However these were made for a boat not the bike and Shamano should have done their homework. But then again some boat hardware doesn't hold up well to salt water, so who knows if they did.