Rubber

For many bicycle commuters, painful shin scrapes caused by pedal strikes are just an unavoidable part of cycling. They might not have to be, however, if the designers of the rubber-bodied Bumper Pedals have anything to say about it.

Manufactured by Salt Lake City-based startup Intrinsic Cycles, the Bumper Pedals are currently the subject of an Indiegogo campaign.

They feature a conventional steel/aluminum frame and axle, but those are covered in a thick coating of industrial-grade closed-cell urethane foam. Both sides of each pedal also sport a large replaceable patch of grip tape, so they shouldn't get too slippery when wet.

Needless to say, the Bumper Pedals won't be showing up on Tour de France bikes anytime soon. They're aimed squarely at everyday cyclists, who value not getting whacked on the shins by bare metal pedals over performance. As a side benefit, the pedals also won't take gouges out of door frames or furniture when the bike is being wheeled around indoors.

Each pedal measures 3.45 inches wide by 3.95 in long by 1.19 in thick (88 by 100 by 30 mm), with a set of two reportedly tipping the scales at about 1 lb, 1 oz (482 g).

Assuming the Bumper Pedals reach production, a pledge of US$35 will get you a pair – the planned retail price is $49. There's more information in the following video.

Sources: Indiegogo, Intrinsic Cycles