Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Sprint Interview and First Impressions

[Paul Jeffrey]

We talk to Niels Heusinkveld and try out the soon to be released Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Sprint.

Catching up with Niels Heusinkveld at the recent very busy Sim Racing Expo over in Germany, we took the opportunity to quiz the man behind Heusinkveld Engineering about his newly announced Sim Pedals Sprint set of high end sim racing pedals. With Niels in a buoyant mood following what appeared to be a largely very positive reception to the new hardware, we took the opportunity to question him about the features and improvements of the new gear, learning plenty about how some dramatic software features and production improvements have moved the product range on from the already very impressive offerings of HE Engineering.

Not content with merely taking Niels at his word, we also couldn't quite resist the chance to get strapped into the cockpit and have a go ourselves, recording a short but sweet talk and drive segment as we give our first impressions based on the limited time we had with these brand new set of pedals.

Frankly, I was very impressed, although it is exceptionally hard to gather any serious kind of feel with something like a high end set of pedals with such a short period of time behind the wheel... not helped any by a crowd of people watching on, and a camera and microphone in my face!

However, with that said I'm going to be lucky enough to take receipt of a review set of these pedals in the very near future, so please consider this more of a taster video, with a much more in depth and detailed look at the HE Sim Pedals Sprint set to appear on our various social media channels in the near future. So stay tuned, get subscribed and watch out for some new footage in the (hopefully) coming weeks...

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[CC]

Tough school this

 

[RCHeliguy]

Tough school this

There was an expectation management issue. He doesn't feel that his expectations were in line with what he received. He is using this forum to let people know he is unhappy.

We all know that Heuisinkveld will take care of him. That's a given. They are a stand up company.

However, I live in a VERY humid area and there is a door frequently left open to an outside screen room in the same room as my rig. There is no rust on any washers on my Sprint pedals after a couple summers. I just checked.

What this tells me is that Heusinkveld likely got a bad batch of washers and he was unlucky to have received them.

If I had received my pedals and there was rust all over them, I would have been disappointed too.

Rather than getting into an argument with an unhappy customer, maybe we could just validate that he has an issue and that we agree having rusty pedals is not in line with our experiences and expectations of Heusinkveld.

This is almost like a guy trying to fix a problem rather than listening to a woman who wants her feelings heard and just wants someone to acknowledge her pain and show sympathy. HE will take care of him, so there is nothing for us to fix. He has a real issue. Just treat it as such.

 

[anton_Chez]

In no way was I saying that the issue wasn't disappointing. Would I complain about it, given the nature of the product, the fact that they really aren't going to cause much harm and the hassle of sending the old ones back and having new ones sent to replace them? Probably not. I am a little OCD with things but I can deal with most things that aren't completely perfect. HOWEVER, I am not suggesting this customer accepts it and moves on. SImply, that he give HE the chance to rectify, without placing arbitrary time constraints on them. It's not like the product cannot be used. Just use them, enjoy them for what they are for the time being and I'm 99% sure that the issue will be resolved by HE in due course.

 

[TheNatural]

It's not like the product cannot be used. Just use them

Funny enough I sort of feel bad using products I don't intend to keep, even if I feel I've been wronged in some way. It just doesn't feel right. I don't think they were sent to me rusty because of HE being malicious or anything, so it sort of feels weird to send them back back used pedals. If this doesn't make sense, I completely understand, because it's really hard for me to quantify.

This is almost like a guy trying to fix a problem rather than listening to a woman who wants her feelings heard

And I'm man enough to admit that in this case I am 100% the woman in your example lmao

 

[CC]

Funny enough I sort of feel bad using products I don't intend to keep, even if I feel I've been wronged in some way. It just doesn't feel right. I don't think they were sent to me rusty because of HE being malicious or anything, so it sort of feels weird to send them back back used pedals. If this doesn't make sense, I completely understand, because it's really hard for me to quantify.



And I'm man enough to admit that in this case I am 100% the woman in your example lmao

Any pictures of them ?
sorry just curious, mine look like stainless washers after 18 months there still like new

 

[TheNatural]

Any pictures of them ?
sorry just curious, mine look like stainless washers after 18 months there still like new

These are the two I have atm, they are all like this in one way or another.

 

[CC]

These are the two I have atm, they are all like this in one way or another.

Why not just spray some WD40 on them just fall off lol be like new after 3hrs

 

[TheNatural]

Why not just spray some WD40 on them just fall off lol be like new after 3hrs

I feel like I shouldn't have to do that with 700 euro pedals.

I'm shocked when people suggest this.

You guys need to have some more respect for yourself as consumers.

Edit: You're honestly right, though. they are probably just going to open up one from the same batch and swap the washers and send them my way. I know of another person that bought some on the same day as me who also has rust on them but didn't want to complain or get them replaced because they had a new league.

 

[CC]

I feel like I shouldn't have to do that with 700 euro pedals.

I'm shocked when people suggest this.

You guys need to have some more respect for yourself as consumers.

No I mean like outside weather is shocking now almost everywhere sub zero tempts and snow,
could have even been during transport got a little moist, this stuff grows like grass,
id just spray some WD40 and call it a day,


what you do is upto you lol

 

[CC]

I feel like I shouldn't have to do that with 700 euro pedals.

I'm shocked when people suggest this.

You guys need to have some more respect for yourself as consumers.

Edit: You're honestly right, though. they are probably just going to open up one from the same batch and swap the washers and send them my way. I know of another person that bought some on the same day as me who also has rust on them but didn't want to complain or get them replaced because they had a new league.

Yes just either replace them or just spray them with some rust cleanser be gone in no time,
yes obviously not nice but its not the end lol

 

[CC]

 

[Ami_M3]

Are we talking about replacing the pedal set because of rusty washers?

Don't get me wrong, I totally get that people expect immaculate product, especially at those premium prices, but maybe there is a middle ground somewhere? For instance they send you new washers, while at the same time offer some discount for the trouble of replacing them on your own (seems easy enough).
Stuff like this sometimes happens unfortunately. You guys need to get on the phone and find a win-win. Sending them back seems like a loose-loose option.

 

[CC]

Are we talking about replacing the pedal set because of rusty washers?

Don't get me wrong, I totally get that people expect immaculate product, especially at those premium prices, but maybe there is a middle ground somewhere? For instance they send you new washers, while at the same time offer some discount for the trouble of replacing them on your own (seems easy enough).
Stuff like this sometimes happens unfortunately. You guys need to get on the phone and find a win-win. Sending them back seems like a loose-loose option.

Maybe some of these guys went to private school

 

[RCHeliguy]

Given that I keep a stock of SS washers, bolts etc. I would consider it less time AND effort to just put SS on and be done. But that's me.

If you think that is bad, I have a Pro-Sim H pattern shift and the spring, stick shaft, and metal oxide bolts were all rusting within a short time. I replaced the bolts with SS, and pulled out the WD40 on the spring and shaft.

Looks great now, but those parts were going to rust without care no matter what.

BTW if you look closely, you will see some gray non-hardening window caulk in the seams of the HE sequential shift. As it came it would rattle and I didn't like that. It was mostly the clear plastic piece in back, but I added a bit of caulk in the seams and it's nice and quiet now.

 

[TheNatural]

Honestly I thought this community of all of the enthusiast communities I've been a part of would be the last group of people to just lie over and take it.

If you think expecting quality for your hard earned money is ridiculous then I'm not sure what to tell you.

Also associating expecting quality with private education is pretty telling.

 

[CC]

Given that I keep a stock of SS washers, bolts etc. I would consider it less time AND effort to just put SS on and be done. But that's me.

If you think that is bad, I have a Pro-Sim H pattern shift and the spring, stick shaft, and metal oxide bolts were all rusting within a short time. I replaced the bolts with SS, and pulled out the WD40 on the spring and shaft.

Looks great now, but those parts were going to rust without care no matter what.

BTW if you look closely, you will see some gray non-hardening window caulk in the seams of the HE sequential shift. As it came it would rattle and I didn't like that. It was mostly the clear plastic piece in back, but I added a bit of caulk in the seams and it's nice and quiet now.
View attachment 445708

Insane that shifter just looks the complete kit! very nice

 

[RCHeliguy]

"Lie over and take it" is a complete matter of perspective dependent on whether you see this as a mountain or a mole hill.

After seeing your pictures, I saw a mole hill. Obviously you feel differently and that's fine, but don't be mad that the world doesn't see everything threw your eyes.

 

[TheNatural]

but maybe there is a middle ground somewhere? For instance they send you new washers, while at the same time offer some discount for the trouble of replacing them on your own (seems easy enough).
Stuff like this sometimes happens unfortunately. You guys need to get on the phone and find a win-win. Sending them back seems like a loose-loose option.

You are assuming a lot here, I didn't demand a replacement set here or in the email I sent them, I merely informed them of the problem, they suggested sending a replacement set.

 

[CC]

"Lie over and take it" is a complete matter of perspective dependent on whether you see this as a mountain or a mole hill.

After seeing your pictures, I saw a mole hill. Obviously you feel differently and that's fine, but don't be mad that the world doesn't see everything threw your eyes.

I wouldnt have gave it a second thought,
yes in a ideal world be nice to get museum quality goods,
but even depending where you love or the environment these things rust so fast,
my pedals look like stainless washers I couldnt tell there too small to see

 

[RCHeliguy]

Insane that shifter just looks the complete kit! very nice

Oh it's very nice, and yet I cleaned rust off of it and replaced what I considered substandard bolts for a piece of this caliber. I still love this shifter.

Not only that, but when mine shipped it didn't have a standard thread pattern for the shift knob and I had a friend lathe an adapter for me so I could install a $250 shift knob. However it appears that they have gone to a standard thread now.