Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - I'm in deep doodoo

I'm screwed...

One of my pedals is stuck and I have no clue what to do now. I've been using the park pedal wrench but the pedal is stuck on and I've stripped all but one side of the pedal and the hex side isn't working either. I've tried wacking on the pedal and of course its not helping. Should I take a small soldering torch to the crank? Any ideas? take it to the LBS?

did you spray wd-40, or a similar penetrating lubricant on the non-pedal
side of the crank? i would try theat, let it sit for 5 minutes, and then try
one more time to crank on it with the pedal wrench.

then take it to the lbs

Here's what I do. Get the hammer out(rubber mallet better) and start banging the park tool away. Works everytime I confront a stuck pedal.

I had an old set of cranks I wanted to use with the pedals rusted on and stuck good. I banged on it a little while, gave up before I stripped anything and took it to my LBS who charged me $3 to pull em off. Moral:save yourself the agravation if it's not coming off, get a pro to do it. The $3 spent was way less then the agravation of stripping something.

yeah, I think I'll take it to the LBS in the morning. I can't afford to buy another set and I need to take them off to travel. These pedals are going on the commuter when I get back and I'm buyin me new pedals.

Is it the non drive side pedal? Are you aware it is a reverse thread?

vice grips...

Is it the non drive side pedal? Are you aware it is a reverse thread?

Good point. Classic newbie error. I always remember that righthand side is the right way and the lefthand side is the wrong way.

Good point. Classic newbie error. I always remember that righthand side is the right way and the lefthand side is the wrong way.

not a newb, and yes it is the non drive side. I know it's lefty tighty on that side, but righty isn't loosing!

you're turning it the right (left) way, right?

Good point. Classic newbie error. I always remember that righthand side is the right way and the lefthand side is the wrong way.
Or: stand behind the bike, both loosen towards you.

ok, since you're not an idiot try penetrating lube + cheater bar.

I know which way to turn, not my first pair of pedals, just first time they're stuck.

Find a longer hex key for the backside of the pedal; use a cheater bar if necessary.

tried that, didn't work... I'm trying to avoid completely stripping the outside with the pedal wrench so I'll wait till the morning. I know I'll regret it if I keep on banging at it.

when you installed the peadals did you grease the threads?

yup...

I had this happen and I tried to force it out and just ended up shearing the pedal spindle off right above the threads and officially ruined the crank....i'd reccommend taking it to the LBS

get a 4-6' piece of pipe and be done with it. leverage baby.

get a longer arm (wrench) for more torque. that's worked for me in the past. you just don't really how much more torque you can more easily apply with a longer wrench.

edit: or what bruce said.

DuraAce cranks, don't want to ruin those, gonna do it the safe way and let someone else do it.

yep, always make trouble solmebody elses problem. Ha ha

I always hand-tighten my pedals, never more. it will tighten as you pedal, so there is no need to put 5000 ft-lbs of torque on it with a pedal wrench. I've never had a problem using this method. Next time, just hand-tighten, and when you take it off, all you'll need is a small hex tool. In fact, I don't even own a pedal wrench.

Also, remember, to untighten it's "down toward the rear wheel"

you can rip the threads right out with a cheater bar if you aren't careful

not a newb, and yes it is the non drive side. I know it's lefty tighty on that side, but righty isn't loosing!

Sometimes we suffer from some one else who did not understand at another time and over tightens the pedal in an attempt to get it off. :(

Take the crank off the bike and carefully put it in a padded vise. Heat the pedal end very carefully just a little with a weak torch, then quickly before it cools too much, and using a breaker bar on the pedal wrench take off the pedal. If the pedal wrench is damaged get a cheap slightly smaller wrench and slowly grind it open to a tight fit.

Have you already put some Liquid Wrench on the threads, tapped the pedal for a while to vibrate the parts and let them soak over night?

When it's time to put the pedals back on use anti sieze instead of grease. Make sure to get some on all the threads all the way around, then wipe off the excess before installation. After your first couple of rides ride check the pedals again to see if they are still tight.

I always hand-tighten my pedals, never more. it will tighten as you pedal, so there is no need to put 5000 ft-lbs of torque on it with a pedal wrench. I've never had a problem using this method. Next time, just hand-tighten, and when you take it off, all you'll need is a small hex tool. In fact, I don't even own a pedal wrench.

Also, remember, to untighten it's "down toward the rear wheel"

anyone else just handtighten? sure, you tighten as you pedal (forward), but what about resisting the pedals and skidding?

I never know how tight to tighten parts. I think I just tightened the pedals too hard when I put it on last time. What about crankarm bolts and stem bolt? or seat bolts? I have a bad habit of cranking down till it can't really tighten anymore. I sprayed some wd40 on it and will let it sit for a bit.

take the crankarm off, put the pedal nut in a vice, put a cheater bar on the crankarm, profit.

take the crankarm off, put the pedal nut in a vice, put a cheater bar on the crankarm, profit.

Ding ding ding!

Winner.

-brad

anyone else just handtighten? sure, you tighten as you pedal (forward), but what about resisting the pedals and skidding?

Sometimes hand tightened pedals will loosen up. Not a good idea. Even on freewheel bikes.

Sometimes hand tightened pedals will loosen up. Not a good idea. Even on freewheel bikes.

yeah, i didn't think so. i never handtighten, and recently have been using my new torque wrench to tighten pretty much all bolts.

so how tight should pedals be?

take the crankarm off, put the pedal nut in a vice, put a cheater bar on the crankarm, profit.

Many, if not most, pedal nuts are blocked by the pedal, and can not be grabbed by a vice.

One would need to make something to grab the pedal nut, Just flat stock of the right thickness would do it. It still may not grab as well as the wrench. It depends on how hard the stock is, the wrench is probably much harder.

yeah, i didn't think so. i never handtighten, and recently have been using my new torque wrench to tighten pretty much all bolts.

Tell me about your torque wrench? What range? How much? Thanks.

Tell me about your torque wrench? What range? How much? Thanks.

it's this one (http://www.rei.com/product/1570.htm). park tools. 50 ft-lbs range. it's been very useful, and helped me realize how much i was undertightening most bolts.

so how tight should pedals be?

the little piece of paper that came with my miche cranks says "when fitting the pedal spindle we recommend a torque wrench setting of 44.1 N" (~30 ft-lbs).

just use a good wrench.unscrew in opposite direction of pedaling...
or drill thru it

if it fits use a pipe wrench you should be able to grab the spindle.

if it fits use a pipe wrench you should be able to grab the spindle.


thats last resort. it ain't budging so I'm hoping mike over at bicycle station has some trick up his sleeves on how to take them off without destroying them, they still have a lot of life left in them. I love those cranks too so I don't want those destroyed either. This is quite a dilemma...

took it to the lbs this morning and mike got it off in no time... I guess it was all about leverage. I just didn't want to screw it up and fukit up. He didn't charge me anything cuz it was so quick.

very good. that red bike is a looker.

it's this one (http://www.rei.com/product/1570.htm). park tools. 50 ft-lbs range. it's been very useful, and helped me realize how much i was undertightening most bolts.

Thanks. I may pick one up after the holidays.

Fantastico, I'm glad everything worked out for ya