Fifty Plus (50+) - Help with Crank Bros Pedals

OK, here is the scoop. I use Crank Bros Candy pedals on three bikes. Lately I have noticed my Trek 1200 has been wearing my legs out faster. I thought it might be the 28cc tires so last night I picked up a pair of 23s and changed them. While changing the rear tire I had to turn the crank by hand and noticed that the pedal I grabbed didn't rotate freely. In fact there is quite a bit of resistance when trying to spin the pedal, the other side is the same. Both other bikes are ok as them pedals spin fairly freely.

What does this mean? Do the pedals need regreasing? rebuilding? new pedals? anyone have any experience with this and I am assuming (probably wrongly) that this could cause premature leg wearas you are fighting the friction of the pedal spinning.

OK, here is the scoop. I use Crank Bros Candy pedals on three bikes. Lately I have noticed my Trek 1200 has been wearing my legs out faster. I thought it might be the 28cc tires so last night I picked up a pair of 23s and changed them. While changing the rear tire I had to turn the crank by hand and noticed that the pedal I grabbed didn't rotate freely. In fact there is quite a bit of resistance when trying to spin the pedal, the other side is the same. Both other bikes are ok as them pedals spin fairly freely.

What does this mean? Do the pedals need regreasing? rebuilding? new pedals? anyone have any experience with this and I am assuming (probably wrongly) that this could cause premature leg wearas you are fighting the friction of the pedal spinning.

Does this apply to your pedals?

Long-term users of Crank Brothers' pedals report that you do have to make sure you maintain the bearings. A screw-in plastic grease port is included with the pedals and it's a simple matter to remove the dustcap, fit the grease port, pump in new grease then swap the dustcap back out. However, while this kind of maintenance isn't essential with many pedals, it is vital with Candies, as the pedal turns on a bushing at one end and a ball-bearing at the other and bushings really don't like being run dry. Crank Bros recommends fresh grease every 100-300 hours of riding, which isn't too arduous a schedule and fortunately, if you do neglect them, spares are available and the pedals can be rebuilt.

Thanks Beverly

I would probably rebuild them...then you'll be on top of it next time. Great pedals in my opinion..I have been using Egg Beaters for years...

... A screw-in plastic grease port is included with the pedals and it's a simple matter to remove the dustcap, fit the grease port, pump in new grease then swap the dustcap back out. However, while this kind of maintenance isn't essential with many pedals, it is vital with Candies, as the pedal turns on a bushing at one end and a ball-bearing at the other and bushings really don't like being run dry. Crank Bros recommends fresh grease every 100-300 hours of riding, which isn't too arduous a schedule and fortunately, if you do neglect them, spares are available and the pedals can be rebuilt.

true of the EggbeaterCs also
I regreased my most used set of eggbeaterCs after about 300+ hours (little over 5k miles), last month.
good as new...
The grease fitting isn't anything more than a place to put a small dia. nozzle. SO despite their 'instruction' to put in fresh grease until the 'old' stuff start coming out the other side, I couldn;t muster enough squish force to do that, but I did force in a solid amount of 'new' grease. SO I'm just gonna keep an eye on them to see how long my 'regreasing' will last.
Might just try to come up with some really solid screw-on fitting for a grease gun for the other 8 prs of crank Bros I'm runnin...