labrat_62

Besides getting stronger, i ride a bike so no upper body strength, Any tips on getting a pedal out of the crank. I took the bike apart to fly down to fl with no problem, rode down here, then when taking the bike back apart, i cannot for the life of me get the right pedal out. What pisses me of the most is I did not crank it down when putting it back on because I knew it was going to come right back out when I go home. Anybody else run into this problem?

I guess it is time for a new bike

merlinextraligh

Grease! When you put the pedal into the crank make sure its got plenty of grease on the threads. it will come off easily next time (assuming you don't cross thread it.)

Now that it's already on, get an industrial strength pedal wrench (Park Tools are nice). Put the crankarm forward, about 2 o'clock. Put the wrench with the handle facing toward the bike of the bike. Push down hard on the wrench with one hand, while also pushing the crank down. If it doesn't come off when you put all your weight onto it, get a cheater bar, and add that to the pedal wrench for leverage.

rollin

pipe, long piece of pipe over the wrench

nobrainer440

+1,000. Pretty much grease everything with threads.

grahny

My LBS and I agree to loctite pedals on, since you're not going to be removing them all the time anyway. Use this to remove (park tool pedal wrench)... works perfectly:

superdex

!! you might as well loctite the stem, saddle, derailluers, etc too since you don't remove them all the time either

DocRay

dumb advice, this is how stuff breaks.

how to remove pedals:

1. stand behind the bike
2. engage pedal wrench
3. push down on each side (they have left/right threads)

To install pedals:

1. thread in by hand, using anti-seize, not grease and not loctite.
2. engage pedal wrench.
3. pull up to tighten each side.

If the pedal is seized, all penetrating oil, leave overnight.

DocRay

Most good bikes come from the factory assembled with loctite on the stem, brake bolts, pinch bolt, etc. anything that can vibrate loose. The pedals are self-tightening if the come loose.

LowCel 

Yet I still lost a pedal in a race one time. Damn you Murphy!!!!!

Phantoj

The reverse threading on the left crank is a Wright Brothers innovation.

A good tip to remember which was to turn - turning the pedal forwards relative to the crank tightens it, backwards loosens it.

Buy a pedal wrench if you don't have one. You won't regret it.

Rolling15

Of course, if you have Look Keo pedals the park tool pedal wrench won't work.

CardiacKid

I agree that a cheater bar (a piece of pipe) is the cheapest and most effective solution. Did you remember that the pedals are threaded differently on each side. With the handle of the wrench pointing up, turn towards the rear wheel.

Stevie Boy

Careful with using any random tool. Sometimes the pedals seize and it'll be there forever. Stripped the pedal on my bike and it took my LBS 2 weeks to get that thing off. They ended up getting some giant vice grip to crank it off.

Oh, just in case, remember the threading is different on each side?

grahny

stem yes, braze ons yes, cleat screws yes, etc... loctite keeps everything in place, it doesn't fuse the materials together

Hocam

Don't forget that the left (non-drive) side is reverse threaded.


A spray of WD-40 and 10 minutes of waiting has worked for bikes that are 70+ years old for me.

Az B

It may seem contrary, but Loctite works fine in these cases. In case you care, here's why: Over a period of time dissimilar metals like steel and aluminum in the case of pedals and crank arms, will actually bond together in a chemical process that results in something very close to being welded together. Grease, anti-sieze, and even Loctite all develop a physical barrier preventing this process. Most types of Loctite are meant to be easily removed with hand tools, and even red will break down from heat, making it gnenerally pretty easy to remove. So by using the correct type of LocTite (blue, in this case) you can prevent the pedals from becoming so siezed they'll never come off and at the same time make sure they stay tight and don't loosen from vibration, etc.

And to the orginal poster, remember that the left side pedal has left hand threads... that is, you must turn the wrench clockwise to remove.

Az

rbart4506

Or Time pedals....

Hence the reason I refuse to honk down on my pedals when I'm tightening them....I've yet to have one come off...

Hocam

That's because the motion of your pedaling actually tends to tighten them.

If the right side was reverse threaded and left side normal threaded you'd eventually spin them off and ruin the threads.

This is why when kids who think having a fixed gear with the driveside on the left side (by flipping the crankset) would be cool will ruin their cranks and possibly pedals.

JayC

8mm allen for those. I prefer the Pedro pedal wrench. The new Shimano Ultegra's (Old one's might too.. this is my first go round with Shimano pedals) use a 6mm allen although I think the Park wrench would still work. I just ordered a 6mm Pedro just to have.

Jack Hammer

+1 for a good pedal wrench. Especially the kind where the slot is at a 90 degree angle to the wrench. I've used that type to remove very stubborn pedals with a lot of ease. Also as mentioned by many, don't forget to grease the threads.

timmyquest

Not one with tools are we?

Dellphinus

Just went thru this. Penetrating oil did not help. Took the other pedal off, slid a three foot lenght of pipe over the crank arm, and let it rest on the floor, and used a Parks pedal wrench on the stuck one- no joy, rounded off the flats. Had to disassemble the pedal, and use an 18 inch pipe wrench on what was left of the flat. Re-assembled the pedal, and it's still servicable.

Nachoman

I used to have this problem all the time. I bought the biggest pedal tool available and now no more problems.

JayC

I just put the pedal wrench as level to the ground as I can get it and step on it. That seems to work fine.

Hummeth

I hammered on the end of a wrench once to get my old pedals off.