Stuck Pedals
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2012
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From: Canada
Bikes: Maxim, Rocky Mountain, Argon 18, Cervelo S2 Team
Stuck Pedals
I have to get my pedals off my Road Bike. But for some reason they are stuck on there. Totally. Crankset is a Sram Type.
I tried to use a long wrench and seems the pedals wont move at all. I dont want to do anything drastic and almost damage my bike. What methods have recommend to get rid of stuck pedals
I tried to use a long wrench and seems the pedals wont move at all. I dont want to do anything drastic and almost damage my bike. What methods have recommend to get rid of stuck pedals
#2
Mad bike riding scientist




Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 29,169
Likes: 6,240
From: Denver, CO
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
I have to get my pedals off my Road Bike. But for some reason they are stuck on there. Totally. Crankset is a Sram Type.
I tried to use a long wrench and seems the pedals wont move at all. I dont want to do anything drastic and almost damage my bike. What methods have recommend to get rid of stuck pedals
I tried to use a long wrench and seems the pedals wont move at all. I dont want to do anything drastic and almost damage my bike. What methods have recommend to get rid of stuck pedals
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Stuart Black
Dreamin' of Bemidji Down the Mississippi (in part)
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
#3
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,180
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From: Sunnyvale, California
Bikes: Bridgestone RB-1, 600, T700, MB-6 w/ Dirt Drops, MB-Zip, Bianchi Limited, Nashbar Hounder
Remember that right hand pedal is RH threaded, and left side pedal is LH threaded. Also, "long" is a relative term. If you have a truly long pedal wrench (15 inches or longer extension handle), put the bike on the ground, orient the pedal you want forward pointing slightly above horizontal, and then use the pedal wrench with handle pointing back down a little toward the BB. Now push down firmly on the pedal wrench. Pedal should loosen.
#4
Senior Member


Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 39,897
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From: New Rochelle, NY
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
The easiest (maybe) way to remember pedal thread direction, is to turn forward (top to front of bike) to install, and backward (top to back of bike) to back them off. Forward = on, backward = Back off and you'll never go wrong.
Pedals don't usually freeze on to cranks that hard unless you do lot's of wet weather (or worse yet, ride on salty roads in the winter), so odds are they're just tight.
Removing is a pain because the crank wants to turn in the direction you're pulling the wrench (backward). You can mitigate this somewhat by placing the pedal wrench so it's pointed back along the crank (or as close as possible), which greatly lowers the torque on the crank.
If the crank is really tight, place the pedal in the forward horizontal position with the pedal wrench coming back past the center of the crank, and with the other pedal on a stack of books or something else solid so the crank can't spin back. Now stand on the pedal wrench, and shift most of your weight onto it suddenly (like you're using it as a step to a jump). That works 90% of the time.
Otherwise, it may be necessary to remove the crank arms, and wrestle the pedals off using a bench vise to hold one part while you turn the other.
Pedals don't usually freeze on to cranks that hard unless you do lot's of wet weather (or worse yet, ride on salty roads in the winter), so odds are they're just tight.
Removing is a pain because the crank wants to turn in the direction you're pulling the wrench (backward). You can mitigate this somewhat by placing the pedal wrench so it's pointed back along the crank (or as close as possible), which greatly lowers the torque on the crank.
If the crank is really tight, place the pedal in the forward horizontal position with the pedal wrench coming back past the center of the crank, and with the other pedal on a stack of books or something else solid so the crank can't spin back. Now stand on the pedal wrench, and shift most of your weight onto it suddenly (like you're using it as a step to a jump). That works 90% of the time.
Otherwise, it may be necessary to remove the crank arms, and wrestle the pedals off using a bench vise to hold one part while you turn the other.
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FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
#5
Keepin it Wheel




Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,965
Likes: 5,240
From: San Diego
Bikes: Surly CrossCheck, Krampus
To summarize, try to set it up so you can step on it.
You also better have a good quality pedal wrench; I bought a Nashbar "Essential" tool kit, and I am happy with most of the tools in there (crank puller, chain whip, freewheel remover, 8mm allen wrench and socket interface, cone wrenches are probably not that good, haven't used them much yet) BUT the pedal wrench has munched jaws after some tough pedals. I was fortunate enough to come by a vintage Campy pedal wrench, which works great (and looks great too!), but I bet even the cheapest Park pedal wrench will do better than that Nashbar.
You also better have a good quality pedal wrench; I bought a Nashbar "Essential" tool kit, and I am happy with most of the tools in there (crank puller, chain whip, freewheel remover, 8mm allen wrench and socket interface, cone wrenches are probably not that good, haven't used them much yet) BUT the pedal wrench has munched jaws after some tough pedals. I was fortunate enough to come by a vintage Campy pedal wrench, which works great (and looks great too!), but I bet even the cheapest Park pedal wrench will do better than that Nashbar.
#7
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: Pennsyl-tuckey
Bikes: '86 Cannondale SR400, '86 Pugeot PX10, '92 Bianchi Axis, '95 Bianchi Campione d'Italia, '00 Fondriest X-Status, '08 Specialized Roubaix, '13 Cannondale CAADX
Faced with a similar problem, I poured near-boiling water on the crank end. A little expansion and and 20 in pipe to extend my wrench did it. Rather than a pedal wrench, they had a hex key in the back of the spindle, but you get the thermal expansion idea...
#8
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Roswell, GA
Bikes: '93 Trek 750, '92 Schwinn Crisscross, '93 Mongoose Alta
Get yourself some PB Blaster or better yet some Kano Kroil, apply it to the threads (both sides) and let it soak in and do its work before you try to take the pedals off.
Then use a real pedal wrench; regular open-end wrenches are typically not long enough to apply the leverage needed to remove stubborn pedals. Don't even consider adjustable wrenches. As suggested above CONTROLLED application of heat may help loosen up the joint.
Make sure that when you replace them you grease the threads so that they do not seize/corrode into place again. I use Tef-Gel for such dissimilar metal joints and also use stainless pedal washers; they help avoid marring the crank arms and also help keep the pedals from jamming into the cranks. Grease the washers as well.
Then use a real pedal wrench; regular open-end wrenches are typically not long enough to apply the leverage needed to remove stubborn pedals. Don't even consider adjustable wrenches. As suggested above CONTROLLED application of heat may help loosen up the joint.
Make sure that when you replace them you grease the threads so that they do not seize/corrode into place again. I use Tef-Gel for such dissimilar metal joints and also use stainless pedal washers; they help avoid marring the crank arms and also help keep the pedals from jamming into the cranks. Grease the washers as well.
#10
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 946
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From: beantown
Bikes: '89 Specialized Hardrock Fixed Gear Commuter; 1984? Dawes Atlantis
A couple other points:
1. Make sure you put the chain on the big ring, bashing your hand onto a dirty chain is far more pleasant than onto a sharp (and dirty) chainring.
2. tie the pedal or crank on the opposite side that you are working on to the chainstay - an old toe strap works quite well for this.
1. Make sure you put the chain on the big ring, bashing your hand onto a dirty chain is far more pleasant than onto a sharp (and dirty) chainring.
2. tie the pedal or crank on the opposite side that you are working on to the chainstay - an old toe strap works quite well for this.
#11
Newbie
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
I had trouble removing my stuck pedals recently too. Tried for ages. The using a pipe to lengthen your pedal wrench is what worked for me. I didn't have a length of pipe, I used the solid metal tube from my vacuum cleaner. Worked a treat!
#12
Experienced
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,039
Likes: 0
Yeah, that's what I wrote above. You used the BAP; often people have one over by the BAW, the BAH, and the BAS.





