Quick question on removing pedals

[Melstar]

To unscrew my pedals: The left pedal, unscrew clockwise? and the opposite for the right... right? :confused:

Hope my question makes sense

[DebW]

The right pedal has right-hand threads. The left pedal has left-hand threads. To screw pedals on, the wrench comes from back of bike to upright to front of bike. Opposite to remove. You had it right.

[Kalidurga]

Deb, everyone here should be paying you a consulting fee. I love the way you explain things so coherently!

[SadieKate]

The right pedal has right-hand threads. The left pedal has left-hand threads. To screw pedals on, the wrench comes from back of bike to upright to front of bike. Opposite to remove. You had it right.Adding "if you stand on the same side of the bike as the pedal . . . "

I just remember, "righty tighty, lefty oddie", as in the left one is odd or the opposite. I'll stand on one side of the bike to do both pedals at times.

[DebW]

Adding "if you stand on the same side of the bike as the pedal . . . "

Doesn't matter where you're standing if you always turn towards the front of the bike (though that only applies to the upper half of the wrench stroke). Avoids the right-left perspective dichotomy.

[Adventure Girl]

Adding "if you stand on the same side of the bike as the pedal . . . "

I just remember, "righty tighty, lefty oddie", as in the left one is odd or the opposite. I'll stand on one side of the bike to do both pedals at times.I admit it. I have left/right problems sometimes (Yes, I am the problem child!). This explanation helps me keep it straight.

[SadieKate]

Doesn't matter where you're standing if you always turn towards the front of the bike (though that only applies to the upper half of the wrench stroke). Avoids the right-left perspective dichotomy.Good for you, Deb. Doesn't always work for me. Ask Bubba. I get all goofed up unless I just think "left or right." At least I don't build a spreadsheet to do it.:rolleyes:

[DebW]

Then there's the method I learned in physics class for doing cross-products of vectors. You point your thumb in the direction you want the screw to pull towards, and the way your fingers curl tells you which way to turn the screw. Use right hand for right hand threads, left hand for left hand threads. But since I have trouble picking out my right hand, this doesn't work well for me.

[Grog]

SadieKate is right.

If you put on your pedals, then it's because you want to go on a bike ride, hence you want to go FORWARD. Screw towards the front wheel.

If you put off your pedals, you're stopping, so you want to go towards your rear wheel when you screw it off.

Another interesting note on pedals: I used to use a wrench and, well, I could never take them off. A bike mechanics I now adore has told me to put them on and off with an allen key. It works so easily, it's unbelievable. They don't need to be excessively tight either (just normally tight). It changed my life!

[Adventure Girl]

At least I don't build a spreadsheet to do it.:rolleyes:Was that a dig at your favorite problem child? :rolleyes: Don't you roll your eyes at me!!!:rolleyes:



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:D

[KnottedYet]

Ah HAH! I just looked at my Frogs and finally saw the light! (thanks, y'all!)

I'd been fretting that I don't have a pedal wrench, and what'll I do when I put frogs on the new bike, and how will I maintain my pedals, yadda yadda. (I'm a champion fretter! Gold medal worry-wart.)

Now I see where the allen wrench will fit, I understand which direction to turn it, and I know I don't have to crank on the things and make 'em supertight.

Whew! I really want to know how to do my own pedals, cuz the bike shop cross-threaded my flat pedals when they assembled my Kona. When i got Frogs they had to re-tap the cranks cuz it was such a mess.

Thanks, guys!! You're awesome!!

[SadieKate]

=====> AG :p

Don't forget I make my fair share of spreadsheets.:p

OK, I know why the "toward the back of the bike" doesn't work for me. I will place the pedal wrench under the chain stay or a bottom tube at times and then squeeze the chain stay and pedal wrench together to get more torque. Intuitively, this is toward the front of the bike.

I use an allen wrench also but I hate short lever arms!!!!! Unfortunately, Keos only work with allen wrenches and if a he-man type has put my pedals on for some reason, I can't get them off.

[DebW]

I find that the best leverage for removing stubborn pedals is to straddle the rear wheel, put your shoulder on the saddle, have the pedal to be removed in the forward position, align the pedal wrench with the crank arms (within 20 degrees if possible), and hold the opposite pedal for leverage. A rag in the wrench hand can let you apply more leverage without undue pain. A nice long pedal wrench is essential (not all pedals can take an allen). Don't forget to grease the threads when installing pedals so they will come off easier next time.

[DebW]

Whew! I really want to know how to do my own pedals, cuz the bike shop cross-threaded my flat pedals when they assembled my Kona. When i got Frogs they had to re-tap the cranks cuz it was such a mess.


Ewww, cross-threading. I once cross-threaded a Campy Record crankset. That would have been an expensive mistake if a tap hadn't cleaned it up. Campy cranksets came with atrocious threading in the 70s. We learned to always tap them before even attempting to install a pedal for the first time. I knew a guy who crashed when his pedal pulled out of his Campy crankset.

[KnottedYet]

Deb - what kind of grease? Is there one brand/type of grease that you could recommend I buy, that I could use for all grease needs?

(I only have a bottle of liquid T9. No grease. Speedplay sells a squirter thingy with grease for the Frogs. I suppose that would be a seperate grease issue, but I need a general grease.)

Thanks, oh mighty Bike Guru!

[Grog]

Grease indeed. Ask your LBS people. I have funny red stuff that comes in a toothpaste-like tube.

Another tip:
My pedals would sort of 'dig' into the crank. The adorable mechanics (same guy) also gave me a little washer to put there. No more digging, easier to take off the pedals.

[DebW]

Deb - what kind of grease? Is there one brand/type of grease that you could recommend I buy, that I could use for all grease needs?


I recommend Pedro's Syn Grease for bearings. You can use it for everything if you want, but el cheapo grease (like white lithium from the auto parts store) is fine for threads and cables. I just wish you could get Pedro's in a tub instead of only tubes. You can dip fingers into a tub - takes 2 hands to get grease out of a tube. Though it's much harder to contaminate a tube. We once got metal filings in a 5 lb tub of Campy grease in the shop.

[SadieKate]

It's called Pedro's Velo Grease.

http://www.glorycycles.com/pevegrtub16.html

[Eden]

I recommend Pedro's Syn Grease for bearings. You can use it for everything if you want, but el cheapo grease (like white lithium from the auto parts store) is fine for threads and cables. I just wish you could get Pedro's in a tub instead of only tubes. You can dip fingers into a tub - takes 2 hands to get grease out of a tube. Though it's much harder to contaminate a tube. We once got metal filings in a 5 lb tub of Campy grease in the shop.

You can get a nifty little applicator with a push button that the Pedro's tubes fit right onto that lets you apply it with one hand - plus its really great for applying to tight spaces - only problem is that it continues to come out after you've taken your finger off of the trigger so no matter how careful I try to be I always get grease on other stuff too.

http://www.pedros.com/frame.aspx?url=http://store.yahoo.com/pedrosusa/grease.html?shop

[KnottedYet]

It's called Pedro's Velo Grease.

http://www.glorycycles.com/pevegrtub16.html


Vanilla scented?!?! Are they kidding, or is it really vanilla scented?!?! (is this the Love Pantry or a bike shop?:D )

[DebW]

It's called Pedro's Velo Grease.

http://www.glorycycles.com/pevegrtub16.html

Thanks, SK. I hadn't seen that before. And Pedro's web site show a 16 oz tub of Syn Grease as well, for $30.


You can get a nifty little applicator with a push button that the Pedro's tubes fit right onto that lets you apply it with one hand - plus its really great for applying to tight spaces - only problem is that it continues to come out after you've taken your finger off of the trigger so no matter how careful I try to be I always get grease on other stuff too.

I have the applicator for injecting my Speedplay pedals. But I like the feel of grease on my fingers, so the grease always goes there first.

[SadieKate]

Vanilla scented?!?! Are they kidding, or is it really vanilla scented?!?! (is this the Love Pantry or a bike shop?:D )I just went out to my kitchen and sniffed grease. Don't tell anyone, OK?

It's not really vanilla-scented. It's more of a light greasy plastic smell with a wanna-be vanilla overtone. I'm not sure why grease can't just smell like grease.

[Pedal Wench]

"Foward On, and Back off"

Wrench goes forward to put the pedals ON, wrench goes to the back of the bike to take them OFF.

Easy, breezy!

[Kitsune06]

Deb,
Would white lithium grease be alright for bearings if the bike is infrequently used? At a loss for bike-specific grease, I repacked DGF's bearings with white lithium. The bearings are unsealed (no rubber seal or anything to prevent water from getting in, other than a little metal cap. Very cheap wheelset) but she's a fair-weather rider anyway...
I only ask because that's what I've got a tub of, and I'm reluctant to shell out for any other kind of grease if $7 will buy almost a week worth of lunches or a couple gallons of gas, or a whole lot of ramen.... :rolleyes:

[velogirl]

"Foward On, and Back off"

Wrench goes forward to put the pedals ON, wrench goes to the back of the bike to take them OFF.

Easy, breezy!


Hee hee! I was just going to say "back off!" That's how I always remember it. And sometimes I still screw up and tighten them down more.

Drift here......Monday night we finish our cyclocross ride at an OSP and there's a woman in a karate suit (what's it called -- white pants and robe). Anyways, she's in the parking lot in her white karate suit with high heel sparkly sandals on trying to change a flat tire on her car. She has a Mercedes and it has a built-in slot for the jack and she broke the slot. She definitely needed help, it was getting dark, and we decided to help.

I won't go into all the silly things she did, like putting the jack on the other side of the car (to see if that would work), but anyways, we jump in, suggest she put the floor-mat under her jack (instead of jacking on the dirt), and help her jack it up.

So, here we are, three women solving her crisis. At one point, I decide to do more than provide moral support and start turning the jack again. She had made it look really hard, but when I did it it was easy. Of course, that's because I'm a super-hero in disguise, right? Wrong! It's because I was jacking the wrong direction and lowering the car back down to the ground. Silly me.

Oh, and she had AAA. I asked her why she didn't call and she said it was empowering to do things herself. I can do lots of things by myself, but I still call AAA.

[DebW]

Deb,
Would white lithium grease be alright for bearings if the bike is infrequently used?

Fine.

VG, funny story. But you wont' fool us, we know that you really ARE a super-hero in disguise. You could have just picked up the Mercedes without the jack, but you didn't want to reveal your secret identity.

[Melstar]

The right pedal has right-hand threads. The left pedal has left-hand threads. To screw pedals on, the wrench comes from back of bike to upright to front of bike. Opposite to remove. You had it right.

Ah hah coolios, thanks Deb!

The guy i'm borrowing the bike from really had his clipless pedals tightened to the max. Had to literally kick the wrench... but its all good. :D

[KnottedYet]

Thanks to this thread, my Park Tool book, and the LBS guys who sold me a pedal-wrench for the muscularly un-endowed and some grease; I was able to switch out the pedals on my Kona. Took off the Frogs and put the flats back on so SKnot can use it.

I'll be checking those puppies to be sure they stay where I put 'em.

I had no problem, unlike the shop guy who assembled the bike in the first place and cross-threaded the pedals. (I'm gloating just a *tiny* bit.);)

[lph]

I know all you savvy ladies have already answered the question several times over, but i still have to butt in with my way of remembering which way the pedals go:

they go OFF the opposite way that I pedal. If not I'd be pedalling them off the bike all the time...




(wheee! I got a brand-new drive train :D

[Nanci]

Knot, they tighten up as you pedal- you don't have to worry about them getting loose!

Grog- I used your way to remember right after I read it, coincidentally. I finally decided to move the 959's to the road bike, and the 747's to the MTB.

I like Back Off, too. Easy to remember.

Nanci