repairing or replacing pedals?

I am very proud to say I seem to have worn out my pedals. The left pedal started locking up when I was pedalling. So I took the pedals apart, cleaned all the parts and the bearings, greased it all up well and put it back together. The right pedal is not too bad, but I don't think I got the locknut on quite right. I assume there is a special tool out there? On the left pedal, all the bearings had rusted. Even after a thorough cleaning, they looked tarnished and rusted. And the pedal is still locking up after I've greased it and put it back together. So my question is, is it worth getting new bearings and attempting to repair the pedals? Will I ever be able to put them back together right? I stopped by one bike shop this morning on my shopping round and asked about it and the guy said they wouldn't be worth repairing (I didn't have the pedals with me to show him). He says he wears out a pair of pedals in just three months and has to just replace them. I've had mine for almost a year.....I'll ask at another bike shop this afternoon, but thought I'd ask your expert opinions too. A new set of pedals are a bit on the pricy side for me, especially if I have to buy new ones every year.

Trek sez to get new pedals.

(how 'bout Speedplay Frogs? just cuz I like them... :D )

Trek will be off-line until she gets back from your Grandma's this evening.

Bearings themselves are cheap and easy to replace, but if the cup and cone bearing surfaces are rusted are pitted, then it's not worth it. The cone WOULD be replaceable IF you could find the parts, but very unlikely. If the cup surface is worn or rusted, then you have to throw the whole pedal away. Replacing pedals every year is crazy, except maybe for a racer. So, I'd suggest buying new pedals and overhauling them every time they start feeling less than smooth, or buying a good pair with good bearing seals.

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Originally Posted by uk elephant

I stopped by one bike shop this morning on my shopping round and asked about it and the guy .... says he wears out a pair of pedals in just three months and has to just replace them. I've had mine for almost a year.....I'll ask at another bike shop this afternoon, but thought I'd ask your expert opinions too. A new set of pedals are a bit on the pricy side for me, especially if I have to buy new ones every year.

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Whoo hoo!! It's great when you wear stuff out.

I don't know what pedals you have or how far the LBS guy rides but I've had the same SPD pedals for over 3 years, that's 2 ALC Rides, 1 year leading training rides, and the usual bikes rides on the Bay Trail with TE'ers. Maybe I need to ride far more.

So either he rides more than that every 3 months or .... leaves the bike outside in the rain or ... I dunno. :confused:

Keep your pedals clean, lubed and they should last a while but if you need new now I'd get them. Just don't get something completely different right before the AIDS Ride. You don't want to be wondering "how do I get outa these? :confused: " on the first day.

My pedals were not the sealed kind, and I've taken them through streams (when the path flooded) a few times and I ride in all kinds of weather. I ended up buying new ones, properly sealed ones, that the shop reckons should last me 5-6 years at least. Hopefully he's right. I left the old pedals with them and they'll see if they are repairable. What I had were double sided ones with a platform on one side and clipless on the other. Ideal for me who commutes to work in normal shoes and trains in clipless on a regular basis. The new ones are just normal clipless, but my commute to work is so short I should be ok even pedalling on them with normal shoes.