Taking off pedals

[Ered_Lithui]

Don't be embarrassed! And the big Park Tools pedal wrench is awesome, but even with it I've seen big tough mechanics slip a "cheater bar" over the end to get extra length and leverage. I'd just take it in to the LBS and explain that your tool's not doing the trick. I doubt they'd charge you for it.

Putting a little grease on the threads before putting the pedals on might help in future.

[Desert Tortoise]

Lph, when you said right hand pedal loosens counter-clockwise and left hand pedal loosens clockwise, is that with the bike upright or upside down (handle bars on the floor)?

(For some dumb reason I can't find how to copy a quote on here.)

Thanks!

[mariacycle]

upright bike in my limited experience with my dad's bike

[lph]

Lph, when you said right hand pedal loosens counter-clockwise and left hand pedal loosens clockwise, is that with the bike upright or upside down (handle bars on the floor)?

(For some dumb reason I can't find how to copy a quote on here.)

Thanks!

Oh, sorry! Bike upright. I have a work stand so I only work with it that way now.

[OakLeaf]

Unless it's Look pedals, or any other pedal that might fasten with a hex-head on the end of the spindle, in which case you're backwards ("tightening" direction to push the pedal outward and loosen it, and vice versa).

Just remember right-hand pedal is standard thread, left-hand pedal is reverse thread, then it won't matter what orientation you're looking at it from.

[Desert Tortoise]

Got it, thanks ladies!

[mariacycle]

Well... I sucked up my pride and went to the LBS. Turns out that on top of the guy being ridiculously sympathetic to my being unable to get my pedals off, they also sold rear skewers there (lost the one that came with my bike trainer) so I'm about to get back in the trainer and finally use my clipless pedals! Thanks ladies for all the sympathy/advice. By the way, the guy at the LBS had a huge bike wrench (the entire handle was padded) that looked to be at least 13" long. In the future, I'll either get the tool I need or go to the LBS immediately (my pride is not worth cut fingers!)

[pinkbikes]

Ummm... doesn't matter which way up the bike is. Anti-clockwise is still anti-clockwise!

[sarahspins]

Was it blue? That sounds like my Park pedal wrench. They don't cost much.. $12 I think? Definitely worth it

[VeloVT]

People think way too hard about this. All you need to remember is that you tighten the pedal by turning the wrench in the direction you pedal (i.e., towards the front of the bike) and you loosen the pedal in the direction opposite the direction you pedal (i.e., towards the back of the bike). This is true for both sides of the bike, upside down or rightside up.