I Cannot Get my Pedals Off!

[Velocivixen]

Yes.

[Veronica]

Sometimes they just get too tight. I've been known to hit the pedal wrench with a rubber mallet to loosen it up.

Brace the crank on something if you go with this method.

Veronica

[Biciclista]

take it to your LBS..
give the guy a 5 dollar tip when he tells you "no charge"

[Velocivixen]

Thanks ladies for your quick replies. What do you think if I spray some WD-40 on it first, let it set while I drink some coffee, then try it again? Or will that just be wasting time?

[Veronica]

WD 40 might help. You probably want to let it penetrate for 24 hours or so.

Veronica

[Velocivixen]

Okay, I've just sprayed some on and will try it one more time by standing on it! Let's hope the bike and I don't fall over!
Otherwise I'll try the LBS. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[tangentgirl]

Man, it sucks when guys tighten things like this. They always make it super-duper-tight, not thinking that someone else might need to undo it one day. Nothing like trying to get a wheel off to change a flat or just to get the bike in the car, to realize the LBS over-torqued it at the last tune-up. Grr.

Good luck, Velocivixen!

[Velocivixen]

I did it. I sat the bike on the floor with the affected pedal on it's down stroke and the wrench parallel to the floor. I leaned back onto my car for balance, applied the brakes on the bike, stood on the pedal with one foot and used the other foot to stand on the handle of the pedal wrench and sort of hopped up and down until I broke the seal.
The right side (drive train) side crank arm is unmarred, however the left side crank arm is now scratched up and I chipped a tiny bit of paint! Oh well....just a sign of a newby bike mechanic! I used my new grease and put them back on "firmly" but not super tight.
I'm feelin' like a rock star about now.
Thanks for your support and help.

[jessmarimba]

Glad you did it! I gave up and took mine to REI, since I bought the pedals there.