removing pedals

kingshankly

sorry if this is a stupid question but I'm trying to take of my normal pedals to put on a set for cleats but I can't get them off. I understand the left one goes cw and the right one goes ccw but there isn't a budge am I missing something or is it a case of wd40 and a bit of elbow grease

100Suns

Pedals loosen in the opposite direction that the crank arm turns. Try lengthening the lever you are using by attaching a second spanner or a short length of pipe. WD40 or 3 in 1 penetrant will also help. Good luck.

serendip

I use the trick that right is right. So the right pedal loosens the normal way (the right way) and the left pedal the other way. So to get the right pedal off go anticlockwise, and for the left pedal go clockwise.

kingshankly

there's no budging them time to call in mr muscle

bcmf

sometimes trying to tighten them a fraction is just enough to break the 'seal'. Use plenty of wd40 and make sure you have plenty of levereage. If all else fails off to LBS with before you do damage.

MWalljobs

shock treatment will do if all else fails, put the correct spanner on and then short sharp blows with hammer, check for loosening after every blow. will work. you need to break the 'time seal' that has set in.

cormpat

A word of advice, be careful when giving the max power on the leaver. When I was abroad this summer & was taking of my pedals to repack my bike I was giving it leather when I finally loosened the pedal but was applying so much force that I smashed my hand into the the teeth of the chainset! It was not my finest moment.

Keep_Her_Lit

If you can heat the pedal end of the crank arm by an appreciable amount without damaging the pedal, this will improve your chances of removing them intact (steel expands less than aluminium for a given temperature increase).

Even a kettle of boiling water poured over the crank arm might do the trick if you're lucky. That shouldn't cause any damage to bearing seals or plastic surfaces.

If you're going to bin the pedals anyway, then you could apply a bit more heat than that by using a blow torch. Or, if you can't get your hands on a blow torch, you could remove the cranks from the bottom bracket (more hassle, I know) and stick them in the oven for a while. Just remember to pop the oven gloves on when taking them out!


When fitting replacement pedals, coat the threads with some anti-seize grease. They may come off easier the next time.