daft question - changing pedals

saunaboy

This should prob go in a tech forum but the daft nature of it made me post it here...

I've just bought a pair of Keo Classics & want to replace the existing issue pedals (simple strappy pedals) on my Bianchi via Nirone.

Got the right spanner & the pedals simply will not come off!!! I've tried all ways but they won't budge. Tried a spanner on the outside nut & an allen key on the inside. No movement at all.

I feel a right plonker bothering my LBs with it. Anyone got any advice or ideas??

graeme_s-2

They screw off in opposite directions. The left hand pedal screws off clockwise as you look at the bike, the right hand pedal anti-clockwise.

I find the best thing is to position the crank so it's pointing straight downwards, then firmly position your spanner/allen key, so the handle is at 90 degrees to the crank. Then stand on the handle. It should budge with a good bit of weight on it, and once it's moved it should screw off without too much trouble.

Erudin

Protect the spanner with a piece of wood and tap lightly repeatedly with a hammer and it should shift unless it's really seized. Grease the threads of the new pedal or use anti seize-paste to stop them seizing in future.

cougie

You can get extra leverage by using a pipe over the spanner - I find a garden rake handle does it a treat. Do make sure you are going the right way though !

Monty Dog

Firstly, you need decent leverage - typically something a foot-long a regular spanner won't provide enough leverage.
Graze-free knuckles technique: Crank horizontal toward front wheel - fit spanner/wrench inline i.e. extending the crank direction. Press down on the pedal with the foot whilst pulling up on the spanner/wrench. Repeat for other side.

UpTheWall

Variation on the theme - pedal at the 2 o'clock, flat of hand on it pushing down, spanner on the nut going in the other direction, and the combined force never fails for me,

And lube up the thread of the new pedals before you put them on so you don't have this problem next time.

Monty Dog

^ Sure fire way of shredding your knuckles on the chainring. I'd only use this method to 'crack' the joint using a firm blow from a mallet on the spanner but pushing down on a wrench towards the chainring is an accident waiting to happen.

sfichele

gloves + an old towel over crank will save those knuckles in any case

woodywmb

Go to the bike shop. They'll have the right spanner, tight-fitting with extension bar. They might even heat up the cranks and lock them in a vice to get good grip. Thereafter, properly greased, you'll never have a problem getting the pedals off. Otherwise you could damage the pedals, cranks, the chain stays, the tools or your hands. Trust me, I'm talking from experience - costly and painful.

beinbhan

Put the crank pointing towards the ground and the spanner handle pointing towards the rear of the bike and stand on the spanner handle, the right hand pedal is threaded normally and the left is a reverse thread

stevec205gti

Put the chain on the big ring - then if anything does spin/move you only whack your hand against a chain instead of all those nice teeth....

petemadoc

Monty Dog wrote:

^ Sure fire way of shredding your knuckles on the chainring. I'd only use this method to 'crack' the joint using a firm blow from a mallet on the spanner but pushing down on a wrench towards the chainring is an accident waiting to happen.

This happened to me

Result - lots of pain and stitches

meanredspider

For sure having the end of the spanner pointing at the hub is going to apply the least moment to the crank allowing you to put the most energy into undo the pedal. Also, if it suddenly does come loose, the spanner is swinging away from pinch points and sharp sprockets.

A car renovation trick though is to do two things - give the spindle a bash along its axis and also try doing the pedal up first before trying to undo it.

Do be careful though!

graeme_s-2

beinbhan wrote:

Put the crank pointing towards the ground and the spanner handle pointing towards the rear of the bike and stand on the spanner handle, the right hand pedal is threaded normally and the left is a reverse thread

I think this is the best way too. As I said above, even without an extension I've found just standing on the handle of the allen key/spanner will usually get it moving and then you can unscrew it. Maybe I've never had a properly seized pedal jammed on the crank though.

The suspense is killing me, has the OP got the pedals off yet!?