Pedal Removal Question - Quick Guidance Required !

bobbydazzla
bobbydazzla Posts: 289
edited March 2013 in Road general
I just got a new bike and a set of Ultegra SPD-SL pedals. Both ordered online

I wanted to check my position on the bike using my turbo so popped the pedals on. I just screwed them both in by hand and didn't tighten any bolts or use an allen key.

Now I can't get the pedals off, despite trying to loosen the bolt with a spanner.

Can someone who's less of a mechanical dunce than me advise how I can do it ?

Comments

  • ianbz
    ianbz Posts: 27
    Daft question, are you undoing them correctly, one side has a left hand thread!?
  • IanBz wrote:
    Daft question, are you undoing them correctly, one side has a left hand thread!?

    I think so.

    The pedals have a "tighten" on them and an pointing in one diretion, I'm turning the spanner in the opposite direction....
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Put allen/pedal wrench on pedal pointing towards front wheel, press down on pedal whilst pulling wrench upwards, towards you to unscrew. Works regardless of side. If you only used hand pressure to screw in, should only need little force to remove. Remember to grease threads for proper install.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Monty Dog wrote:
    Put allen/pedal wrench on pedal pointing towards front wheel, press down on pedal whilst pulling wrench upwards, towards you to unscrew. Works regardless of side. If you only used hand pressure to screw in, should only need little force to remove. Remember to grease threads for proper install.

    Tried that and no joy.

    Using an adjustable wrench as the 15mm pedal wrench I have doesn't fit these pedals. And i don't have an allen that the right size.

    Could I be struggling because I'm not using a pedal wrench ?
  • pastey_boy
    pastey_boy Posts: 2,083
    The tighten graphic only applies to the collar that holds the axle in place.
    Viner Salviati
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  • pastey_boy wrote:
    The tighten graphic only applies to the collar that holds the axle in place.

    Here's a pic of the pedal.

    The bit I'm trying to turn is the silver bolt shape that runs flush to the black part of the pedal. Is this the correct bit ?

    http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/components/pedals/product/review-shimano-ultegra-pd-6700c-carbon-road-pedals-12-46394
  • pastey_boy
    pastey_boy Posts: 2,083
    Noooooooo. you need an allen key to remove these.
    Viner Salviati
    Shark Aero Pro
    Px Ti Custom
    Cougar 531
    Sab single speed
    Argon 18 E-112 TT
    One-one Ti 456 Evo
    Ridley Cheetah TT
    Orange Clockwork 2007 ltd ed
    Yeti ASR 5
    Cove Hummer XC Ti
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    Its a 6mm allen key you'll want on those pedals
    Start with the drive side.. ensure the chain is ON THE BIG RING.
    If you can fashion some copper pipe or other tubing to extend the leverage of the allen key then sort it.
    It's always a bit awkward but you insert the allen key and you will be pushing down in the direction of the REAR wheel.
    Think of the rotation of the pedal in normal use... it tightens up as you pedal along... a nifty safety feature that ensures your pedals don not drop off in the road.
    Reverse your thinking for the other side.. again you will undoing in the direction of the rear wheel.
    Leverage is what you need not violence.
  • Thanks for the info on the allen key, that explains why I was having no joy with the wrench ! I'm a numpty :oops:

    Although to be fair Shimano could make it clearer to mechanical dunce's that an allen key is required for the pedals, everything I could find online said wrench or allen would both be fine and there were no removal instructions in the box...

    And I have a nice cut on my thumb after a slammed it onto the big ring. Won't make that mistake again.
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    Thanks for the info on the allen key, that explains why I was having no joy with the wrench ! I'm a numpty :oops:

    Although to be fair Shimano could make it clearer to mechanical dunce's that an allen key is required for the pedals, everything I could find online said wrench or allen would both be fine and there were no removal instructions in the box...

    And I have a nice cut on my thumb after a slammed it onto the big ring. Won't make that mistake again.

    We all learn... I nearly had no thumb at all last week when I messed up trying to extract a bb30 bearing with what I thought was a foolproof way....
  • dandrew
    dandrew Posts: 175
    I had trouble getting my pedals off. Need to turn the alum key the opposite way to which the pedals turn. I used a coal hammer to knock the alum key gently until it moved.
  • MichaelW
    MichaelW Posts: 2,164
    After some bashed knuckes, I take a careful approach to removing pedals. I put the crank pointing rearward and up a little, apply my spanner/key, rearward, pointing up a little. Apply both brakes and gently but firmly press down on the tool with a foot. It is a press not a stomp.

    Make sure you haven't crossed the threads, this can make then pedals stick and damages the softer metal of the more expensive cranks. When putting the pedal on, reverse the spindle to click the threads in place then screw in the correct way using finger and thumb only. When hand tight, apply the tool and tighten.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    That's why pointing the cranks and wrench towards the front wheel and pulling up is important - there's many a bloodied-numpty that's found out the hard way that pressing down toward the chainring is not a good idea.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • jordan_217
    jordan_217 Posts: 2,580
    I always put the chain on the big ring when I'm doing anything like this, just in case.
    “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.”
  • Padeye
    Padeye Posts: 38
    I avoid smashed up knuckles by putting the spanner on the pedal in such a way that the spanner is making a 'V' with the crank. you can then gently squeeze the handle of the spanner and the crank arm together until it moves.