Don`t think you`ll believe this one

[Old timer]

So the bikes are working OK now. Except for my wifes pedal that dropped off

Now from memory in the past your pedals are R/H (crank side) L/H thread and L/H side R/H thread? Yes?

Didn`t notice when I built the bikes but the pedals were marked R/H and L/H so I put them as indicated which means that the when the crank turns and lets say the pedals seized up then they would unwind because the R/H pedal has the normal R/H thread and visa versa. So, no way of putting the pedals on wrong because of the threads and must mean the cranks are made with the wrong handed threads in them.
I can understand if there was some sort of locking mech like a castle nut and split pin.


I remember a couple of weeks ago on Watchdog where they got some people to make up kit type bikes and one of the ladies had a pedal fall off straight away and I said to my wife that it couldn`t happen and she must have not screwed it in properly. Well maybe it came from the same place as ours?

Can someone just confirm that I`m right please

Dave

 

[orienteer]

You are right. Pedal must not have been screwed in tight enough. Worth putting a little grease on them to prevent them seizing in over time, but must be fully tightened using a pedal spanner (long and thin).

 

[Old timer]

You are right. Pedal must not have been screwed in tight enough. Worth putting a little grease on them to prevent them seizing in over time, but must be fully tightened using a pedal spanner (long and thin).

sorry! are you saying that the right hand pedal is correct having a normal right hand thread that can allow the pedal to unscrew as the crank is turned forward. Seems strange to me! and even more strange is that the left hand pedal comes with a left hand thread which again puts it in the ball park for unscrewing as to pedal forward?

I`m confused

 

[palinurus]

Sheldon Brown, as always, explains it here (scroll down to the entry "Pedals")

 

[Perfect Virgo]

It's one that tries to defy logic! I always remember the threading with the saying, "Right is right and left is wrong!" Another way is to remember that your wrench must be pulled to the back of the bike on both sides to unscrew the pedals.

 

[Norm]

Here's a handy tip which I saw on here.

If you place the spanner vertically downwards onto the nut, to loosen the pedal, move the top of the spanner towards the back of the bike and to tighten the pedal, move the top of the spanner towards the front of the bike.

Works on both sides.

 

[jimboalee]

Get a pair of bronze shim washers and screw the pedals in TIGHT, really TIGHT.

 

[GrasB]

Here's a handy tip which I saw on here.

If you place the spanner vertically downwards onto the nut, to loosen the pedal, move the top of the spanner towards the back of the bike and to tighten the pedal, move the top of the spanner towards the front of the bike.

Works on both sides.

^^ that's a good tip. However for those who have a stuck peddle & have a hex drive in the peddle there's a really good trick with a breaker bar, hex drive socket & cleated/toe clipped peddle (unretained foot = disaster!). Get the peddle you want to remove at the 3 o'clock position then get the breaker bar located around the 1 o'clock position, clip in & stand on the peddle using the breaker bar as a brace. This technique has worked for me when heat has failed!

I will say, never & I mean NEVER use the reverse of this method to tighten a peddle!

 

[Tynan]

the pedalling action tightens the pedal

easy surely?

 

[Old timer]

I still don`t get it

Why would anyone design a system where the forward motion would undo the pedal on the crank side and then stupidly turn the other side into a L/H thread so that can undo and not provide some sort of failsafe mech like a split pin or something to prevent it? or better still why not put the left hand thread on the right hand side.

What am I missing here?????????

 

[Perfect Virgo]

Like I said, just remember it with the saying, "Right is right and left is wrong!" Wikipedia attempts to describe the engineering principles here.

 

[Old timer]

Sheldon Brown, as always, explains it here (scroll down to the entry "Pedals")

OK! I`ve just read the explanation. Still don`t make sense really. Surely some sort of locking mech to prevent unscrewing would be good. On the point if the pedal seizes up would break your foot! is that any worse than a front wheel bearing going solid? where is the failsafe in that then?

OK the question has been answered and my bike hasn`t been supplied with the wrong threads but I`m still using lock tite and a decent mallet to make sure they are tight

 

[Old timer]

Get a pair of bronze shim washers and screw the pedals in TIGHT, really TIGHT.

Jim

Tighten really tight onto washers! beyond ankle breaking tension?

 

[Old timer]

Now i want you all to be completely honest!

How many of you have had a pedal seize solid on the spot without any prior warning?

 

[Norm]

... but I`m still using lock tite and a decent mallet to make sure they are tight

IMO, I'd be wary of using either of those techniques. I have my pedals off fairly frequently and have never had a problem with them unscrewing themselves.

There's also potential for the pedals thread to be ferrous and the crank to be alloy, a good environment to promote corrosion. Over-tightening them might mean you'll never get them off again.