Pedal Removal

[Sunny Portrush]

Washed and cleaned the good bike in preparation of it`s winter hibernation and decided to take the pedals off.

Now, I know what to do and I even have a decent pedal spanner but boy was it difficult. I think the kids next door learned some new swear phrases today!

My question is, what can I do to make it easier to remove them this time next year. They had only been on the bike since about April but in that time has fairly seized up. I always add grease before re-attaching them but how lose can they be? I mean not loose enough that they fall off but you get the drift!

 

[simon the viking]

Copper grease (aka copper slip) has better anti bind properties than normal grease.

I'd like to say I use it all the time on my bike components.....

 

[Gary E]

Copper grease every time, never had a problem getting pedals off when I've used it.

 

[Sunny Portrush]

Good stuff, I may invest in some of it then. And to be honest, I don`t normally have this difficulty getting them off, don`t know why it was so hard this time, not as if we`ve had a wet summer to dirt and grit gets embedded in the pedals

 

[Slick]

Copper grease is great for protection but plusgas is the bomb for removing something that's stuck. Freed my seat post and now my headset bearing welded to the bike.

 

[Alan O]

A big wrench and a big hammer have been working for me for decades, and I've yet to buy my first tube of copper grease

 

[alecstilleyedye]

lithium grease also works ime

 

[raleighnut]

Copaslip is not a grease, it is an 'anti seize assembly compound' (even says it on the tin)

 

[Globalti]

The simple technique is to fit the pedal spanner so that it lies almost alongside the crank then get astride the bike, put your foot on the end of the spanner and stand on it. Never fails.

 

[alicat]

^^^ wot Globalti said.

 

[Smokin Joe]

The simple technique is to fit the pedal spanner so that it lies almost alongside the crank then get astride the bike, put your foot on the end of the spanner and stand on it. Never fails.

I'll tell you what also never fails. The pedal spanner or your foot slips and you painfully crack your ankle on the crank while your calf engages in a passionate and intimate liason with the teeth on the chain ring

 

[rogerzilla]

Pouring boiling water on the crank/spindle interface immediately before undoing it works for me. The alu crank expands more than the steel spindle.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Copper grease or Lithium grease on the threads works well. Remember that drive side is loosey lefty, so is non drive side.

 

[midlife]

Non drive side left hand thread ie, lefty tight?

 

[Racing roadkill]

Non drive side left hand thread ie, lefty tight?

Given that pedal threads are different on the left and right pedals: the right side pedal has a right-hand thread (removes counterclockwise, installs clockwise); the left side pedal has a left-hand thread (removes clockwise, installs counterclockwise), I often find myself trying to remember which way to turn the wrench to loosen a pedal.