Removing stuck pedals

The only time I’ve had grumpy pedals are on the only two bikes that I’ve bought where the shop built the bike. I hand build the vast majority of all my bikes and never have an issue, with with the old style ‘flat nut’ pedals that needed a spanner (I have the Ice Tools one) or the Allen bolt only type.

The only time it’s ever happened with me wrenching was on a camp in Gran Canaria. Removed the pedals for travelling there, no issue. Fitted them in the normal way with my multi tool at the hotel. We rode for 7-9hrs a day for 6 days straight and at the end of the week, I had a pedal that was really stuck, for no apparent reason.

I did spend a lot of that week out of the saddle climbing but I still have no idea why it ended up so tight. I did get it off but it was a struggle.

I think the Park Tool P hex wrench I bought has been lent out more times than I’ve actually needed it. (mostly to ham fisted mtbers :laughing: )

Might get myself one of these. I actually have lent out my park tool pedal spanner at the mo (friend had vectors which don’t have the allen bolt option), but I’ve moved to using the allen bolt approach more recently anyway. But sometimes could do with a bit more leverage.

Buying them all individually is currently way cheaper on wiggle than the set :man_shrugging:

Yeah wouldn’t be without it now. It’s the only one of that type I have. I always promised myself a full set of Swiss Tool Allen keys but never did get them.

The nice thing about the long P wrench is once you have it started, you can use the long ball end to do up the pedal whilst keeping your hand clear and clean of the drive train.

I use a hex key the size of my palm to attach and detach my pedals.

I do have a pedal size spanner, again its short (lovely chrome job from Halfords in fact) maybe 25cm long, never need a lot of leverage.

If we’re going down this hole, the next is seized seatposts - usually the wrong type of grease (see previous post) used, but adjusting it just twice a year will ensure you get it before it fuses.

Or ride it over some speed bumps with the clamp loose :rofl:

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Well cock up one has already happened! :man_facepalming:t3:

One of the bolts for the crank is so tight. I’ve managed to round it. F**k sake! I even used the double Allen key technique to get the middle bit out OK. But the second Allen key bolt is ridiculously tight.

I’ve just put it all back on. At least I can ride it. And I’ll get the lbs or a mate to swap the cranks over so I don’t do any more damage.

I swear I’m cursed. Or just utterly utterly hopeless and rough.

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scaffold pole…

Pedals clearly not stuck any more … but they are knackered! Been noticing a clicking and a ‘squidgy scraping’ sort of noise lately, the sound of plastic/rubber rubbing against something. First i thought my PM was rubbing against my mini pump, but eliminated that. Then i realised that my foot was coming ever so loose in the pedal. This has proceeded to get worse and worse. Bought new cleats, and that seemed to help, but it’s got worse again.

So i figured it must be the pedals. Sure enough (i’ll post a pic later) the left pedal looks pretty battered. The plastic moulding that sits in the metal part of the pedla is all but work away. They’re knocking on for ten years old now. What is the expected life of a pedal anyway!? I have no idea!

So what’s the deal with pedals then? I use Shimano SPD SL at the moment (yellow cleats). Are the different variants just lighter/stronger as i move up the price chain? Does it have to be a Shimano pedal, or do other manufacturers make a pedal that fit the SPDSL cleat? If so, any benefits to not going Shim (price/quality)?

Anything else i’m missing? I have no idea how much power i’m missing out on with every stroke if my shoe is effectively disengaging each time?! Probbaly at least 50w!! :rofl:

cheers

I’ve had Look and Shimano, found them both pretty similar. Up and down the Shimano chain you mostly get lighter weight other than the entry level which has non-adjustable spring tension. Look cleats are different to Shimano, so not interchangeable.

Never used Time / Speedplay which are different.

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SPDs - it’s the future!

cheers.

Just did some more research and they get expensive!

So went with 105 pedals down to £79.

I’m pretty sure you won’t notice the extra 17g over the Ultegra version

the newer Time pedals have had some good reviews. I have in the dim and distant past used their road pedals but found the engagement/disengagement a bit hit and miss so switched to Look Keo. the only downside with the Keo is the cleat material - it’s made of cheese and needs changing fairly frequently unless you remember to put the cleat covers on when walking on them. by comparison Mrs FB Shimano SPDs have hardly ever needed new cleats.

but isn’t one of the differences the fact that the squidgy bit that broke on the current ones isn’t replaceable on 105? Although it might be the older lower version.

The body cover is a replaceable part only on some SPD-SL’s - as noted though, it takes years to wear out, so I’m not sure who ever replaces them!

My original pedals will have been the crappiest, low, heavy ones. They’ve done me fine until now to be fair.

But now I want some black ones to go with my bike. The cruddy, scratched silver ones did look shit on the new bike! :joy:

Sorry only just seen this, could have sent you a pair of 105’s for nowt.
Can still do if you want to send those back.

I used to use Time pedals because those were what the shop sold me when I bought my first road bike :roll_eyes:

I originally had Impact pedals, which were metal and indestructible. When I bought a later bike I was sold RXS pedals, which used the same cleats as the Impacts but were made of plastic. The Time cleats and the RXS pedals were both really fragile - if I had any sort of a tumble I’d usually find I’d broken the pedal and/or the cleat.

When I had a bike fit, the fitter recommended changing to SPD-SL becaus they have a much wider base than the Times, so are more stable under load. I have to say, it was expensive switching pedals on all of my bikes at once but I’ve not looked back. The Shimanos are much better all round.