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How to Change Bike Pedals?

15 Nov

When your bike starts to have some miles on it, you may discover that your bicycle pedals are wearing down. If you are like the majority of people, you simply do not keep bicycle shop hours. If you do not have the availability or the patience to leave your bike at the shop for a good three days, then you may consider spending the thirty minutes to change out the bike pedals yourself. This article covers the step by step directions for changing your own bike pedals.

Materials Necessary for the Project:

- Penetrating Oil
- Gloves
- Bike Grease
- 15 mm pedal wrench, 15 mm open ended wrench, or 9/16 open ended wrench
- Towel

Figuring Out the Old Pedals

To begin, you need to have a good look at the old pedals. They are typically comprised of one of two differing types. By far and away the more common one is installed and removed using a 15 mm open ended or pedal wrench. If this is an older bike, you might need a 9/16 inch wrench rather than the 15 mm one. These bike pedals contain two flat places on the pedal’s shaft, in between the crank arm and the pedal platform. The second kind of pedal requires a 6 to 8 mm Allen wrench to remove or install. Spin the bike’s crank arms around until you are able to look at the inside of the crank arm which is opposing the one that you are turning, in order to determine if the pedals need an Allen wrench. You should see a particular slot for an Allen wrench on the inside of the crank arm, at the point in which the pedal and the arm meet, if it requires one.

Taking Off the Old Pedals

Place your bike up on the bike stand. Should there not be a bike stand around, instead put down a towel over the floor and simply flip up the bike to an upside down position. Handlebars go on the towel. Spin your bike cranks and shift the gears until the bike chain itself is on the biggest ring at the crank. Using your penetrating oil, spray at the point where the pedals and the crank arms meet. Allow the bike to rest for five minutes.

Putting on your gloves, begin with the right pedal first. Grasp the right crank and place it parallel with the ground. Using the 15 mm pedal wrench, slide it between the crank arm and the pedal. Attempt to get it so that it sits level alongside the crank arm. Alternatively, you could use the 15 mm open ended wrench. After the wrench is in place, securely grab the wrench with one hand and hold the opposite crank arm with the other. Begin pulling the wrench in a counter clockwise motion. It might be necessary to lightly tap the wrench using a hammer to help loosen up the pedal. After the pedal has been loosened, it will spin off rather easily.

Now go over to the left pedal. Since the left side pedal is threaded in a reverse manner, you will need to turn it to the clockwise direction in order to loosen it up. Utilizing the identical method as with the right side pedal, take the pedal off of the bike. Do not forget to turn clockwise in order to loosen this pedal.

Prepping the Bike for New Pedals

Wipe down the threads on the crank arms themselves in order to get off any dust or looser dirt. Use a clean cloth to do this. Now take out your new pedals and check them out. There are pedals which are designed specifically for the left or the right side. Read the pedal directions to determine this. Some pedals will be simply marked “R” or “L.”

Grease the pedal threads using the bike grease. Then carefully insert the pedals into the cranks’ arms. Gingerly tighten up the pedals by hand. Since the left pedal arm is threaded to the reverse, remember that you will have to turn it to the counter clockwise direction.

After you have hand tightened the pedals, grab your wrench. Utilize the wrench to more thoroughly tighten them. Never over tighten up the pedals.

Related Videos:

Change Your Bike Pedals

Additional Resources:

Wonder How To: How to Change Your Bike Pedals