"W K" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> But what the hell is a "left thread" ? And which side is "left" ?
>
> You really haven't got the idea here have you? Some people cannot easily remember their left from
> their right. Every time I do up or undo an ordinary bolt I have to think hard about
which
> way is correct.
Well it must be very hard if you are terminally technically confused. It seems (in this country at
least) its OK to claim such confusion -- but, frankly, there is no excuse for ignorance.
It amazes me (a dyslexic) how many people presume an inability to spell (in a language where there
is only the slightest of hints as to the spelling in the sound of the word) identifies one as a
moron but the inability to add two numbers is shrugged off as understandable given the
difficulties of obscure higher mathematics. (My dyslexia is not an excuse -- its a reason to use a
spell checker).
Sit on the bike, looking forward and its pretty bloody obvious which is the left side. (Hint --
the chain is not on that side) If you have a mental block on left and right (my sister does) look
at the back of your hands. The thumb & index finger of your left hand spells L (of course, if you
look at the palms its your right hand that spells L but I cannot be arsed to deal with the
terminally stupid).
A right hand thread is the conventional one. Clockwise to tighten. Now, just to exercise any
atrophied techie brain cells I will leave you to work out what a Left hand thread is and which way
to turn it to tighten (hint -- its the other way).
By the way, think carefully when using an allen key from the back of the pedal. Nothing has changed,
you still need to turn the thread the correct way -- but you are applying the tool in a cack-handed
sort of way. You are wise to spend a moment thinking which way you need to turn any thread --
everyone should.
/end rant