Stuck Pedals

[Chas Douglass]

I bought some Shimano SPD pedals 4 months ago and put them on my old Trek
hybrid. These are the pedals that use a hex-head bolt through the crank-
arm.

I just bought an REI Strada and wanted them to move the pedals to it.
Their shop just called to inform me they had broken two hex wrenches and
were giving up -- I would have to buy a new set of pedals!

(This on top of the fenders which the salesman picked out for me and which
elicited a second call that "they won't work, you need the ones that cost
twice as much and have to be ordered".)

Is this really such a problem a bike shop would not be able to deal with
it?

I'm annoyed.

Chas Douglass

 

[GaryG]

"Chas Douglass" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I bought some Shimano SPD pedals 4 months ago and put them on my old Trek
> hybrid. These are the pedals that use a hex-head bolt through the crank-
> arm.
>
> I just bought an REI Strada and wanted them to move the pedals to it.
> Their shop just called to inform me they had broken two hex wrenches and
> were giving up -- I would have to buy a new set of pedals!
>
> (This on top of the fenders which the salesman picked out for me and which
> elicited a second call that "they won't work, you need the ones that cost
> twice as much and have to be ordered".)
>
> Is this really such a problem a bike shop would not be able to deal with
> it?
>
> I'm annoyed.

You should be...find a different shop. Ask some local riders who the best
wrenches are in your area, and take your bike there.

GG

>
> Chas Douglass

 

[maxo]

On Tue, 12 Apr 2005 08:48:31 -0700, GaryG wrote:

>> Is this really such a problem a bike shop would not be able to deal with
>> it?
>>
>> I'm annoyed.
>
> You should be...find a different shop. Ask some local riders who the best
> wrenches are in your area, and take your bike there.
>
> GG

agreed.

Does the pedal have "wrench flats" in addition to the hex socket?

Most pedal wrenches using these flats are long for a reason.

I'd just take the bike home, after refusing to pay those bozos any money,
spritz a little penetrating lube on either side of the pedal/crank
interface, let soak for an hour or so, and give it a try.

Do grease or otherwise lube the threads next time you install them, will
ya?

 

[Leo Lichtman]

"Chas Douglass" wrote: (clip) Is this really such a problem a bike shop
would not be able to deal with it?(clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
They should be able to deal with it, but probably feel that they will not be
able to charge for the time, and would like to sell you a new set of pedals.
If you take it to another LBS, they may also break Allen wrenches.

In another thread, dealing with a very difficult-to-remove pedal, several
people recommended heat. It may be worth-while to pull the crank arms, and
hold them over a stove burner. Since this requires a special puller, maybe
the LBS could do that for you.

 

[GG]

"Chas Douglass" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I bought some Shimano SPD pedals 4 months ago and put them on my old Trek
> hybrid. These are the pedals that use a hex-head bolt through the crank-
> arm.
>
> I just bought an REI Strada and wanted them to move the pedals to it.
> Their shop just called to inform me they had broken two hex wrenches and
> were giving up -- I would have to buy a new set of pedals!

Did you remember to grease the pedal threads before installing them? If not
then you may be SOL.

I had this problem with a set of steel spindled pedals that I installed in a
pair of aluminum cranks. I didn't bother to grease them, figuring the
little bit of leftover grease from the old pedals was enough.

Big mistake. After a few months I went to remove the pedals. The one on
the RH side was stuck. After wrenching on it long enough, with ammonia,
penetrating oil and a very long lever, I was able to get the pedal out. But
the aluminum threads from the crank came out too, completely bonded to the
pedal threads. Both the crank and the pedal were ruined.

So you can try taking it to another shop like others have suggested, but
don't count on them being able to get it out without ruining, at least, the
crank. If yours is like mine was, and the pedals came out with aluminum
stuck in them, maybe your LBS will have a tap that can re-cut the threads
and your pedals at least will be saved. If you're lucky.

GG

 

[gds]

GG wrote:

> If yours is like mine was, and the pedals came out with aluminum
> stuck in them, maybe your LBS will have a tap that can re-cut the
threads
> and your pedals at least will be saved. If you're lucky.
>
> GG

If the old threads pull out wouldn't the resulting hole be too large to
re tap the threads for the original pedal?

 

[GG]

"gds" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> GG wrote:
>
> > If yours is like mine was, and the pedals came out with aluminum
> > stuck in them, maybe your LBS will have a tap that can re-cut the
> threads
> > and your pedals at least will be saved. If you're lucky.
> >
> > GG
>
> If the old threads pull out wouldn't the resulting hole be too large to
> re tap the threads for the original pedal?

Yes you are right, but I meant to re-cut the threads on the *pedals*. I
guess I should have said "die" instead of "tap". I can never remember which
is which.

GG

 

[Leo Lichtman]

"GG" wrote: (clip) I meant to re-cut the threads on the *pedals*. I guess
I should have said "die" instead of "tap."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Actually, if you have a steel thread plugged up with aluminum, you can clean
it out with an ice pick or such.

 

[Claire Petersky]

"Chas Douglass" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> I just bought an REI Strada and wanted them to move the pedals to it.
> Their shop just called to inform me they had broken two hex wrenches and
> were giving up -- I would have to buy a new set of pedals!

I am curious which REI store this is.


--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky

Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

 

[Pat Lamb]

Claire Petersky wrote:
> "Chas Douglass" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>
>>I just bought an REI Strada and wanted them to move the pedals to it.
>>Their shop just called to inform me they had broken two hex wrenches and
>>were giving up -- I would have to buy a new set of pedals!
>
>
> I am curious which REI store this is.

REI stores vary drastically with their market. The best I've seen is
right up there with a good LBS; the worst is differentiated from X-Mart
"bicycle department" only by the quality of the goods they're sent to sell.

Pat

 

[Chas Douglass]

"Claire Petersky" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> "Chas Douglass" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>> I just bought an REI Strada and wanted them to move the pedals to it.
>> Their shop just called to inform me they had broken two hex wrenches
>> and were giving up -- I would have to buy a new set of pedals!
>
> I am curious which REI store this is.
>
>

Alderwood, in Lynnwood, WA. I would normally have gone to the main
store in Seattle, but the Alderwood store had a 57cm 2004 Strada that I
wanted.

Follow up:
I took the Trek bike back to where I bought it -- Gregg's Greenlake
Bikes -- and they very helpfully worked on it, but were also unable to
remove the right pedal (the left one came off easily).

However the crank has been recalled by Shimano, so Gregg's offered to
get the replacement under warranty, and attempt to get the pedal (also
Shimano) replaced under warranty as well. At any rate, the stuck pedal
will require a new spindle, which they did not have in stock.

To their, slight, credit, the Alderwood REI noticed that the crank would
be replaced under warranty, but once they failed to get the pedal out,
they just gave up.

The downside is that I have no bike to ride for two weeks.

Chas Douglass

 

[GG]

"Leo Lichtman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "GG" wrote: (clip) I meant to re-cut the threads on the *pedals*. I
guess
> I should have said "die" instead of "tap."
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Actually, if you have a steel thread plugged up with aluminum, you can
clean
> it out with an ice pick or such.

I tried that and couldn't get any out, just a few bruised knuckles was all
that came out of it.

I never thought to try heat, though. A short blast from an acetylene torch
might have helped.

GG

 

[Claire Petersky]

"Chas Douglass" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Claire Petersky" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
> > "Chas Douglass" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> >
> >> I just bought an REI Strada and wanted them to move the pedals to it.
> >> Their shop just called to inform me they had broken two hex wrenches
> >> and were giving up -- I would have to buy a new set of pedals!
> >
> > I am curious which REI store this is.
>
> Alderwood, in Lynnwood, WA. I would normally have gone to the main
> store in Seattle, but the Alderwood store had a 57cm 2004 Strada that I
> wanted.

I also own a Strada, which I bought from the Redmond store five years ago.
I've gotten nothing but good service from both them and the flagship
downtown.


--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky

Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

 

[[email protected]]

Leo Lichtman wrote:
> "Chas Douglass" wrote: (clip) Is this really such a problem a bike
shop
> would not be able to deal with it?(clip)
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> They should be able to deal with it, but probably feel that they will
not be
> able to charge for the time, and would like to sell you a new set of
pedals.
> If you take it to another LBS, they may also break Allen wrenches.
>
> In another thread, dealing with a very difficult-to-remove pedal,
several
> people recommended heat. It may be worth-while to pull the crank
arms, and
> hold them over a stove burner. Since this requires a special puller,
maybe
> the LBS could do that for you.

I tried the heat approach on a some stuck pedals, even got the crank
hot enough to sizzle when I sprinkled water on it, but no dice--still
couldn't get the pedals off. My bad for not putting enough grease in
the first place. I bent one hex wrench and even chewed up the pedal
housing a little using a Craftsman 15mm on the pedal flats.

I guess I'll try drilling the pedal out and saving the cranks ...