pedal threads

Newbie here, going from clips to clipless. Having a hard time removing pedals, difficult to turn
them either direction. I bought Bicycling Magazine's Complete Guide to Bicycle Maintenance and
Repair, it says the left pedal is reverse-threaded, turn the left pedal clockwise to loosen, and the
right pedal counterclockwise to loosen (page 298). This seems backwards to me, based on the
direction the pedals rotate while riding. I thought the goal was for normal riding rotation to
tighten the pedals, and if this is the case the right pedal rotates counterclockwise relative to the
crank arm while riding, therefore it should turn clockwise to loosen. I don't want to strip the
threads, which way is loose?

 

"Rosborn49" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Newbie here, going from clips to clipless. Having a hard time removing
pedals,
> difficult to turn them either direction. I bought Bicycling Magazine's Complete Guide to Bicycle
> Maintenance and Repair, it says the left pedal
is
> reverse-threaded, turn the left pedal clockwise to loosen, and the right
pedal
> counterclockwise to loosen (page 298). This seems backwards to me, based
on the
> direction the pedals rotate while riding. I thought the goal was for
normal
> riding rotation to tighten the pedals, and if this is the case the right
pedal
> rotates counterclockwise relative to the crank arm while riding, therefore
it
> should turn clockwise to loosen. I don't want to strip the threads, which
way
> is loose?
>

The pedal on the chainring-side of the crank is a standard thread - righty tighty, lefty loosey -
and the pedal on the no-chainrings-just-a-crankarm side is reverse threaded - lefty tighty righty
loose. http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/FAQpedls.shtml

Grease your threads!

Chris

 

Thanks Chris, I must have been sitting on the bike backwards!!

 

"Rosborn49" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Newbie here, going from clips to clipless. Having a hard time removing
pedals,
> difficult to turn them either direction. I bought Bicycling Magazine's Complete Guide to Bicycle
> Maintenance and Repair, it says the left pedal
is
> reverse-threaded, turn the left pedal clockwise to loosen, and the right
pedal
> counterclockwise to loosen (page 298). This seems backwards to me, based
on the
> direction the pedals rotate while riding. I thought the goal was for
normal
> riding rotation to tighten the pedals, and if this is the case the right
pedal
> rotates counterclockwise relative to the crank arm while riding, therefore
it
> should turn clockwise to loosen. I don't want to strip the threads, which
way
> is loose?
>
>

I guess I'd check the publication date of that guide. If it was written some time after the last ice
age it's probably correct.

-- sorry, I couldn't resist being a wise ass.

DTW .../\.../\.../\...

I've spent most of my money on mountainbiking and windsurfing. The rest I've just wasted.

 

Rosborn49 wrote:
> I thought the goal was for normal riding rotation to tighten the pedals,

Actually, the goal is for normal riding rotation to loosen the pedals. this goes back to the early
1900s when bikes had fixed single gears and really poor quality baring that would seize up making it
so the platform would no longer rotate on the axle. think of it, your ridding along at decent clip
with your foot strapped to the pedal, and the bearings seize. if the pedal can unscrew you save your
foot from being ripped off.

 

Jason B wrote:
> Rosborn49 wrote:
>
>> I thought the goal was for normal riding rotation to tighten the pedals,
>
>
> Actually, the goal is for normal riding rotation to loosen the pedals. this goes back to the early
> 1900s when bikes had fixed single gears and really poor quality baring that would seize up making
> it so the platform would no longer rotate on the axle. think of it, your ridding along at decent
> clip with your foot strapped to the pedal, and the bearings seize. if the pedal can unscrew you
> save your foot from being ripped off.
>

Although its still not nice when it happens. My friend's ATAC alium seized up during a road time
trial, came loose, and stripped out the last two threads from his crank.

He ended up having to finish the TT with only one leg (ouch!)

Jon Bond at least he didn't have to cut it off at the knee...

 

[email protected] (Rosborn49) wrote:

>Newbie here, going from clips to clipless. Having a hard time removing pedals, difficult to turn
>them either direction. I bought Bicycling Magazine's Complete Guide to Bicycle Maintenance and
>Repair, it says the left pedal is reverse-threaded, turn the left pedal clockwise to loosen, and
>the right pedal counterclockwise to loosen (page 298). This seems backwards to me, based on the
>direction the pedals rotate while riding. I thought the goal was for normal riding rotation to
>tighten the pedals, and if this is the case the right pedal rotates counterclockwise relative to
>the crank arm while riding, therefore it should turn clockwise to loosen. I don't want to strip the
>threads, which way is loose?

The way I always remember it is "to loosen a pedal, turn the pedal wrench toward the back of the
bike". This assumes that I'm removing the pedal from above and not below, of course.

It does seem "backwards", but remember there are bearings between the spindle and the pedal body
that effectively reverse the effect. That is, if you look at the right pedal from the end, the ball
bearings making contact with the pedal body are rotating clockwise (effectively trying to tighten
the pedal).

At any rate, it seems to work, so I don't worry too much about it (that, and I tend to tighten
pedals down plenty tight).

Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles http://www.habcycles.com Home of the $695 ti frame

 

I remeber it like this:

Thank the Wright Brothers: Left pedal left-thread Right pedal right thread

In 1900, the Wrights announced a "bicycle pedal that can't come unscrewed." Pedals were mounted to
the crank by threaded posts. On early bicycles, both posts had standard right-hand threads. As the
cyclist pedaled, the action tended to tighten one pedal and loosen the other, with the result that
one pedal kept dropping off the bike. Wilbur and Orville used right-hand threads on one pedal post
and left-hand threads on the other so the pedaling action tended to tighten both pedals.

ref: http://www.first-to-fly.com/History/Just%20the%20Facts/wright_bicycles.htm