pedals off ...

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Elyob
What's the tools to get off pedals etc off etc before a flight ...

A pedal spanner or an allen key

What you need is a 15mm spanner. Bit of a wierd size - as far as I know the bike pedal is one of the only things that needs a spanner of this size....... its worth buying one, using the next size up will NOT work, and allen keys dig into your palms.

As for handlebars, twisting them to one would be a good idea. A REALLY good idea is to nip to your local bike shop and ask if they've got any old bike boxes left over. They usually have a few knocking about, and they'll let you have one for free. Whip off the front wheel, and the saddle, twist the bars round, lob the bike in, and slot the front wheel beside the frame.

If you don't use a box, make sure you protect the deraillieur, its VERY vunerable and likely to get bent.....

Remember to let your tyres down a bit - or they'll explode!!

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by James Godley
A REALLY good idea is to nip to your local bike shop and ask if they've got any old bike boxes left over.

There is a school of thought that says if a bike looks like luggage it will be treated like luggage (ie piled in a heap) but if it looks like a bike it will (or is more likely to be) be treated with more care. Turning handlebars is a mixed blassing as it makes the bike harder for a luggage handler to wheel.

Quoted post said:

If you don't use a box, make sure you protect the deraillieur, its VERY vunerable and likely to get bent.....

very good point

Quoted post said:

Remember to let your tyres down a bit - or they'll explode!!

This is an old wives tale (since they moved over to pressurised cabins) although it is still beleived by some airline staff

elyob said:

What's the tools to get off pedals etc off etc before a flight ...

If not cycling to airport, remove pedals or loosen them first with a proper pedal spanner*. Some
pedals can be tightened with an allen key but I personally don't think tight enough like that. I'll
leave further advice to regular flyers!

Quoted message said:

My pedals are lubed, yet they've done 2000 miles ... the lube is gone

What type/make/model pedals? Lube in the bearings has gone?

Quoted message said:

Also, will my aheadset be messed up if I twist my bars?

Yes, but it can be reset afterwards with an allen key or two. See the Park Tools website for
instructions [seems to be down at the moment].

* eg. one from www.mwdyason.ltd.uk/shop.asp

~PB

"elyob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

What's the tools to get off pedals etc off etc before a flight ...

My pedals are lubed, yet they've done 2000 miles ... the lube is gone ...

Also, will my aheadset be messed up if I twist my bars?

Have a test run or two at home before you fly -- suggests a man who fortunately arrived very early
at Frankfurt Airport and then spent about 2.5 hours of his and, it seems, half of the Lufthansa
engineering staff's, time getting a pedal off.

Take them off, rotate the bars, put everything back and then go for a ride to check you know its OK.
Point & grunt works in many LBS' around the globe -- but a chat with Fred in 'your' LBS before you
fly is easier :~).

For pedals a spanner or allen key is all you need. For an A-Head set its a couple of Allen keys. If
you are bagging the bike you may need to remove the bars -- again, try before you fly.

Pop a film canister of grease in with your kit. You can then lub the treads on reassembly.

Don't worry -- its not rocket science.

T

elyob must be edykated coz e writed:

Quoted message said:

What's the tools to get off pedals etc off etc before a flight ...

My pedals are lubed, yet they've done 2000 miles ... the lube is gone ...

Also, will my aheadset be messed up if I twist my bars?

Nick

I use a spanner for the pedals or a suitable socket for the crank.

--
Ian

catrike.co.ukcatrike.co.ukOpen ↗

"elyob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

What's the tools to get off pedals etc off etc before a flight ...

Tip from a friend : the pedal spanner on an alien tool is too short, but you can use a seatpost to
make a longer lever.

cheers, clive

elyob said:

What's the tools to get off pedals etc off etc before a flight ...

15mm open ended spanner. The trick is to remember that one pedal (being dyslexic I can never
remember which) has a reverse thread, and that if you raise either pedal, stick the spanner on so it
points to the back of the bike, and press down on the spanner, that is the correct unscrewing
direction.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) jasmine.org.uk~simonOpen ↗

;; I'd rather live in sybar-space

"elyob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

What's the tools to get off pedals etc off etc before a flight ...

A 9/16" spanner will do the trick (pref. with a long handle - lots of torque to make the job
easier). Unless you're unfortunate enough to have the carbon or thermoplastic versions of Time
ATACs - no provision on the axle for a spanner with these, so an allen key and lots of luck are
required :-)

David E. Belcher

Pete Biggs said:

elyob said:

What's the tools to get off pedals etc off etc before a flight ...

If not cycling to airport, remove pedals or loosen them first with a proper pedal spanner*.

Best to do this even if cycling. You should be confident that you can dismantle the bike on arrival
at the airport and not have to battle with seized threads at the last minute. Pedals always seem to
be the worst affected.

John B

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Quoted message said:

"elyob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

What's the tools to get off pedals etc off etc before a flight ...

Tip from a friend : the pedal spanner on an alien tool is too short, but

you

Quoted message said:

can use a seatpost to make a longer lever.

Further tip. Make sure you are turning the spanner the right way especially when using a long
spanner. The threads in alloy cranks can strip easily leaving you little time to fix the problem
before a holiday.

T

"Simon Brooke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

15mm open ended spanner. The trick is to remember that one pedal (being dyslexic I can never
remember which) has a reverse thread,

Left side -- left thread.

"Tony W" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"Simon Brooke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

15mm open ended spanner. The trick is to remember that one pedal (being dyslexic I can never
remember which) has a reverse thread,

Left side -- left thread.

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.

W K said:

You really haven't got the idea here have you? Some people cannot easily remember their left from
their right.

Absolutely. The way I remember it is if I'm approaching a T junction and have to cross the traffic,
that's "right". If don't have to cross traffic, that's "left".

This system works well until we go abroad. My wife is now pretty adept at reversing most directions
I give her on holiday. ;-)

Tim

--
Remove the obvious to reply by email.

"W K" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

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

W K said:

"Tony W" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"Simon Brooke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

15mm open ended spanner. The trick is to remember that one pedal (being dyslexic I can never
remember which) has a reverse thread,

Left side -- left thread.

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.

Me too, and unscrewing something upside down or with a reverse thread regularly baffles me. On the
other hand I have no difficulty at all with those trick clocks which run anticlockwise, and indeed
didn't even notice there was anything odd about the first one I saw. That's why I have these
little heuristics like the one above. They work and I get by in life and 99% of the time no-one
notices anything.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) jasmine.org.uk~simonOpen ↗

;; I'd rather live in sybar-space

"Tim Downie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

W K said:

You really haven't got the idea here have you? Some people cannot easily remember their left
from their right.

Absolutely. The way I remember it is if I'm approaching a T junction and have to cross the
traffic, that's "right". If don't have to cross

traffic,

Quoted message said:

that's "left".

This system works well until we go abroad. My wife is now pretty adept

at

Quoted message said:

reversing most directions I give her on holiday. ;-)

me too

!

"Tony W" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

It amazes me (a dyslexic)

...

Quoted message said:

The thumb & index finger of your left hand spells L (of course, if you

look

Quoted message said:

at the palms its your right hand that spells L but I cannot be arsed to

deal

Quoted message said:

with the terminally stupid).

Yeah, well different people have different skills.

You aren't a bit aspergers too are you?

"W K" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Yeah, well different people have different skills.

Yes -- but delighting in ignorance doesn't count as a skill.

Quoted message said:

You aren't a bit aspergers too are you?

Acerbic, yes -- aspergers, not that I am aware.

Next time I think of a useful mnemonic I will keep it to myself in case I upset someone.

T