Although it’s quite straightforward to replace your bike pedals, it becomes challenging and sometimes frustrating when they become stuck. This might be because of mud, water, or built-up rust in the pedals, or they might have been tightened when you assembled them. Regardless of what the cause is, you can fix it if you know how to remove stuck bike pedals.
If you can’t remove and get the bicycle pedals off, our guide has all you need to get your bike moving again. Let’s take a closer look at the steps to follow and tips to keep in mind.
If your bike pedal is stuck and needs a removal, you would need a spray lubricant, 15mm pedal wrench, or an open-end wrench and a rubber hammer. Here are seven steps to follow when your bike pedal is stuck.
Once you’re done with this, you can start driving your bike again without having to worry about stiff bike pedals.
Although the seven steps above are important to take your bike pedal off safely, there are a few tips, tricks, and advice that you should keep in mind if you want to stay safe and do it without damaging your bike.
Bike riders might not know, but the left and right bike pedal threads are different. So, you need to understand the differences between them before you start fixing the problem. While the left bike pedal moves the left way, the right one moves in the opposite direction. So, if you turn the right bicycle pedal counterclockwise, it would loosen, while the other way would tighten it. Then, with the left bike pedal, turn it clockwise to loosen and remove it and counterclockwise to tighten it.
Using all your strength to loosen the bike pedal might not always work, so you need to use penetrating oils used for bikes. Ensure you’re hitting the right part of the crank with the oil. It also helps when you add heat to the bike pedal and let the oil soak for some time. A blow dryer would work well in adding heat to the pedal. It’s also important to use proper tools for removal of seized pedals. The tools that we have mentioned earlier in this guide are the right ones for loosening your stuck bike pedals.
Although it doesn’t seem like anything bad can happen when you repair your bike, it’s still important to be safe. For one, you might have to apply brute force to the bike pedals to loosen them, which means that you can end up stressing yourself. You also shouldn’t hold your breath when applying force. Another thing that you need to be mindful of when being safe is the chainring, which has sharp edges that can cut you. So, move the bicycle chain to the biggest chainring before removing the stuck bike pedals.
It won’t be easy or safe to loosen your bike pedals while the bike keeps on flopping around or falling. So, you should keep your bicycle stable while work is being done. If you don’t have a repair stand, you should lean your bike against the wall with the pedal you’re fixing facing you. Or, you can turn it upside down while the handlebars are touching the floor. You can also have someone with you, holding your bike in place.
If your bike pedal won’t budge, you need a hammer to add more leverage. When you have your 15 mm wrench in the pedal, you should hit it with the hammer so that it would budge. If you applied the heat and oil to the pedal, it would be easy for the hammer to add leverage. Once it was loosened, you can then use the wrench to finish up.
Bike pedals get stuck because of different reasons, but it can be because of natural factors like mud, sand, or water that got in the way. If the pedals rust, it can also cause them to get stuck. Another cause is if it was too tight from the beginning.
To properly apply oil to your bike pedal, you should first clean the pedal threads with a clean cloth or rag. Then, apply a generous amount of grease to the pedal threads.
Now that you know how to remove stuck bike pedals, you can start with the proper maintenance of your bike whenever the pedals are stuck. Remember to use the right kind of tools and oils when fixing your bike pedal, and make sure it’s balanced so that you don’t get into a small accident. All in all, always check if your bike pedals are loose or stiff before you start cycling.
