Removing Pedals

an allen wrench?

To remove a pedal, the best tool is a pedal wrench  use a cheater bar as needed, but you need to be unscrewing the pedal just outside where the spindle meets the crank arms.

please make sure you are turning it the correct direction.  One is right hand threaded, the other is left hand threaded.  I dont remember which is which off the top of my head.

If you are turning the correct direction, use a penetrating oil on it.  PB blaster works ok sometimes and can be found locally.  There is a cutting fluid called TapMagic that works better than anything else I have ever found.  It is not designed for it, but it always works great.  You can get it online a McMaster.com

One arm on the wrench for the pedal you wan to remove, other arm on the pedal on the opposite side and then pushing down on both sides does it for me.

Worst case is to stand on the crank/pedal and the wrench (though this requires some balance and has a chance of hurting yourself)

Or "BACK OFF"!!!!

Basically, if you are looking at the side of the bike, the wrench should rotate towards the back (assuming the handle of the wrench is up).

So looking at the left side of the bike, clockwise.  Looking at the right side of the bike, counter clockwise.

Some good suggestions above.  Just be careful spraying penetrating oil around any sealed bearings.

Remember to clean the threads of both the crank arm & pedal and put a little grease on the threads before re-installing them.  I also think it's a good practice to take your pedals off at least once a year or so, just so you know you can get them off when you might need to.

Mark

Some pedals require an allen key, but if they accept a pedal wrench I always go for that. I find it easier. 

Turning them backwards makes them looser/takes them off and turning them foward puts them on. I sometimes find taking them off hard. I have to make sure that I have my crank arms level and am holding the bike just right. Someone showed me how they hold it and use the wrench once (yeah I really am mechanically challenged) and that's the only method that works for me.

The pedal wrench made it easy for me.

I tried doing it with a regular wrench but it was friggin' impossible for some bizarre reason. Cakewalk with the pedal wrench.

Use a hammer. The way I did mine was I got the wrench around the pedal and had some WD-40. Few hard whacks, Sprayed some, waited 30 min, few hard whacks, spray, 30 min.

By the third round I got really frustrated and gave a very well-balanced, hard swing and it was enough of a short burst of force to start unscrewing it. same with the other side.

Long pedal wrench and I stand on other pedal to loosen the one.  My first trip flying with my bike I couldn't get my pedals off despite having a pedal wrench with my 20 yo son's help or using a tube as an extener. I bought the shop size Park Tool pedal wrenchand they came off no problem.

Be sure to put grease on them before you put them back on.

The drive side (right)is threaded normally while the other side (left) is reverse threaded. Think about it as you pedal it tightens the pedals. When removing a pedal put something under the crank arm pedal on the other side so you can't spin the crank around.

When you put the pedals back on apply some grease.

crank brothers and a few other brands require an allen key to put on and take off.  i wish they all used a normal pedal wrench.  it is way easier.

i just went through hell trying to remove some crank bro pedals off of a mountain bike.  the problem is that you can't get any leverage on an allen key.  I tried soaking the threads with PB Blaster.  Did that for a couple of days and then went and bought a propane torch.  Heating up the threads and pedal spindle did the trick!

This.

I use that old saying "Rightie tightie, leftie loosie"....EXCEPT in this case, the left pedal is opposite.  But it helps me remember that the right side pedal is threaded normally.

Another tip is to put the chain on the big chain ring....so it covers the teeth of the chain ring and you don't cut your hand or arm when the pedal wrench finally gives way.  I've drawn blood several times removing pedals. :/

I succesfully did the standing on both allen wrench and pedal last week. It wasn't the safest procedure but it worked. A pedal wrench is longer and should make it a bit easier. I sprayed my pedal threads (for as far as they were exposed) with a bit of oil the night before, which made the whole thing a bit messier but also easier I think.