How to Remove Bike Pedals Without Losing Your Mind (Or Your Knuckles)

I've been wrenching on bikes since I was twelve, and if there's one task that still makes me pause and double-check myself, it's removing pedals. Not because it's particularly difficult—it's actually pretty straightforward once you know the trick—but because getting it wrong means skinned knuckles, stripped threads, or worse, a pedal that's permanently welded to your crank arm by the cruel forces of corrosion and time.

The first time I tried to remove pedals, I spent forty-five minutes turning them the wrong way, convinced that whoever designed bicycles had made some terrible mistake. Turns out, the mistake was mine. And that's the thing about pedal removal—it's one of those bike maintenance tasks that seems like it should be intuitive but absolutely isn't.

The Backwards World of Pedal Threading

Here's the fundamental truth that trips up nearly everyone: your left pedal is reverse-threaded. This means it tightens counterclockwise and loosens clockwise—the exact opposite of every other threaded fastener you've encountered in your life. The right pedal behaves normally, tightening clockwise and loosening counterclockwise.

Why this mechanical madness? It's actually brilliant engineering. As you pedal forward, the rotation would naturally loosen normally-threaded pedals. By reverse-threading the left pedal, the forward pedaling motion actually tightens both pedals. It's called precession, and it's the same principle that keeps your wheels from falling off despite spinning thousands of times per ride.

I remember explaining this to my neighbor last summer while helping him swap pedals on his kid's bike. He looked at me like I was making it up until I showed him the little "L" and "R" stamped on the pedal spindles. Those markings are your friends—always check them before you start cranking away.

Tools That Make the Difference

You really only need one tool to remove pedals: a 15mm wrench. But here's where experience teaches you something the manual doesn't—not all 15mm wrenches are created equal for this job. A standard combination wrench works, but it's like trying to eat soup with a fork. You can do it, but why make life harder?

A proper pedal wrench has a long handle (usually 12-16 inches) and a thin profile that fits into the narrow gap between the pedal body and crank arm. That extra leverage transforms what could be a wrestling match into a smooth operation. I've owned the same Park Tool pedal wrench for fifteen years, and it's saved me countless bloody knuckles.

Some pedals, particularly higher-end models, have a 6mm or 8mm Allen key fitting on the back of the spindle. This is actually my preferred method when available—you can leave the pedal wrench in the toolbox and use a long Allen key instead. The angle gives you better leverage, and you're less likely to slip and punch your frame.

The Removal Process (Where Theory Meets Reality)

Position your bike so it's stable. I usually lean it against a wall with the drivetrain side out, but a repair stand is ideal if you have one. Here's a trick I learned from an old mechanic in Portland: rotate the crank arm so it's pointing forward, parallel to the ground. This gives you the best mechanical advantage and keeps your knuckles away from the chainrings if things go sideways.

For the right pedal (drivetrain side), place your wrench on the flats of the pedal spindle. Push down toward the ground—this is loosening the pedal. Sometimes I'll stomp on the wrench with my foot if it's really stuck. Just make sure the bike is stable first. I learned that lesson the hard way when I knocked over my road bike and put a nice ding in the top tube.

The left pedal is where people mess up. Remember, it's reverse-threaded, so you're still pushing down toward the ground to loosen it, but because you're on the opposite side of the bike, this means you're actually turning it clockwise. Don't overthink it—just remember "back off" for both pedals. Push the wrench toward the back of the bike to remove.

When Pedals Fight Back

Sometimes pedals come off easily. Sometimes they've been installed by someone who apparently moonlights as a gorilla. Or worse, they've been on there for years, slowly corroding themselves to the crank arms. This is when pedal removal becomes less about technique and more about persuasion.

Penetrating oil is your first line of defense. Spray it where the pedal threads into the crank and let it sit overnight. I've had good luck with PB Blaster, though some swear by a 50/50 mix of automatic transmission fluid and acetone. Whatever you use, patience is key. That oil needs time to work its way into the threads.

Heat can help too. A heat gun or even a hair dryer can expand the aluminum crank arm slightly, breaking the corrosion bond. Just be careful not to melt any nearby plastic or rubber components. I once got overzealous with a propane torch and melted the dust cap on my bottom bracket. Live and learn.

If you're still stuck, it might be time for the nuclear option: a cheater bar. Slide a piece of pipe over your pedal wrench handle for extra leverage. But here's the thing—this is where you can do real damage. Too much force can strip the threads right out of your crank arm, turning a simple pedal swap into an expensive crank replacement. I've seen it happen, and it's not pretty.

The Installation Insight Nobody Mentions

While we're talking about pedal removal, let me share something about installation that'll save you grief down the road. Before threading new pedals in, apply a thin layer of grease to the threads. Not only does this make future removal easier, but it also prevents galvanic corrosion between dissimilar metals.

And here's the real pro tip: start threading pedals in by hand, not with the wrench. If you can't easily turn them several rotations with just your fingers, something's wrong. Either you're cross-threading them or you've got the wrong pedal on the wrong side. Force is not your friend here. I've watched too many people power through resistance with a wrench, only to realize they've just destroyed their crank threads.

Regional Wisdom and Shop Tales

Working in bike shops across different regions taught me that pedal removal challenges are universal, but the solutions vary. In the Pacific Northwest, where I spent several wet winters, seized pedals were almost guaranteed on any bike that lived outside. The constant moisture created a perfect storm of corrosion. Shop mechanics there kept a dedicated "persuader" wrench—a massive pedal wrench with a three-foot handle that could break free anything short of a actual weld.

Down in Arizona, the problem was different. The dry heat would bake grease into a crusty cement, and aluminum pedals would practically fuse to aluminum cranks. The old-timers there taught me the ice trick—put the bike in the sun to heat up, then shock the pedal spindle with an ice cube. The rapid contraction sometimes breaks the bond. Sounds crazy, but it works more often than you'd think.

When to Admit Defeat

Look, I'm all for DIY bike maintenance. It's satisfying, saves money, and helps you understand your machine better. But there's no shame in taking a stuck pedal to a shop. They have better tools, more experience, and most importantly, insurance if something goes catastrophically wrong.

I once spent three hours trying to remove a pedal from a vintage Peugeot, trying every trick in the book. Finally took it to the local shop where the mechanic had it off in thirty seconds with a special tool I'd never seen before—some kind of impact driver specifically for pedals. Cost me twenty bucks and saved my sanity.

The Philosophical Side of Pedal Removal

There's something meditative about working on bikes, even frustrating tasks like removing stuck pedals. It forces you to slow down, think mechanically, and problem-solve with your hands. In our increasingly digital world, there's value in that physical connection to a machine.

Every stripped thread, every skinned knuckle, every successfully removed pedal teaches you something. Not just about bikes, but about patience, problem-solving, and knowing when to apply force and when to apply finesse. These are lessons that extend beyond the garage.

I've removed hundreds of pedals over the years, and I still approach each one with respect. Because the moment you get cocky, that's when a simple job turns into a nightmare. Stay humble, work smart, and remember—lefty tighty, righty loosey on that non-drive side.

Authoritative Sources:

Barnett, John. Barnett's Manual: Analysis and Procedures for Bicycle Mechanics. 5th ed., VeloPress, 2003.

Brown, Sheldon. "Pedal Installation and Removal." Harris Cyclery, www.sheldonbrown.com/pedals.html.

Jones, C. Calvin. Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair. 4th ed., Park Tool Company, 2019.

Milson, Fred. The Bicycle Wheel. 3rd ed., Avocet Press, 1996.

Zinn, Lennard. Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance. 6th ed., VeloPress, 2018.