Pedal spanners

[gorilla monsoon]

I'm considering swapping-out my old pedals for some nice new ones and note that I may need a pedal spanner if I can't find a thin 15mm spanner in my regular tool box.
Looking around the interweb I also discovered that pedal spanners can be damned expensive for something that might get used once or twice. Is there any sort of alternative or do I just have to bite the bullet and fork-out 30 or 40 bills for something I will not get to use very often?
I suppose I could just take the pedals off the bikes and put them back on again every few weeks as a way of justifying the expense.

[Bob_TAS]

That seems like a lot of clams for a pedal wrench

http://www.this link is broken/lifeline-pedal-wrench/

It's just a piece of pressed steel

[QuangVuong]

Small 150 or 100mm adjustable wrench? If you need more leverage, just add a bad to the handle.

Do have a pedal spanner that came together with a tool kit. But its really crap. It bent upon removal. This goes with the brass? threaded headset tool as well. Must have bought low quality stuff.

[def]

I have had a few dedicated pedal spanners with mixed results.

Firstly, a "normal" 15mm spanner often won't fit as it is too thick to get between the crank arm and the pedal body. Pedal spanners are thinner by comparison.

I've had some cheaper pedal spanners that ended up damaging the pedals as they did not engage properly with the pedal. Improper engagement is even more damaging since the contact area is smaller (remember the spanner is thinner). Also, pedal spanners are necessarily of the open-ended variety which have a higher potential to damage the pedal. And one more point: pedals usually only have 2 flat surfaces to grip (rather than the usual 6 for a hex nut) which leaves you no options if they get damaged.

Eventually I went for the Park Tool PW-4 pedal spanner
http://www.parktool.com/product/profess ... rench-pw-4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
which is fantastic although expensive. Pedals that haven't been removed for a while often need some decent torque to get moving for which good engagement and a decent length handle is important to avoid damage to the pedal or yourself.

Cheap tools are a false economy.

Of course, most pedals I deal with now use either an 8mm or 6mm hex through the spindle. The pedal spanner hasn't seen much use recently!

def.

[HappyHumber]

Small 150 or 100mm adjustable wrench? If you need more leverage, just add a bad to the handle.

Not best practice, really. Shifter spanners never have the best purchase as it is, mix that with inadequate leverage and you're getting a good recipe for rounding off - or at the very least further increasing the sloppiness of the shifter. I know, I've been there done that myself and learnt.

It's a fine line with a couple of the 15mm "nuts" you have on bikes; purchase vs. leverage. I know for the odd 15 mm axle cone nut you come across you certainly couldn't use a regular 15mm spanner against anything else. Similar story with pedals.... it's often a narrow area where you need a lot more leverage.

[bychosis]

cone spanner? I've used one a few times.

[MarkG]

I used an imperial spanner to do my Speedplay, but I'd definitely invest in a decent pedal- specific one for future endeavors..

http://www.bicyclestore.com.au/accessor ... /cone.html

[orbeas]

Have you a 8mm is it ? allen key to remouve the pedal from the inside of crank arm

[HappyHumber]

cone spanner? I've used one a few times.

How many different wheels have you worked on?

Have you a 8mm is it ? allen key to remouve the pedal from the inside of crank arm

How many different pedals have you removed or installed?

[LG]

You could try my cheapskate approach, I bought a standard pretty long handle 15mm spanner from the tip shop ($1), hit the sides with angle grinder till it's the right width = pedal spanner.

[Mulger bill]

You could try my cheapskate approach, I bought a standard pretty long handle 15mm spanner from the tip shop ($1), hit the sides with angle grinder till it's the right width = pedal spanner.

Wins!
Nice one MacGyver

[outnabike]

Hi gorilla monsoon,
I made one out of a bit of flat bar I had in the shed, cut it out with a grinder. I just drilled a series of small holes for the bottom cut.Finished of for size with a file.Took about an hour though, .
I did use an allan key on a mates bike but found the pedals really strained the key a bit too much, and It required an extension pipe. I coppied a spanner of the internet for the angled spanner entry. I also made it a bit longer than illustrated due to the effort for some pedals to come off, I swear some have been put on by a gorilla.

[HappyHumber]

You could try my cheapskate approach, I bought a standard pretty long handle 15mm spanner from the tip shop ($1), hit the sides with angle grinder till it's the right width = pedal spanner.

Heheh... I'll pay that one!

re: the different angled mouths. I splashed out on a nicer Cyclo (Cyclus?) double ended dedicated spanner a while ago from Wiggle. One end opens square, and the other is angled slightly. When removing old pedals, the choice of different angles can give you a better choice of using leverage against the crank arms, depending on how the flats of the pedal spindle have to come to rest in relation to the arm. It's also probably about 50% bigger/longer than your average 15mm combo spanner for the extra grunt. A nice-ity, not a necessity.

[Mulger bill]

Two good ones.

If you don't want to go down the DiY route Gorilla, ebay "Park PW3", thinks mine came in at $21 posted about 12mo back. I stumbled on it and impulse bought, happy i did.

It's one of those tools that make a rare job so much easier, no excuse to not grease the threads twice a year now

Shaun

[jacks1071]

I'm considering swapping-out my old pedals for some nice new ones and note that I may need a pedal spanner if I can't find a thin 15mm spanner in my regular tool box.
Looking around the interweb I also discovered that pedal spanners can be damned expensive for something that might get used once or twice. Is there any sort of alternative or do I just have to bite the bullet and fork-out 30 or 40 bills for something I will not get to use very often?
I suppose I could just take the pedals off the bikes and put them back on again every few weeks as a way of justifying the expense.

Take a grinder to a spanner to thin it out.

[pacra]

Whatever you use - wear gloves

[HappyHumber]

Take a grinder to a spanner to thin it out.

+1 in retrospect, I reckon I should've done this myself, rather than go to the expense of the Dux-nuts dedicated tool that I did. Even if you don't have a bench or angle grinder yourself - ask around your mates or rellies - and go buy a couple of old combo 15mm spanners from the tip shop as suggested. I've also seen a heap of misc. loose spanners at various pawn & second hand tool shops.

Also recommended for the kids and their Ficksies, with the 15mm bolt wheels

[RonK]

I suggest you get a pair of these Lezyne tools.

You have tyre levers, cone spanners and pedal spanner (using both), and they open bottles too.

[bychosis]

cone spanner? I've used one a few times.

How many different wheels have you worked on?

Quite a few, between 12" and 27 1/4". The cone spanners I have are thin enough to use and have 4 different size options, one of which is the right size for pedals. Fro some reason the first one I pick is always the wrong end. Have used the cone spanners a few times on different pedals when the standard spanner wont fit.



Make sure you add a bit of grease to the thread before reinstalling.

[silentbutdeadly]

I've done all three.

Used cheap cone spanners...they all got turned into spanner shaped pretzels by too many reluctant pedals.
Ground down a spare 15 mm open ended spanner (Supatool brand)...worked though I'd bang my knuckles on occasion because it was a straight spanner - then I used it on a nut in a large not bicycle related machine which snapped one side of the spanner off and resulted in me snap punching the machine to much discomfort and not a little foul language.
Sucked my knuckles and bought a Pedro offset pedal spanner for $30...no more banged knuckles; no way it can be snapped; no chance it can be mis-used for anything else. Happy camper.

[jasonc]

I've got a long handled sidchrome jobbie. does well. but my pedals now use an 8mm allen key - i bought a super dooper set from bunnings.
remember to clean and regrease the threads - easy!

[jacks1071]

cone spanner? I've used one a few times.

How many different wheels have you worked on?

Quite a few, between 12" and 27 1/4". The cone spanners I have are thin enough to use and have 4 different size options, one of which is the right size for pedals. Fro some reason the first one I pick is always the wrong end. Have used the cone spanners a few times on different pedals when the standard spanner wont fit.



Make sure you add a bit of grease to the thread before reinstalling.

Cone spanners are not nearly strong enough for taking pedals on and off - too thin.

Use a propper pedal spanner or if you are poor, buy a 15mm spanner from super cheap auto for about $2 and grind it down. Depending on your bike and pedals you might not even need to grind it down so check first

[MarkG]

I managed my Speedplays with an imperial Crescent spanner!

[eeksll]

I had a lifeline one, it used it "a fair bit", but it got rounded after 1 very stuck pedal.

My speedplays dont require a thin spanner, I can use one pretty much as big as you can get, so I'd use something big and chunky to spread the force if it s stuck. It also has a larger than normal hex option on the side.

Grease does not guarantee a non stuck pedal. Removing them twice a year would be the only sure way I reckon. The one that was well and truly stuck was well greased by me.

[stevexg]

I use a 15mm spanner that thined down on a bench grinder, works great. I stick a pipe on the end if i need a bit more leverage or control.