How to remove bike pedals

Your bike pedals see a lot of wear and tear, especially if you cycle regularly.

The pedals bear the brunt of all the downward force your legs exert when moving, but their small surface area means they need to be taken good care of in order to withstand the force.

However, looking after your bike pedals is pretty straightforward. You can remove them in as little as five minutes if you know what you’re doing.

In this blog, we’ll go through how to remove pedals from a bike, why doing so is an important part of bike maintenance, and the key signs to look out for when your pedals are in need of some TLC.

When to remove pedals from a bike

First things first— worn-out or poorly maintained pedals can cause all kinds of problems for cyclists, so knowing when to remove and replace them is important.

Some of the reasons you might need to remove your bike pedals could be due to:

• worn cleats
• damaged bearings
• strange noises in rotation
• cracks, breaks, or general wear and tear

All of the above can impact the overall performance and safety of your bike, as well as your general comfort when cycling.

For example, worn cleats can lead to slippage, particularly in wet weather, which can be dangerous from both an injury and bike control perspective. If your pedals have also become misaligned, this can lead to injury through repeated uneven pedalling.

Pedals in poor condition are also more likely to fail or even completely break during a ride, which could have potentially disastrous consequences.

It’s in your best interests to ensure your pedals are kept in the best possible condition, and if you cycle regularly, they’re bound to need replacing from time to time.

Depending on your mileage and cycling conditions, recreational riders should consider changing their pedals every 2-5 years. More frequent or high-intensity riders may feel the need to replace theirs every 1-2 years.

A fresh set can make a big difference to the performance and movement of your bike. The first step in replacing a set of bike pedals, though, is to remove the old ones. 

How to remove pedals from a bike

All you need in order to remove a pedal from a bike is an Allen key or pedal spanner (or a standard spanner, provided it’s the correct size).

Here’s what to do:

1. Shift the chain

First, shift the chain onto the biggest ring on the drivetrain so that any slips won’t clatter your knuckles. You can either flip the bike upside down or leave it the right way up to do this.

Better to be safe than sorry.

2. Push down and turn anti-clockwise on the drive side

On the drive side, insert an Allen key or spanner into the pedal crank and rotate it into the 3 o’clock position, pointing forwards and parallel to the ground.

Then, push down forwards and turn anti-clockwise using a decent level of force.

3. Push down and turn clockwise on the other side

Swap sides and do the same with the other ‘half’ of the pedal crank. However, place the crank in the nine o’clock position and turn clockwise this time.

4. Spin the pedals off

At this point, you should then be able to spin each pedal free from the crank, but be careful of any other debris, such as pedal washers, that may have also come loose.

And that—simply—is how to remove bike pedals.  It’s by no means rocket science, but an invaluable skill for cyclists to have.

Be sure to also assess the state of your pedal cranks and axle threads, and do any necessary cleaning before fitting new pedals to your bike.

If the cranks themselves need to be changed due to damage or general wear and tear, you’ll need to follow a few extra steps.

How to remove the pedal crank from a bike

The pedal crank (or crankset) is the lever-like arm structure that connects your bike pedal to the bottom bracket and chainring, converting the power from your foot to the rotational force that keeps your bike moving forward.

Your bike will have a pedal crank for each pedal, but let’s assume you just want to remove one of them, and you’ve already followed the steps above to remove the pedal first.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• an Allen key
• crank puller tool (make sure it's compatible with your crank type)
• an adjustable wrench

Here's what to do:

1. Remove the crank bolt

Find the bolt in the middle of the crank arm and use your Allen key to turn it anti-clockwise until it comes away. The bolt can then be set aside.

2. Thread in the crank puller tool

Carefully thread the outer part of your puller tool into the threads of the crank arm, ensuring it is fully inserted.

3. Extract the puller

Once your crank puller tool is fully inserted and secured in the crank arm, use a wrench to tighten the inner bolt. As you turn, the puller tool will push against the bottom bracket and pull the crank arm away.

To remove the second crank, simply repeat the process on the alternate side.

Tip: Be extra careful when removing the pedal crank, particularly when threading the crank puller tool. Depending on the material your crank is made from, it can be damaged quite easily. Softer metals like aluminium can be more susceptible to damage, for example.

Some pedal cranks are also self-extracting, which means you won’t need to use a separate crank puller tool, so doing your own research based on your specific bike type, manufacturer or model is recommended.

Specialist cycling insurance through Cycleplan

Knowing how to remove bike pedals and replace them could be the difference between getting back out on the road promptly or facing an unnecessary wait.

Whatever bike or pedals you own, you may want to consider specialist cycling insurance for protection and added peace of mind.

Find out more about bicycle insurance through Cycleplan and get a quote online today.