I’m sorry to inform you guys that I have yet another newbie question.
My pedals have been slightly loose for quite awhile. They aren’t loose in the cranks; they’re rattling around the bearings. Not too long ago, it started to get worse, so I took my unicycle to a bike shop. The guy told me what I suspected: the pedals were loose around the bearings. He told me not to worry about it, because it would take more money and time to fix than it was worth. Today, my right pedal finally fell apart.
To my question. Is this the normal progression of a non-sealed pedal? Do people just ride them until the forces of trials and street slowly wear them out?
I’ll be getting a new pair of pedals, but I wonder how I can make the pedals/bearings withstand abuse as long as possible.
uhh when they get loose, you just pop off the cap and tighten them up a little bit… its really not that hard at all. i would spray some oil/grease in there as well, but that’s just me?
This is probably the simplest approach, but if you want high-end stuff that allows for maintenance, you can get some real expensive pedals, and every once in a while replace inner parts that will probably cost more than a pair of those cheap pedals above.
I know it’s different for Trials/Street than most other types of riding, but I have usually gotten by with low to medium-priced pedals. Most have lasted quite a long time. Since Trials can really beat up pedals, using cheap-but-strong ones is probably the least expensive way to go.
Pedals which haven’t had the crap beat out of them are maintainable. You pop off the dust cap, which reveals a small hex bolt (usually), which holds a bearing cone. Removing the hex bolt will allow you to remove the bearing cone, which will let you pull the pedal off the axle. Bearings will roll everywhere. If your pedal has been running loose, it’s probably better to install new bearings than reuse the old ones. Clean and degrease the pedal axle and the bearing races on both sides, repack with bike grease (Phil Wood preferred), stick the appropriate number of bearings on the crank-facing size (you did count the bearings, didn’t you?), and gently ease the pedal back onto the axle without dislodging the bearings. Then stick the appropriate number of bearings on the outside, and close it up with the bearing cone. Reinstall the hex bolt. The hex bolt and the bearing cone should be locked against each other, but not locked against the bearings; make sure the pedal spins freely. Reinstall the dust cap and you’re done.
For crappy $10 plastic pedals, this is probably more trouble than it’s worth, but I think anything from the Odyssey Twisted PC on up should be repaired rather than discarded.
I am embarrassed to say that I haven’t wrecked my first pair. This makes me feel not very hard core , yet anyway, before you try to get a great knowledge of a lot of more expensive pedals, why not try the pedal that comes stock on KH unis because it is a great pedal.
Loose bearing pedals like the twisted Pc may be rebuilt sorta by cleaning and regreasing. A bit of a pain, I hate long mucky jobs where my hands get dirty with oily crap. Almost no one actually tries to fix a Pc pedal, unless they are curious and bored because the fresh new set is there for 13 $. Make it your first choice, and try more expensive pedals later, if you think you want them. Pedals don’t have to be expensive unless you are a very advanced rider who wants special gear.
I have done zero work on any of my Pc pedals and they all work great to this day. I think that if the pedal feels loose, tightening the nut at the end of the pedal axle is worth trying. Haven’t had to try it though. Taking a loose bearing pedal all apart and cleaning-regreasing it is more of a science project than normal work. The twisted pc is both good, durable and cheap.