I’ve been using a set of “NRG” pin pedals for a couple of months now on my commuter uni. Ok, I know I shouldn’t really be practicing all those hops and drops on the freestyle Sem XL but still I thought these sealed bearing pedals would hold up longer than they have.
Yesterday the left pedal started a disconcerting squeaking when ever I weighted it even slightly and then later in the ride it the pedal itself actually started to wobble on its spindle.
Last night I took the pedal apart, unscrewing the cap from the end and then the two nuts that held the cartridge to the spindle. Nothing seemed amiss so it put the bits back together and made sure everything was screwed in place snuggly.
This morning the same thing, squeak, squeak, wobble, wobble… it feels so weird to have the pedal moving beneath my foot …
So I wonder if the pedal is just ‘wearing out’ or if it is somehow bent of just why the pedal body is moving on the spindle that screws into the crank.
any ideas…
Erin, on her way to get one of her sets of Wellgo B-37’s to put on the commuter uni instead of the wobbly NRG’s…
Sealed pedals need grease on the spindle. Most sealed pedals spin on a single bearing at the far end of the spindle and a bushing at the end near the crank. The bushing needs grease under it on the spindle or else it may grind or squeak.
The end cap on the pedal is what holds the whole pedal together. It needs to be snug and screwed in all the way. Make sure the threads on the end cap and on the pedal body are clean (no grit in the threads). Put a little grease on the threads and tighten it up. If the end cap takes a hex key to tighten it then be careful no to round out the hex key hole. The end caps are usually made of aluminum and it is very easy to round out the hex key hole.
Some sealed pedals have an o-ring on the spindle by the crank. The o-ring takes up space, keeps dirt and water from getting into the pedal, and adds a little resistance so the pedal doesn’t freespin. If the o-ring is worn or missing you’ll get side to side play in the pedal and may even get some squeaking as the pedal body rubs on the spindle in places where it shouldn’t.
Check the sealed cartridge bearing to make sure it is still in good condition and that it still spins freely. Make sure the seals are still seated and that the bearing races are still snug (no wobble).
Thanks John, now that I have the Wellgos on the commuter uni I can work my way through your suggestions on checking the NRG’s step by step and at a time when I won’t feel rushed.
I don’t think there is an O ring at the spindle end; if this is the case, should I try get an O ring to put in there even if the pedals didn’t orginally come with one in that spot?
Not all pedals use an o-ring. If the pedals weren’t designed to use an o-ring then you won’t be able to add one after the fact (there won’t be space for it).
What can happen is that the o-ring breaks and falls off the pedal. Just because you don’t see one now doesn’t mean that pedal didn’t come with one originally.
So the answer is that it depends on the pedal. I don’t know about the NRG’s.
