Quick Release Pedals for Easy Tool-Free Pedal Change on Dual-Hole Cranks:
Project*:
MKS Ezy pedals are detachable and mount to the crank with a quick release coupler. They can be used to quickly change between pedal holes on dual hole cranks. MKS Ezy pedals come in a variety of types - platform and clipless. The MKS EZY Lambda / Grip King pedal is likely their best platform pedal for uni.
For this to work you will need 2 sets of the Ezy Pedal Adapters (QR pieces). You can either buy 2 sets of Ezy pedals, or 1 set and get a spare set of Ezy Pedal Adapters. Also - MKS makes many other non- QR pedals, but the axles on some are switchable with the Ezy axles (you have to take apart the pedals for this - I actually did this to make the Lambda Ezy pedals below).
*See the conclusion below - this setup has its downsides and areas for improvement
Equipment:
-MKS Ezy Pedals with 2 sets of QR adapters
-Pedal Wrench
Dual hole Cranks with 23+mm of space between holes - KH 127/150, KH 137/165, Mad4One Triple hole (skipping middle hole). You would need to grind down the QR adapters a bit for narrower sets of dual holes.
Setup:
Mount QR Adpaters
Mount the QR Adapters with a pedal wrench. Mounting can be a bit awkward - grease the threads and mount the adapter to the inside hole 1st.
(Lambda / Grip King) Grind Inside Corner of Pedal
The Lambda / Grip King pedals have a wide platform that will touch the unused QR adapter in the other crank hole. Use a dremel or grinder to remove a few mm from the inside corners (see pic).
(Lambda / Grip King) Add Pedal Spikes and Guides
For better grip, I would recommend adding pedal spikes into the holes on the platform. The unused QR adapter in the other crank hole protrudes enough to catch your shoe if your foot is not on the outside of the pedal. I recommend (but have yet to try) putting some kind of guide on the inside of the platform to force my foot to the outside.
Insert Pedals
Insert the pedals into the QR adapter in either set of crank holes. the pedals have a yellow clip to prevent accidental separation of the pedal from the QR, but I never used these and had no trouble.
Conclusion:
After setting this up, and riding it for a week or so I found that changing the pedals was indeed a lot easier and interrupted the floe of my rides less. I live on the side of a valley, so a lot of my rides have long climbs and descents where switching the pedals to a longer crank hole for climbing, then switching to a shorter hole for the descent makes sense. I only rode this setup on roads and very easy trails.
I also found a few downsides to this setup. Foot placement on the platform pedals had to be on the outside of the pedal otherwise the QR adapter in the unused crank hole would push my foot off the pedal. This was very awkward at first - my foot would get lifted off the pedal slightly then (usually) slip back down on to it. After a a couple of days I got used to placing my foot on the outside of the pedal. I could not use the clipless pedals because my cycling shoes were to wide. I think these have good potential if using a narrow road racing shoe though - the clipless system holds your foot in place and prevents it form hitting the QR adapter.
Note:
This setup has been tried before in this thread:
but I thought a more detailed post on setup might be helpful here. The other thread has some good ideas about other MKS Ezy pedals mods and a wellgo QR pedal too.
Disclaimer:
I am just sharing what I’ve tried and sort-of worked for me. I don’t guarantee it will work for you - heck, I don’t even guarantee you won’t get horribly disfigured or emotionally scarred trying the setup described in this post. Use at your own risk!
The adaptors seem to work more-or-less like an air line coupler. Pushing in on QR the fitting will force a couple of ball bearings out of the channel in the pedal axle - allowing it to uncouple fomr the adaptor. Twisting the fitting has no effect - there is no twist to lock setting on it.
They’re holding up alright, but I just couldn’t get used to the narrow profile of the Lambda pedals (even narrower when I had to move my foot a bit to the outside to avoid the QR adapter). My feet aren’t that big either - size 9.
I ended up taking them off my uni for now. I may try to modify the platform to make it wider. Either that or the pedals will sit in my parts bin for a while.
I suppose if anyone is really curious about this setup, I’d be willing to pass these on.
I think the other QR system shown by Kris in the thread I linked above may have some good potential: better platform options with the Wellgo QRD pedals.
The lambda pedals made me waffle: akward at 1st - got used to narrowness enough to live with it - tried regular pedals again and narrow lambdas seemed akward once more.
The “clipless” pedals I haven’t tried to ride yet: based on measurements I would need a really narrow road shoe (or trim the sole a lot on current shoe). Plus I need to practice mounting clipless on my 36er. I expect Ill try this setup as it is “a stone un-turned” - which tends to drive me crazy until I have to try it.
I’ve just spotted the new slimmer-profile Wellgo QRD-II quick release pedals on ebay.
There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot available in English on the internet to describe them yet, nor can I find a distributor (outside of the Taiwanese ebay seller linked above).
Airnimal have them listed in their shop though.
The Wellgo website has a datasheet but no dimensions/drawings.
It looks like a good system because the QR device seems lower in profile to previous incarnations. This is also available separately from the same seller; you can have two sets without buying two pairs of pedals!
I’m not sure whether there will be enough space to fit two side-by-side and the spindles look quite long.
Also, although several pedal types are available there is no ‘DX shape’ (parallelogram) which I prefer for uni because they self-level more gracefully when mounting.
Closest I could find to a DX style pedal on EBay was the Wellgo QRD C241 - has a platform with removable pins. They seem to use the QRD with a single large protrusion.
I haven’t tried these, but using them seems feasible. You could use some slim washers to make sure the protrusion is pointing away from the alternate pedal hole and is still tight against the threads. This would allow a QRD to be installed in both top and bottom pedal holes.
Uh-oh - I think you may have resurrected this project …
I didn’t notice the second type! The image must have failed to load when I read that thread.
Here’s the weird thing though: the QRD2 connectors offered with the pedals in my link seem different to the one Kris posted.
I found some more of the same on aliexpress. It looks like they’ve quietly dropped the one in Kris’ photo and are now selling the ones in my link. I suspect that the diameter has not reduced though. It might even be bigger because of the tapered sleeve.
I’ve got 110/137s on my 36er but I’d be happy to widen the spacing if it meant fitting a couple of these QRD2 adapters on it!
Fill and drill shouldn’t be too costly but it might bollox up the heat treatment. I can probably get away with only buying the plug taps as this is neither hard metal nor blind.
Hmm. The plot thickens…!
Edit: Nah. Not enough material unless I went with a longer crank which I don’t want to do. I’d have to go with one of each adaptor which might not even work if the new QRD2 is larger in diameter. Bah!
QRD-II has a big outer diameter. You won’t be able to mount two of the QRD-II adapters at the same time on any of the KH double hole cranks. Kris tested it when they came out.
I’m not really excited about any of the Ezy pedals. Just now, though, I read the part of this writeup which mentioned converting non-Ezy pedals to use the QR connector. I’m very interested in doing that. Can someone explain how it would be done? I have a pair of MKS pedals which are plenty wide and also wouldn’t contact the adjacent QR connector. I’ve never taken them apart but I know that they have serviceable loose-ball bearings.
Here is QR adapters kit on AliExpress.
Lixada Bike Pedal Adapter Bicycle Cycling MTB Pedal Extender Quick Release Pedal Holder for MKS Pedals Removable Aluminum alloy http://s.aliexpress.com/zuqaY3Y3?fromSns=Copy
Excellent - I need to squeeze one or two unicycles into the motorhome storage locker beside the golf clubs, inflatable canoe etc.
These adaptors will make the Uni’s easier to pack.
