How Do I Remove Bicycle Pedals

Removing bicycle pedals is a fundamental maintenance skill every cyclist should know. Whether you're upgrading to a new set, packing your bike for travel, or simply giving your drivetrain a deep clean, this guide will walk you through the process safely. The key challenge is remembering that the left pedal has a reverse thread, which can confuse first-timers. We provide clear, step-by-step instructions to get the job done without damaging your bike or hurting your knuckles.

Fast Answer

Right Pedal: Turns anti-clockwise to loosen (standard thread).
Left Pedal: Turns clockwise to loosen (reverse thread).
Tool Needed: A 15mm pedal spanner or a 6mm/8mm Allen key.

5-15 Minutes Time needed

Easy Difficulty

Reverse Threads Watch out for

Before You Start

Gathering the right tools and understanding the basic principles beforehand will make this job much smoother. A little preparation prevents a lot of frustration, especially if your pedals have been on the bike for a long time.

What You Need

A Pedal Spanner or Allen Key: Most pedals require a thin 15mm pedal spanner to fit onto the flats of the axle. Some modern pedals, especially clipless models, have no flats and must be removed with a 6mm or 8mm Allen (hex) key from the inside of the crank arm. Check your pedals to see which you need.
Penetrating Oil: If your pedals are stiff or seized, a spray like WD-40 or PlusGas can work wonders.
Clean Rags: For wiping down old grease, dirt, and excess oil.
Bicycle Grease: Essential for when you reinstall the pedals to prevent them seizing in the future.
Gloves (Recommended): A good pair of workshop gloves will protect your hands from grease and save your knuckles if the spanner slips.

Check first: The single most important thing to remember is that the left-side pedal has a reverse thread. You must turn it clockwise to loosen it. Forcing it the wrong way will strip the threads in your crank arm, which is an expensive repair.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps carefully, paying close attention to the direction you turn the tool on each side of the bike. We'll start with the right-hand (drive-side) pedal, which uses a standard thread.

Position the Bike and the Drive-Side Crank

First, secure your bicycle. A bike workstand is ideal as it holds the bike steady at a comfortable height. If you don't have one, leaning the bike securely against a wall will work fine. Shift the chain onto the largest chainring at the front. This serves as a partial guard for your knuckles.

Next, position the right-side (the side with the chain) crank arm so it's pointing forwards, parallel to the ground. This is roughly the 3 o'clock position. This setup allows you to apply downward force for maximum leverage, which is safer and more effective.

Fit the Tool Securely to the Right Pedal

Determine whether your pedal uses a spanner or an Allen key. If using a 15mm spanner, slide it onto the flats on the pedal axle, between the pedal body and the crank arm. Make sure it's fully seated and snug. If using an Allen key, insert it fully into the hex socket on the end of the pedal axle (on the inside of the crank arm).

A loose-fitting tool is a recipe for disaster. It can slip easily, damaging the tool, the pedal, and your hand. Ensure you have the correct size and it's pushed on as far as it will go.

Tip: A dedicated pedal spanner is longer than a standard spanner, giving you much better leverage. It's also thinner, allowing it to fit into the tight space more easily.

Loosen the Right Pedal (Anti-Clockwise)

The right-side pedal has a standard thread, which means the familiar rule applies: "righty-tighty, lefty-loosy". To loosen it, you need to turn the tool anti-clockwise.

With the crank arm at the 3 o'clock position, position your tool so the handle points towards the rear of the bike. Now, push down firmly and steadily with your hand. Using your body weight can help. Avoid jerky movements, as this is when the tool is most likely to slip. You should feel a distinct 'pop' or 'crack' as the thread breaks free.

Unscrew and Remove the Right Pedal

Once the initial tension is broken, the pedal should be loose enough to unscrew the rest of the way by hand. Continue turning it anti-clockwise until it comes completely free from the crank arm. Place the pedal to one side, noting that it is the right-side one. Look for a small, thin washer on the pedal axle; if it's there, keep it with the pedal.

Reposition the Bike for the Left Pedal

Now, move to the other side of the bike (the non-drive-side). Just as before, you want to position the left crank arm so it's pointing forwards, parallel to the ground in the 3 o'clock position. This again sets you up to apply safe, downward force.

Loosen the Left Pedal (Clockwise)

This is the crucial step where people go wrong. The left-side pedal is reverse-threaded. To loosen it, you must turn the tool clockwise.

Fit your spanner or Allen key securely, just as you did on the right side. With the crank arm pointing forward, orient the tool handle so you can push down on it, which will rotate it clockwise. Apply firm, steady pressure until you feel it break loose. A simple way to remember this for both sides is: the tool always turns towards the rear of the bike to loosen.

Mnemonic: An easy way to remember the loosening direction is to think of "pedalling backwards". For both pedals, the direction you turn the spanner to loosen is the same direction the crank would turn if you were back-pedalling.

Unscrew and Remove the Left Pedal

Once the tension is broken, continue unscrewing the left pedal by turning it clockwise. You should be able to do this by hand. Remove it completely from the crank arm, along with its washer if it has one. Keep it separate from the right pedal.

Clean and Inspect the Crank Threads

With both pedals removed, take a clean rag and wipe out the threaded holes in both crank arms. Remove any old grease, road grit, and grime. This is also a good opportunity to visually inspect the threads for any signs of damage, such as cross-threading or stripping. Clean threads will ensure your new (or cleaned) pedals install smoothly.

Quick Reference

Situation	Use this	Why
Removing the Right-Side Pedal	Turn tool ANTI-CLOCKWISE	It has a standard thread. Think "lefty-loosy".
Removing the Left-Side Pedal	Turn tool CLOCKWISE	It has a reverse thread to prevent it from unscrewing as you pedal.
A pedal is completely stuck	Apply penetrating oil, wait, then use more leverage.	Corrosion or over-tightening can effectively weld the threads together.
Tool keeps slipping off	Check tool size and ensure it's fully seated before applying force.	Prevents rounding the spanner flats or stripping the Allen key socket.

Common Problems When You remove bicycle pedals

Even a simple job can have its frustrations. Here are the most common issues you might face when removing pedals and how to solve them.

Problem: The Pedal is Completely Seized and Won't Budge

This is the number one issue, usually caused by a combination of dirt, corrosion, and the pedal being installed without grease. Don't panic and don't just apply more force.

Solution 1: Penetrating Oil. Generously spray a penetrating oil (like PlusGas or WD-40 Specialist Penetrant) where the pedal axle meets the crank arm. Let it sit for at least 15-30 minutes to soak into the threads. For extremely stubborn cases, you can leave it overnight.
Solution 2: Add Leverage. Use a tool with a longer handle. If your Allen key is short, you can slip a piece of pipe over the end to act as a 'cheater bar', giving you more mechanical advantage. Be extremely careful when doing this, as the increased force can cause things to break or slip suddenly.
Solution 3: Apply Heat (Advanced). Gently heating the crank arm around the pedal axle with a heat gun can help. The aluminium crank arm expands more than the steel pedal axle, which can be enough to break the corrosion bond. This is a last resort and should be done with care to avoid damaging the paint or any nearby components.

Problem: You've Stripped the Spanner Flats or Allen Key Socket

This happens when the tool isn't the right size, is of poor quality, or wasn't fully seated. Once the surfaces are rounded, your tool has nothing to grip.

Solution: Stop immediately. Continuing to try will only make it worse. At this point, your best and safest option is to take the bike to a professional mechanic. They have specialist tools like bolt extractors that can remove the damaged pedal without destroying your crank arm. Prevention is the best cure: always use high-quality, correctly-sized tools.

Problem: Bashing Your Knuckles on the Chainring

A classic and painful mistake. When a tight pedal suddenly breaks free, your hand can fly forward straight into the sharp teeth of the chainrings.

Solution: Correct Positioning. Always ensure the chain is on the outermost chainring to provide a small buffer. Position the crank and spanner so you are pushing downwards, away from the bike, not pulling upwards towards the frame. Wearing gloves provides an essential layer of protection.

Advanced Tips for removing bicycle pedals

For those who are mechanically confident or dealing with a truly difficult situation, these advanced techniques might be useful.

Understanding Precession

Ever wondered exactly why the left pedal is reverse-threaded? It's not just so it doesn't unwind. It's due to a mechanical phenomenon called 'precession'. As the crank turns, the pressure from your foot causes the pedal axle to try and 'roll' inside the crank arm threads. This rolling force is in the opposite direction of the crank's rotation. On the right side, this force is anti-clockwise, so a standard right-hand thread tightens against it. On the left side, the force is clockwise, so a reverse (left-hand) thread is needed to self-tighten against it. This clever bit of engineering is what keeps your pedals secure.

Using a Breaker Bar

If you have a socket set, using a long breaker bar with the correct size hex bit (for Allen key pedals) can provide immense, controlled leverage. This is often more effective and safer than using a 'cheater pipe' on a small Allen key, as the tools are designed to handle high torque.

The Last Resort: Professional Help

There is no shame in admitting defeat. If you've tried penetrating oil and safe leverage techniques and the pedal still won't move, the risk of causing expensive damage outweighs the satisfaction of doing it yourself. A good bike shop can often remove a seized pedal in minutes for a small fee, saving you the cost of a new crankset.

How Do I Remove Bicycle Pedals FAQ

Do all bicycle pedals use the same size tool?

The vast majority of pedals use either a 15mm pedal spanner or a 6mm or 8mm Allen key. The 15mm spanner fitting has been the industry standard for decades. However, many modern clipless and high-performance flat pedals have eliminated the spanner flats for better ground clearance and aesthetics, relying solely on an Allen key fitting on the inside of the crank.

Can I use a normal 15mm spanner?

You can try, but you will likely find that a standard spanner from a toolkit is too thick to fit into the narrow gap between the pedal body and the crank arm. Pedal-specific spanners are designed to be much thinner for this reason. They are also typically longer to provide better leverage.

Do I need to grease pedals when I put them back on?

Yes, absolutely. This is one of the most important steps. Applying a thin layer of bicycle grease to the pedal threads before installation prevents water and grit from causing corrosion. It also stops the metals from galling (a form of wear caused by adhesion between sliding surfaces) and seizing, ensuring you can easily remove them again in the future.

My pedals are marked 'L' and 'R'. Which side is which?

The markings correspond to the side of the bike from the rider's perspective when seated. 'R' is for the right-hand (drive-side) crank arm, and 'L' is for the left-hand (non-drive-side) crank arm. These markings are crucial for reinstallation, as putting a pedal on the wrong side will damage the threads.

Final Checklist for removing bicycle pedals

Before you pack up your tools, run through this quick checklist to make sure you've done everything correctly and safely.

Correct Tool: Have you confirmed if you need a 15mm spanner or a 6mm/8mm Allen key for your specific pedals?
Right Pedal Direction: Did you turn the tool anti-clockwise (towards the rear of the bike) to loosen the right pedal?
Left Pedal Direction: Did you remember the reverse thread and turn the tool clockwise (also towards the rear) to loosen the left pedal?
Safe Leverage: Was the crank arm positioned horizontally forward to allow for safe, downward pressure?
Knuckle Safety: Did you wear gloves and position your hands to avoid hitting the sharp chainrings?
Post-Removal Cleaning: Have you wiped the threads inside the crank arms clean of old grease and dirt, ready for reinstallation?