# Do I really need a $25 pedal wrench to take off my pedals?



## dipstik (Mar 6, 2004)

This seems a bit pricey consider all I want to do is take my pedals off for a trip, and then put them back on when I get home. I can practically buy new pedals on ebay for that much...

Can I just run down to the hardware store and pick up a 15mm wrench or is there really a need for the expensive wrench?


They are Shimano 515's by the way.

Thanks.


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## bulC (Mar 12, 2004)

*no, and probably not*



dipstik said:


> This seems a bit pricey consider all I want to do is take my pedals off for a trip, and then put them back on when I get home. I can practically buy new pedals on ebay for that much...
> 
> Can I just run down to the hardware store and pick up a 15mm wrench or is there reallt a need for the expensive wrench?
> 
> ...


You don't need a special pedal wrench. But no, you likely won't find a suitable one at the hardware store. The flats on most pedals are thinner than the width of common 15mm open end wrenches. If you find one that's real thin, it may work.
Another option for occasional use is a 15mm cone wrench, which is plenty thin enough, actually too thin for good durabilty. Repeated use will proably bugger up the jaws so it won't work well as a cone wrench. It's also kinda short for the leverage needed to remove really tight pedals. But if your pedals aren't super stuck right now, a cone wrench would work fine for your trip and would be way smaller and lighter than a proper pedal wrench. But for shop use a proper pedal wrench is the only way to go.
Don't know your pedals, but some have an allen wrench hex hole in the backside of the spindles, as well as normal 15mm wrench flats. If yours have both, just get a nice long allen wrench, 5mm or 6mm, I dunno, check to see.


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## chomp (Jan 12, 2004)

*Normal 15 mm wrench works for all mine*



bulC said:


> You don't need a special pedal wrench. But no, you likely won't find a suitable one at the hardware store. The flats on most pedals are thinner than the width of common 15mm open end wrenches. If you find one that's real thin, it may work.
> Another option for occasional use is a 15mm cone wrench, which is plenty thin enough, actually too thin for good durabilty. Repeated use will proably bugger up the jaws so it won't work well as a cone wrench. It's also kinda short for the leverage needed to remove really tight pedals. But if your pedals aren't super stuck right now, a cone wrench would work fine for your trip and would be way smaller and lighter than a proper pedal wrench. But for shop use a proper pedal wrench is the only way to go.
> Don't know your pedals, but some have an allen wrench hex hole in the backside of the spindles, as well as normal 15mm wrench flats. If yours have both, just get a nice long allen wrench, 5mm or 6mm, I dunno, check to see.


I have used a standard 15 mm wrench for many different types of pedals -- never had a problem with it being too wide. Like the other posting said about cone wrenches...in an emergency, sure...but you'll wreck em if the pedal is on pretty tight, I almost did. Pretty tough to get good leverage with an allen key sometimes too...all depends on how jammed on they are.


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## tlg (May 21, 2004)

dipstik said:


> This seems a bit pricey consider all I want to do is take my pedals off for a trip, and then put them back on when I get home. I can practically buy new pedals on ebay for that much...
> 
> Can I just run down to the hardware store and pick up a 15mm wrench or is there really a need for the expensive wrench?
> 
> ...


Several options:
$12.99 http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=705
$16.99 http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=14868
$10.75 http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.asp?PART_NUM_SUB='2475-00'
$11.00 http://www.supergo.com/Profile.cfm?lprod_id=8742&siteid=CJcVQO5HaKE-eEQYlyArWIN3NF4t4Aj6cQ

Or, if you pick up a 15mm wrench at a hardware, take a grinder and grind the width down to fit the flats on the pedal.


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## noonievut (Feb 17, 2004)

I tried to get pedals off my bike a couple of weeks ago and couldn't for the life of me. Previous time was no problem. LBS took them off for me easily...don't know why but I still wouldn't pay the $ for the wrench (I would get a fav done for me instead).


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## Speedub.Nate (Dec 31, 2003)

Couple other options:

Pedro's makes a nice pedal wrench that goes for around $12 to $15.

Pedro's also makes a long 6mm allen with a fat handle and a ball end that sells for around $7.

I prefer the flat wrench for "breaking" the pedal when it's tight, but after that I use 6mm allen for quicker/less cumbersome removal and installation. The 6mm should do you in a pinch, but expect the occasional busted knuckle if the pedal is tight.


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## bulC (Mar 12, 2004)

*survey says....*



chomp said:


> I have used a standard 15 mm wrench for many different types of pedals -- never had a problem with it being too wide. Like the other posting said about cone wrenches...in an emergency, sure...but you'll wreck em if the pedal is on pretty tight, I almost did. Pretty tough to get good leverage with an allen key sometimes too...all depends on how jammed on they are.


A quick survey of the garage with a Craftsman 15mm open end in hand found that it will work with all the SunTour XCPro and XCCompe pedals, as well as some cheap Victor platforms. It will NOT work with any of the 3 kinds of shitmano clipless mtb pedals I have, as the collar that holds the axle into the body is too close to the wrench flat. Nor will it work with Time road pedals, Campy road pedals, or cheap taiwanese (victor maybe?) road pedals.
Pedal wrenches wouldn't exist if standard open end wrenches fit most all pedals. Instead of generic pedal wrenches, there would be special Brand X or Brand Y wrenches made specifically to fit the few kinds of pedals that you couldn't remove with standard wrenches. Kinda like there being "standard" BB cup tools, and special ones for Phil Wood BBs. Since this is not the case, one could infer that a pedal wrench is a worthy investment if you deal with lots of pedals.


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## drsam (Jan 12, 2004)

*I've always used a regular old crescent wrench*

Crescent wrench has always worked just fine for me. I certainly haven't tried it on all makes of pedals, but on all the ones I have tried it was been perfectly fine.


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## mntgoatc (Jul 12, 2004)

*Nope*

I find that as long as you find a wrench that fits in that small notch of the pedal then it shuld work just fine.


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## bmateo (Jan 13, 2004)

*yet another option*

and a mandatory one if you have the older TIME carbon Pedals.

Use a 6mm Allen, as others have said, but if you are worried about getting leverage, use the craftsman hex driver bit with a long handled ratchet. This is the easiest way to get them off that I know.

BTW: The carbon Times are the only pedal I know that ONLY use an Allen Key. All my other times (Alumium, et al) can use a 15mm cresent OR 6mm hex.


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## bulC (Mar 12, 2004)

*cumbersome?*

Instead of turning the pedal wrench round and round and round to remove a pedal, try this: Hold the wrench on the pedal and turn the whole crank. At risk of offending you, I just have to add "duh."


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## Speedub.Nate (Dec 31, 2003)

bulC said:


> Instead of turning the pedal wrench round and round and round to remove a pedal, try this: Hold the wrench on the pedal and turn the whole crank. At risk of offending you, I just have to add "duh."


Uhh, ok, I'll accept your "duh" with a grin on my face, but who doesn't have a 6mm allen wrench in their tool box? You can spin the crank, sure, but that only works in one direction if the bike is on the ground, and the allen wrench is still quicker and smoother, or as I said previously, "less cumbersome". You don't throw your bike in the workstand just to swap pedals, do you?


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## eman (May 2, 2004)

I just swapped my pedals today using an adjustable wrench. It just has to be thin enough.


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## fred3 (Jan 12, 2004)

Ummm. Some pedals do not have the 6mm opening for removal. Some need a regular pedal wrench. The 515's need the pedal wrench.


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## Speedub.Nate (Dec 31, 2003)

fred³ said:


> Ummm. Some pedals do not have the 6mm opening for removal. Some need a regular pedal wrench. The 515's need the pedal wrench.


Ummm... no. Some pedals do not, but the 515's (or at least, the recent 515's) do. I removed a pair just two weeks ago from my brother-in-law's bike using a 6mm wrench.


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## skeeter (Dec 30, 2003)

i have shimano's and some stomp flats, and i can take them all of with a small crescent (adjustable) wrench. i broke a park cone wrench trying to get a pedal off, a month ago, it just went "ping" and half of the end broke. at one time, i had a crescent wrench that i had ground down to be an adjustable cone wrench, but i lost it.

tho only problem i have with the small crescent wrench is lack of leverage. but if i don't accidentally tighten the pedal instead of loosen, it usually isn't too tough.


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## nmcculloch (Feb 10, 2004)

*Be careful of the seal*

I have use my standard 15mm wrench and a crescent on both Time, Shimano, Nashbar and junk pedals. A pedal wrench is a nice tool to have, but I wouldn't go buy one until it is necessary. Whatever you use, be careful if you have a rubber gasket around the axle next to the flats that the wrench will catch. This seals the internals for the pedal and keeps the dirt out. If you damage the seal, the $ for the wrench will be nothing compared to the cost of new pedals.


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## willtsmith_nwi (Jan 1, 1970)

*Another duh ???*



Speedüb Nate said:


> Uhh, ok, I'll accept your "duh" with a grin on my face, but who doesn't have a 6mm allen wrench in their tool box? You can spin the crank, sure, but that only works in one direction if the bike is on the ground ...


Flip the bike over and rest it on it's handlebars and seat. This is the poor man's workstand. It also makes for a decent truing stand as well ;-)


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## Speedub.Nate (Dec 31, 2003)

willtsmith_nwi said:


> Flip the bike over and rest it on it's handlebars and seat. This is the poor man's workstand. It also makes for a decent truing stand as well ;-)


Oh, shure... come along 3 weeks after the fact and jump on my back along with everyone else. Ok, I'll see your 'duh' and raise you two...

(A) Turning the bike upside down is a little hard on the carbon bar ends, computer mount, and on the stitching on my overpriced saddles. And besides, who wants to if they don't have to?

(B) Turning a pedal wrench against a drivetrain that has its rear wheel firmly on the ground makes cracking a tightly threaded pedal much easier than trying to wrestle with leveraging a free-spinning crank arm.


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## willtsmith_nwi (Jan 1, 1970)

*Use the other pedal as leverage*



Speedüb Nate said:


> Oh, shure... come along 3 weeks after the fact and jump on my back along with everyone else. Ok, I'll see your 'duh' and raise you two...
> 
> (A) Turning the bike upside down is a little hard on the carbon bar ends, computer mount, and on the stitching on my overpriced saddles. And besides, who wants to if they don't have to?
> 
> (B) Turning a pedal wrench against a drivetrain that has its rear wheel firmly on the ground makes cracking a tightly threaded pedal much easier than trying to wrestle with leveraging a free-spinning crank arm.


All you need do is use the other pedal to brace against turning the crank.

As far as the bar ends go, thats something most folk don't have to worry about. Mine are made of aluminum and are on the bike purposely to absorb abuse on behalf of my hands and protect the shifters and brake lever for when I set it upside down to do maintenance ;-)


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