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PSA: Stop using grease on pedal threads
I saw three bikes come through my stand last week with pedals that had been greased. Every single one had the pedal start backing out after 50 miles. The grease makes it too slick so the pedal can loosen itself. I learned this the hard way 6 years ago when my pedal fell off going down a hill in Austin. Use a light oil or just dry threads with a torque wrench. Has anyone else had a pedal come loose from too much grease?
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davis.olivia1d ago
Had a buddy who greased his pedal threads like it was some kind of religion. He was all proud of himself for being thorough. Then we did a 60 mile ride and somewhere around mile 40 his left pedal started clicking and feeling loose. By the time we stopped for lunch he could spin it off by hand. He spent the rest of the ride with one foot on the pedal and one foot just balancing. Had to borrow some blue loctite from a random hiker just to get home. Grease is for bearings, not threads, period.
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jessica9211d ago
You're talking about "Grease is for bearings, not threads, period" like it's some universal law, but I've greased pedal threads for years without a single problem. Your buddy's issue could have just been a cheap pedal or a crank arm with slightly stripped threads. I think a lot of folks get away with a light coat just fine, and the real issue is over-torquing more than the grease itself.
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theas281d ago
Funny enough, I had a buddy who swore by a light grease coat on pedal threads too, said it was fine for years. Then he did a century ride last fall and his non-drive side pedal started creeping loose around mile 70. @jessica921 I think over-torquing is a real factor, but in his case he used a torque wrench to spec and still had the issue. He ended up having to crank it down extra tight just to finish the ride, and when he got home the crank threads were all chewed up from the pedal wobbling. So yeah, some folks get away with it, but it only takes one loose pedal to wreck a crank arm and turn a nice ride into a headache.
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