Bike Customization #2: Pedal Propulsion

Tops on the list of modifications to my new bike was a pedal change out. I'm addicted to clipless pedals. It feels strange if I ride without them but sometimes on short errands I will wear flip flops or sneakers as the weather dictates and want pedals that are flexible. I thus have platform style clipless pedals with the locking mechanism built in to one side, giving me the option of cleat side and a flat side. The shoes with cleats that I wear have a rubber walking sole so I can walk around in them without the fear of skating around like people do if they wear racing style shoes with a cleat that sticks out. 

One hack of sort that everyone should practice (it should be standard fare for anyone who works on their bike) is to grease the threads of any object that you are going to screw on your bike. This helps to ensure that when the time comes to remove the object, it will come off easily and hopefully you will not lose any skin or strip the head of the bolt/screw in the process of removing it. My standard operating procedure is to keep a tube of grease and some Q-tips on hand. I put a dab of grease on the threads and then spread it around with the Q-tip to ensure adequate coverage.

Comments

[Pete]

Be a man and use you hand. none of this qtip bs, just creates more waste. If you dont wanna use your fingers pick up an acid brush for a quarter from your local hardware store, it will last for years.

[atom]

If you grease the threads on the pedals, you'll have a glob of grease on the pedal shafts after you screw the pedals into the crank-arms.

Instead, put a SMALL dab of grease on the crank-arm threads (I use a toothpick for this; a q-tip soaks up more grease, which just wastes grease). Then when you screw the pedals into the crank-arms, the surplus grease is pushed away from the pedals and can be easily wiped off with piece of paper towel.

[Tim]

And please don't ride in flip-flops. I was on foot in a cross-walk this summer in flip-flops, it started to rain, I was in a hurry, slipped on one of the painted white strips, caught my balance after taking a few giant steps and in doing so smashed my right foot, toes first into the pavement. Three broken toes that wouldn't have happened with sneakers or Keene's. Even going slow on a bike you're moving faster than I was walking. Flip-flops stay at home now.