A few weeks ago I replaced the broken pedals on my mountain bike with cheap $8 plastic pedals from Wal-Mart. Yesterday I was riding the bike and all of a sudden my pedal fell off. Upon closer inspection, I found the pedal AND the hole where the pedal screws into the crank arm is both stripped. What can I do?
-Garrett, Boonville, MO
what type crank do you have? Can you post pics? I replace pedals and cranks when this occurs. they do make a pedal fix heli-coil thread repair for this but I am totally against using them. I may have a replacement for you but need to know what you have. I do sell some new and used parts from time to time and even give them away depending on what it is.
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/pedal-bushing-kit
To me this is shoddy craftsmanship, many bike shops will perform this task. By the time you go thru all this, and the crank is lowend anyway. you can buy a good used or new one and be dependable once again. The problem I have using this method is quite clear. The crank is worthless junk and if I bought a used bike and this was not revealed before buying it and it was an expensive crankset, I would be pissed to say the least. There is really not an easy way to catch this upon a quik inspection. Merely a practice to avoid and never start doing. But thats me, I never deviate from "equal to or better than" when it comes to quality repair and or upgrades.
There are two kinds of people in the world, "Those who help themselves to people, and those who help people!"
HEY PK helicoil repairs and a stronger time sert (IIRC) work well in engine repair. Another better method is to weld the hole than re bore and re thread.
However cranks are comparatively inexpensive so replacement is preferred, and about as expensive..
Never Give Up!!!
How much does a new crank cost? Is it easy to replace?
I'm highly considering selling the bike. It's a cheap six-speed Huffy, but it's been well maintained. It has practically new tires and tubes, and a comfortable seat on it. Sadly, it has problems in first gear and the brakes are worn down to the metal basically. Then the crank issue.
But I also have a 1981 Free Spirit Pinnacle road bike that I want to restore to working condition. It works flawlessly, the only problem are the old steel rims won't accept the high pressure tires produced today, so when I install a tire it just blows off the rim and ruins the tube (and sometimes the tire.) I found some good rims that cost around $32-$33 at Niagara Bike, as well as some good tires and tubes that aren't all that expensive. There is nothing else wrong with the road bike except for the rims.
I believe the cheap pedal did it, as it wasn't stripped before - and the pedal is stripped on the same side as the crank. I find it strange that the crank and the pedal are only stripped on one side, which makes it somewhat harder to get pictures. But I'll try go get pictures later.
-Garrett, Boonville, MO
As far as the huffy, I would call it a wash. Sell as is for what ever you can and put towards the other bike's wheels. The market is flooded with dept. store bikes so you would lose money in the deal if you repair it. Sorry. Look at craigslist and you will see what I mean. People have yards worth of them and they go pretty cheap. I never bother with them at all, just for that reason. Better off to find a deal on an upper end bike and spruce that up for yourself.
There are two kinds of people in the world, "Those who help themselves to people, and those who help people!"
There are two kinds of people in the world, "Those who help themselves to people, and those who help people!"
You most likely cross threaded the new pedal stripping threads on both. If the Huffy has good wheels perhaps you can combine parts from both bikes and get one ridable one.
Never Give Up!!!
"But how can I sell a bike without a right pedal and a stripped crank arm?"
Like I said, there a zillion of these kind of bicycle's out there, along with people with whole front yards of them for sale. These bicycle guys need parts to take three bikes to make one. You need to post the bicycle as "For parts or repair" $40 or best offer.
and take what you can get. The bike would be a tough sell for $50 in good shape. It will cost you $30 or more to repair. Take a $10 or $20 offer and move on. There is nothing you can do to make the bike profitable to you. He could have a bike with good cranks but needs wheels, understand?
There are two kinds of people in the world, "Those who help themselves to people, and those who help people!"