Team BKool CycleChat

[CXRAndy]

I'll doubt you could drill it Tommy, hardened steel for tools. Firstly get some wd40 on the threads to try and break any bonding. Take the crank arm off the bike, much easier to work on. Re assess once off bike, Do you have a decent vice?


No, I don't mean drugs' gambling' or women

Just to cheer you up at this moment of annoyance

Women though

 

[bobinski]

Isn't 'decent vice' a contradiction in terms?

 

[bobinski]

I tried to take my pedals off my bike yesterday to pack it into a bike box but the pedals had completely seized to the crank arms. They're the type that are fixed with Allen key rather than spanner. I sprayed some lubricant on them to try and help release them, and used a ratchet wrench with a hex head attached for extra leverage. I put so much force through it that the pedal didn't release but the hex bit snapped offf inside the pedal spindle and is now completely wedged in... so now I not only can't take the pedals off the crank arms, but one is a bit buggered on top of that.

Any ideas? I've tried drilling it out with a 2mm drill bit but it's barely made a dent in the sheared off hex bit.

TT I would take it to a decent old fashioned bike shop. Perhaps that one on lambs conduit st or even condor cycles which are close to you.

 

[<Tommy>]

Berty unfortunately I can't get anything on it to grip it and yank it out.

Andy I tried using wd40 but because it's such a snug fit I don't think it made any difference as it was just sitting on the surface. I was putting so much force through it the crank arm it was flexing which wasn't a good feeling!

Bob condor always seem to have a lengthy wait list on repairs. I think Lambs conduit st is my favourite bike shop in the world and I had considered it. The main problem I have is we're going away tomorrow and I'm not back until Tuesday before DD. So if they bugger it up any worse then I'm pretty screwed for Wales.

I'm now leaning towards leaving it until after Wales. But this means taking the cranks off and on rather than just the pedals when putting it into the bike box while taking it to Wales.

To compound it all the missus isn't exactly impressed it's getting so much attention today

 

[Whorty]

Could you put a very small dab of super glue on the end and stick it to old piece of wood or similar and then when dry pull it out? Need to be careful though - don't want to glue the hex in place!!!

 

[CXRAndy]

Tommy, I would try and cut a slot in the tool with a dremel cutting disc. Then with an impact driver try and free off the broken bit. Wrap the arm in lots of protective layers. The other method would to use a small sharp chisel and with a slanted blow to reverse the nip on the broken piece. An engineering shop could probably drill a hole in bit in desperation. What you want is to get pedal off crank and then work on it. Have you thought of sacrificing the pedal to save the crank?

DD is still on because you can pack bike with crank off the bike and sort problem later if needs be

 

[<Tommy>]

Could you put a very small dab of super glue on the end and stick it to old piece of wood or similar and then when dry pull it out? Need to be careful though - don't want to glue the hex in place!!!

It's stuck too tight for that mate

Tommy, I would try and cut a slot in the tool with a dremel cutting disc. Then with an impact driver try and free off the broken bit. Wrap the arm in lots of protective layers. The other method would to use a small sharp chisel and with a slanted blow to reverse the nip on the broken piece. An engineering shop could probably drill a hole in bit in desperation. What you want is to get pedal off crank and then work on it. Have you thought of sacrificing the pedal to save the crank?

DD is still on because you can pack bike with crank off the bike and sort problem later if needs be

I'm going to leave it till after Wales. Like you say I can still pack th bike. It just means a bit of extra work cleaning and greasing the BB while in Wales.

To be honest the whole Allen key design is stupid in my opinion. Someone clever bugger has been paid money to try and re invent the wheel... the old system just required a long armed spanner and I never had any problem. You just can't get the same purchase or power through a hex head.

 

[bridgy]

View attachment 351688

Berty unfortunately I can't get anything on it to grip it and yank it out.

Andy I tried using wd40 but because it's such a snug fit I don't think it made any difference as it was just sitting on the surface. I was putting so much force through it the crank arm it was flexing which wasn't a good feeling!

Bob condor always seem to have a lengthy wait list on repairs. I think Lambs conduit st is my favourite bike shop in the world and I had considered it. The main problem I have is we're going away tomorrow and I'm not back until Tuesday before DD. So if they bugger it up any worse then I'm pretty screwed for Wales.

I'm now leaning towards leaving it until after Wales. But this means taking the cranks off and on rather than just the pedals when putting it into the bike box while taking it to Wales.

To compound it all the missus isn't exactly impressed it's getting so much attention today

That, TT, is a complete PITA and you have my sympathies as it's exactly the sort of thing that would happen to me! In fact just looking at it makes me quite stressed

 

[bridgy]

You can't get much flatter than the Somerset levels though, although it's pretty exposed in places to the elements. Bloody fast time though bridgy... wonder what you could do in an aero position on a tt bike...

It is indeed pretty flat on that TT route - only 40 feet of elevation according to Strava. However, with regards it not getting much flatter check out the elevation gain on this 24 mile ride by a Dutch friend of mine (which is ironically where I will be cycling while everyone's dragging themselves over the Brecon Beacons!!)

 

[<Tommy>]

That, TT, is a complete PITA and you have my sympathies as it's exactly the sort of thing that would happen to me! In fact just looking at it makes me quite stressed

Yeah cheers mate, bit of a pain... the bearings in my back wheel have gone too so it's been a bit of a test of character! If I was religious I'd say God was trying to send me a message but I'm not religious, so I figure I'm due some good luck!

 

[<Tommy>]

It is indeed pretty flat on that TT route - only 40 feet of elevation according to Strava. However, with regards it not getting much flatter check out the elevation gain on this 24 mile ride by a Dutch friend of mine (which is ironically where I will be cycling while everyone's dragging themselves over the Brecon Beacons!!)
View attachment 351699

I have a feeling he may go a little faster if he does the ride again with you.

 

[Daddy Pig]

It is indeed pretty flat on that TT route - only 40 feet of elevation according to Strava. However, with regards it not getting much flatter check out the elevation gain on this 24 mile ride by a Dutch friend of mine (which is ironically where I will be cycling while everyone's dragging themselves over the Brecon Beacons!!)
View attachment 351699

Let's hope there is no heavy rain fall otherwise you'll be swimming!

 

[Daddy Pig]

It's stuck too tight for that mate



I'm going to leave it till after Wales. Like you say I can still pack th bike. It just means a bit of extra work cleaning and greasing the BB while in Wales.

To be honest the whole Allen key design is stupid in my opinion. Someone clever bugger has been paid money to try and re invent the wheel... the old system just required a long armed spanner and I never had any problem. You just can't get the same purchase or power through a hex head.

You say that but as I only had short spanners I always ended up bloodying my knuckles against the chainrings!
In terms of getting the old hex key out drilling is likely to be your only hope. Start small and increase the size until you can manually remove excess metal using a screw driver. You may have to sacrifice the pedals if it goes wrong. Someone mentioned using an impact driver... make sure that the pedal is clamped rather than the crank arm as it will likely damage the carbon arm due to the impact forces going through it.
I remember once trying to get a bottom bracket out of a steel frame mtb. I used a long hex key and attached a 1.5m piece of steel tubing and still it would not budge. It only came out with the use of a blow torch to heat the frame up and a serious amount of strength!

 

[Randyberlin]

View attachment 351688

Berty unfortunately I can't get anything on it to grip it and yank it out.

Andy I tried using wd40 but because it's such a snug fit I don't think it made any difference as it was just sitting on the surface. I was putting so much force through it the crank arm it was flexing which wasn't a good feeling!

Bob condor always seem to have a lengthy wait list on repairs. I think Lambs conduit st is my favourite bike shop in the world and I had considered it. The main problem I have is we're going away tomorrow and I'm not back until Tuesday before DD. So if they bugger it up any worse then I'm pretty screwed for Wales.

I'm now leaning towards leaving it until after Wales. But this means taking the cranks off and on rather than just the pedals when putting it into the bike box while taking it to Wales.

To compound it all the missus isn't exactly impressed it's getting so much attention today

Mr. Turbo " strong arm" Tommy.
Wow that is 90 out of phase. You must have really cranked it. How about strip the pedal down .. use a pipe wrench to grab the spindle and remove the pedal then punch out the broken Allen wrench out.

 

[CXRAndy]

Mr. Turbo " strong arm" Tommy.
Wow that is 90 out of phase. You must have really cranked it. How about strip the pedal down .. use a pipe wrench to grab the spindle and remove the pedal then punch out the broken Allen wrench out.

Best of worst situation, sacrifice the pedal to save arm. Only after DD