If you want new mountain bike pedals on your mountain bike, you will have to replace the old ones. Or maybe you switch from clipless pedals to flat pedals. In this guide I tell you how you can replace the MTB pedals, what you need for this and what you should pay attention to.
Why replace the MTB pedals?
There can be many reasons why you would want to replace your MTB pedals. For example, you may have cases where the pedals may be damaged or you want to switch from platform pedals to clipless pedals. All reasons in a row to consider replacing mountain bike pedals.
- The old pedals were damaged in a crash
- You want to upgrade your pedals with newer, better mountain bike pedals
- When you switch from flat pedals to clipless pedals (or vice versa)
Welk gereedschap heb je nodig?
Replacing the MTB pedals is a very simple job. Of course you must be in possession of new pedals and you must have the following tools at home:
- Spanner* or Allen wrench on some pedals
- Assembly grease
* Spanners are often very short, which can get you in trouble when mounting bicycle pedals. That is why there are also special pedal wrenches. These have a longer arm, which makes it easier to secure the pedals.
Replacing MTB pedals: step-by-step plan
All the tools at hand and the new MTB pedals ready? Then we can get started.
Follow the steps below to replace the MTB pedals.
- Remove the old pedals
Twist off the old mountain bike pedals. Use a wrench or pedal wrench and place it on the flat side near the axle. No flat side on the shaft? Then you probably need to use an Allen wrench.
- Coat the new pedals with assembly paste
Apply mounting paste to the thread of the new MTB pedals. This allows you to easily disassemble them over a longer period of time.
- Turn the pedals into the cranks
Carefully screw both pedals into the cranks. Pay attention to left and right, this is often indicated on the pedals. * Take care with the screw thread and do this carefully so that the screw thread is not damaged.
- Check that the pedals themselves rotate smoothly
Check that the pedals are not too tight after mounting. Loosen them where necessary, so that they rotate properly and smoothly.
* It may happen that there are no left and right markings on the mountain bike pedals. In this case you can check whether one of the two pedals has an extra ring around the axle. If yes, then that is the left MTB pedal.
Frequently asked questions about replacing MTB pedals
You can easily replace your mountain bike pedals yourself. It doesn’t require any technical knowledge, but keep in mind that you have the right tools at home.
In many cases you need a wrench (15) or an Allen key. This depends on the current and the new pedals. In addition, you should also lubricate the pedals with assembly paste.
It is smart to apply a layer of mounting paste near the axle to your new pedals. This ensures that you can easily get them loose again over a longer period of time.
No, changing the MTB crankset is not necessary if you only want to change the pedals.
