20
Bottom Bracket, Cranks and Pedals
The pedals of your bike are attached
via cranks to the bottom bracket; these
bearings are lubricated by grease. Most
of the time the grease only needs to be
changed every few years, however with
frequent riding it may need to be cleaned
out and replaced more often.
Though these items components are very
low maintenance it’s worth it to pay some
attention to these parts once in a while.
The cranks have to be fixed tightly, for instance, and shouldn’t have any play. If they do, you will
hear an annoying cracking sound during cycling or feel the play. More seriously, riding with a
loose crank can also damage it irreparably. It’s OK for the pedal bearings to have a bit of play.
This is because the pedal axle will bend a little over time as a result of the force exerted on it.
If the pedals themselves or the cranks are bent or damaged, for instance following a fall, they
need to be replaced. Bending them back to their original shape can change the structure of the
material in a way that might make them break suddenly at a later stage.
Fault
Solution
there is a clunking
when I pedal
Check that the pedal cranks are tight and that the pedals are
tight too.
Something feels loose
when I pedal
Check that everything it tight.