[rBGH]

This happened to me for the second time to me this weekend, on the second pair of pedals...

The problem is that the pedal body unscrews itself out of the cap that keeps it on the spindle. Result: pedal (still connected to shoe) flys off spindle at inopportune time.

The first time this happened to me, I was clipping out on the road, so I landed on the pedal attached to the bottom of my shoe, grinding the exposed threads flat. One warranty exchange and a few months later, I was Just Riding Along, simply pedalling and not trying to clip out or exert any lateral pressure on the pedal, and off went the pedal... this time I landed in dirt, so the threads were fine and it was possible to get the pedal back onto the spindle. A few more miles of trail riding later, the pedal is still firmly screwed into the end cap.

The pedals in question are the composite ATACs, btw. Anybody else seen this kind of thing? Everyone I talk to says they've never heard of such a thing, even after riding the same pair of Time pedals for years.

 

[Ridemonkey]

I used several sets of these for many years and never had the problem you described.

 

[kidwoo]

Just to clarify.......

The cap does not keep the pedals on. The cap on the end of the pedal (5mm allen I think) keeps dirt out of the bearings and pedal body. When you take off this cap you should see a lock nut on the spindle. This lock nut keeps the pedal on. If you are pulling your pedal off and not seeing bearings on your spindle then you are missing this nut or it's not threaded on.

I've been riding atacs for years and have never even heard of a problem like this specific to them.

 

[rBGH]

Originally posted by kidwoo
Just to clarify.......

The cap does not keep the pedals on. The cap on the end of the pedal (5mm allen I think) keeps dirt out of the bearings and pedal body. When you take off this cap you should see a lock nut on the spindle. This lock nut keeps the pedal on. If you are pulling your pedal off and not seeing bearings on your spindle then you are missing this nut or it's not threaded on.

I've been riding atacs for years and have never even heard of a problem like this specific to them.

Are we both talking about these?

There's no cap on my pedals. The only 5mm allen anything is the end of the spindle that threads into the crankarm.

 

[oldfart]

I think he's referring to the cap on the inside of the pedal. Been a long time since I had those. But I think it does hold the whole shebang in place. Never happened to me either. If it keeps happening to you, time for something different.

I wonder if perhaps your shoe is riding on the cap and slowly rotating it off? Big feet?

 

[kidwoo]

Oops my bad. I sent that from work envisioning the alium style pedals. The cap you're referring to comes off with a pin spanner from what I remember. (I've had the same ones for 3 years now and haven't had any trouble). Now it makes more sense to me why you said the threads were stripped when you stepped on the pedal....the plastic threads right?
As long as the theads on the pedal body are good and the aluminum cap is not stretched/deformed, they shouldn't be unthreading, even with big feet. If they were unthreading from the rotation of the spindle, I would think your foot would keep them in place, not break them loose. Foot friction/ pedaling/spindle unthreading would loosen the right and tighten the left anyway. Sorry about the mixup. I'll shut up now.

 

[rBGH]

Originally posted by oldfart
I think he's referring to the cap on the inside of the pedal. Been a long time since I had those. But I think it does hold the whole shebang in place. Never happened to me either. If it keeps happening to you, time for something different.

I wonder if perhaps your shoe is riding on the cap and slowly rotating it off? Big feet?

Hey, that's an interesting idea. 11 1/2, not the biggest feet around, but I do have relatively wide shoes...

 

[rBGH]

Originally posted by kidwoo
Oops my bad. I sent that from work envisioning the alium style pedals. The cap you're referring to comes off with a pin spanner from what I remember. (I've had the same ones for 3 years now and haven't had any trouble). Now it makes more sense to me why you said the threads were stripped when you stepped on the pedal....the plastic threads right?
As long as the theads on the pedal body are good and the aluminum cap is not stretched/deformed, they shouldn't be unthreading, even with big feet. If they were unthreading from the rotation of the spindle, I would think your foot would keep them in place, not break them loose. Foot friction/ pedaling/spindle unthreading would loosen the right and tighten the left anyway. Sorry about the mixup. I'll shut up now.

A pin spanner, eh? I had wondered how one would tighten / loosen the cup. Still not sure what one of these things looks like but at least I know it exists and has a name.

It has been the right side pedal that's unthreaded itself on me both times, and that would be the right direction for the shoe to unscrew the cup. I'll have to see if I can shave down the part ofthe shoe in question.

Thanks for the insight, gearheads.

 

[speedbump]

Originally posted by rBGH
....The pedals in question are the composite ATACs, btw. Anybody else seen this kind of thing? Everyone I talk to says they've never heard of such a thing, even after riding the same pair of Time pedals for years.

You are not alone. A teammate of mine had this exact thing happen to him in a race a year and a half ago. I don't know how he ended up fixing the situation.

 

[llkoolkeg]

I got composite ATACs when the first came out and have been on the same pair ever since. Ive gone through several sets of shoes and cleats, but my ATACs have never been rebuilt and are still going strong. If I could manage to kill them, I'd prolly try the new ones with the cage or possibly the crank bros mallets.