Last weekend I rode my bike from Seattle to Portland, 206 miles total, with a night’s worth of sleep separating the hundred-mile days. But before that I made a mistake, failing to tighten a pedal to my bike’s crank prior to a test ride, and thus wallowing out the threads from the aluminum part. Wrenched down, the pedal would feel tight, but once twisting in motion, it would slowly drive itself loose, effectively shelving my bike for most of its life in my possession.
But it was the bike I wanted to ride, a hand-me-down from my dad, so I resolved to fix the threads with a tap and helical insert. Of course bike manufacturers use a special thread all their own, so the process was pricier than I hoped. Nonetheless, I drilled out the old threads and cut new in their place, driving a bronze insert with Loctite into the crank and machining the overhang down flush with the exterior surface.
The ride was a success with no mechanicals, not even a flat tire. Proud to have finished on a machine with some personal history!
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