Do you need to grease bike pedals?
Emma Martinez
Published May 20, 2026
- Step 1: Remove your pedals. Don't forget that your non-driveside (left) pedal has a left hand thread!
- Step 2: Remove the axle/bearing cartridge.
- Step 3: Fill a quarter to a third of the pedal body with good quality grease.
- Step 4: Screw the cartridge back into place.
Considering this, should you grease bike pedals?
Pedals don't require grease or lubrication to the extent a bike chain or gears would since these parts are expensive and highly complex to replace. But dirt, sand and dust can conspire to wear down the threads on pedals, making it tougher to pedal smoothly and shortening the lifespan of these parts.
Also, can Vaseline be used as grease? Grease is sometimes used to describe lubricating materials that are simply soft solids or high viscosity liquids, but these materials do not exhibit the shear-thinning properties characteristic of the classical grease. For example, petroleum jellies such as Vaseline are not generally classified as greases.
Besides, do you grease thru axles?
In the case of a thru axle, grease is the appropriate choice. I agree that threaded connections should be greased to prevent "galling" and for corrosion protection. For thru-axles grease is the lube of choice. Anti-seize is too messy and loctite is not appropriate since you have to be able to take the axle out.
What grease should I use on my bike?
Best Sellers in Bike Grease
- #1.
- Finish Line Extreme Fluoro 100% DuPont Teflon Grease, 20g Syringe.
- DuPont Teflon White Lithium Grease.
- Park Tool HPG-1 High Performance Grease.
- OrangeSealCycling Tubeless Tire Sealant, 32-Ounce.
- Phil Wood 3-Ounce Grease Tube.
- Dumonde Tech Lite Bicycle Chain Lubrication.
- Bel-Ray Waterproof Grease.
Related Question Answers
Is White Lithium Grease good for bikes?
If you can't find bike grease, you can use white lithium grease instead. This grease is used on car parts and is often less expensive than true bike grease. Do not use automotive bearing grease; it is sticky and can gunk up your components.Can I use bike chain lube on bearings?
Use chain lube sold for bicycles -- it's bearing lube. If you ride in the wet, or are lazy about it, use white lithium grease and only put in enough to fill the bearing HALF way. If you pack the bearing full, it will be slow as hell.What is in white lithium grease?
Lithium soap is a soap consisting of a lithium salt of a fatty acid. Sodium-based and potassium-based soaps are used as cleaning agents in domestic and industrial applications, whereas lithium soaps are used as components of lithium grease (white lithium).What is pedal grease?
grease is for reducing friction between moving parts. What you need is anti-seize, this is used for static bolts. This way your pedals will not seize in the crank arms.What are the types of grease?
Common Grease Types and Characteristics- Aluminum Complex Grease.
- Bentone (Clay) Grease.
- Calcium Grease.
- Lithium (12-Hydroxy Stearate) Grease.
- Lithium Complex Grease.
- Polyurea Grease.
- Sodium Grease (Soda Soap)
- Grease Compatibility.
How do I change my bike pedals?
At a Glance:- Use a pedal wrench or hex key to unscrew the pedals from the crank arms. Right pedals loosen by turning counter-clockwise, left pedals loosen clockwise.
- Apply bike grease to the new pedals and screw them in at an even 90 degree angle.
- Screw in until each pedal is fully inserted and tight; then hit the road!