Left hand threads.

Given the confusion they cause, is there any rational reason for having a left
hand thread on left side pedals?

Was it simply a mistake made long ago and carried on for the sake of consistency?

Moike

Michael Warner wrote:
On 20 Nov 2006 22:13:16 +0200, Moike wrote:

Given the confusion they cause, is there any rational reason for
having a left
hand thread on left side pedals?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_pedal

See second paragraph.

--
Home page: http://members.westnet.com.au/mvw

Fascinating. Thank you. It's been worrying me for a while.

Moike

Zebee Johnstone wrote:
In aus.bicycle on 20 Nov 2006 22:13:16 +0200
Moike wrote:

Given the confusion they cause, is there any rational reason for
having a left
hand thread on left side pedals?


I suppose it depends on how long you want the pedal to stay on the
bike.

IF you are happy to unscrew it with each pedal stroke....


Zebee

That sort of simplistic explanation is what leads to the confusion, I guess,
since it suggests the LH thread is there to counter the unscrewing effect of
pedal rotation in the crank. The rotation of the pedal would have the opposite
effect were it not for the less obvious 'precession' effect outlined above.

Moike

On 20 Nov 2006 22:13:16 +0200, Moike wrote:

Given the confusion they cause, is there any rational reason for having a left
hand thread on left side pedals?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_pedal

See second paragraph.

--
Home page: http://members.westnet.com.au/mvw

In aus.bicycle on 20 Nov 2006 22:13:16 +0200
Moike wrote:

Given the confusion they cause, is there any rational reason for having a left
hand thread on left side pedals?


I suppose it depends on how long you want the pedal to stay on the
bike.

IF you are happy to unscrew it with each pedal stroke....


Zebee

Moike wrote:
Given the confusion they cause, is there any rational reason for having a left
hand thread on left side pedals?

Was it simply a mistake made long ago and carried on for the sake of consistency?

Moike

I believe cars with wire wheels also have left handed threads on the left side,
for the same reasons stated. I've had cars suffer loosened wheel nuts, always on
the left side of the vehicle. Some of the less charitable on this NG will
confirm I have a screw loose too

--
Karen

"Reverse the polarity and invert the particle flux!"
"You mean put the batteries in the other way?"
"...yes."
-Star Trek (any of them)

In aus.bicycle on 20 Nov 2006 22:50:49 +0200
wrote:

That sort of simplistic explanation is what leads to the confusion, I guess,
since it suggests the LH thread is there to counter the unscrewing effect of
pedal rotation in the crank. The rotation of the pedal would have the opposite
effect were it not for the less obvious 'precession' effect outlined above.


I agree in that I at first thought is was unscrewing because of that,
realised that it's not likely, then realised that modern manufacturing
would likely want to have standardisation, so it still had to be
unscrewing even if it wasn't the immediately obvious method.

Zebee

Duracell Bunny wrote:
Moike wrote:
Given the confusion they cause, is there any rational reason for having a left
hand thread on left side pedals?

Was it simply a mistake made long ago and carried on for the sake of consistency?

Moike

I believe cars with wire wheels also have left handed threads on the left side,
for the same reasons stated. I've had cars suffer loosened wheel nuts, always on
the left side of the vehicle. Some of the less charitable on this NG will
confirm I have a screw loose too

Almost all trucks (and some larger vans) have left-hand-threaded wheel
studs on the left of the vehicle.

It's a fiendish trap for young players (the first time I needed to
change a wheel on the left side I thought my truck was too small to
warrant it, and broke a stud).


BTH

wrote:
Michael Warner wrote:
On 20 Nov 2006 22:13:16 +0200, Moike wrote:

Given the confusion they cause, is there any rational reason for
having a left
hand thread on left side pedals?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_pedal

See second paragraph.

--
Home page: http://members.westnet.com.au/mvw

Fascinating. Thank you. It's been worrying me for a while.

Moike

Do you believe me now? ;-)


BTH

wrote:
Michael Warner wrote:
On 20 Nov 2006 22:13:16 +0200, Moike wrote:

Given the confusion they cause, is there any rational reason for
having a left hand thread on left side pedals?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_pedal

See second paragraph.

Fascinating. Thank you. It's been worrying me for a while.

I don't know if they still do, but Yankee cars had left hand wheel nuts on
one side of the car and right hand thread on the other. No good reason
really. With knock-offs, as in older British sports cars, it was imperative.

Theo