A regular 15mm open-end wrench can technically remove a pedal, but the jaws are usually too thick to seat fully on the narrow wrench flats most pedals use, and the short handle doesn't give you the leverage to break a pedal that's been torqued to spec and ridden for a season. Park Tool's PW-5 Home Mechanic Pedal Wrench solves both problems with a purpose-built 15mm opening machined thin enough to engage pedal flats securely and a handle long enough to actually generate the force you need.

The PW-5 is built from heat-treated spring steel, which gives the jaws enough hardness to resist spreading under load while the handle retains some flex so it won't snap under heavy torque. At 11.5" (29cm) long, it sits between a stubby adjustable wrench and the full-length shop wrenches like the PW-3 or PW-4. That length is intentional. You get enough leverage to unseat stubborn pedals without the wrench being too long to fit in a travel tool roll or saddle bag. The handle is vinyl dipped, so it won't slip in greasy hands the way bare steel does.

If you're packing a bike for air travel or shipping, this is the wrench that goes in the box with it. You pull the pedals before the bike goes in, toss the PW-5 in alongside, and reinstall at your destination. It's also the right tool to keep in a home workshop for routine pedal swaps, seasonal changes, or just making sure new pedals are properly torqued. Remember that right pedals thread on clockwise and left pedals thread on counterclockwise, and always grease the threads before installation.... Read More