MKS Sylvan touring pedals

[Christopher Lycett]

What size are the ball bearings for these?

[mercalia]

why?

[colin54]

5/32'' diameter, according to this previous thread.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=121882&start=15

[Brucey]

5/32" is correct for a sylvan touring, unless it is a 'next' model.

MKS pedals use three main types of bearing;

- 5/32" balls in cup and cone bearings; pedal spindle has two flats and no full shoulder where it bears against the crank. Normally a screw-in dustcap is used.
- 1/8" balls in cup and cone bearings; pedal spindle has a hexagonal drive and a full shoulder. Normally a push-in dustcap is used.
- cartridge bearings; pedal spindle usually (but not always) has a hexagonal drive

The third type includes most of the recent EZY models and 'next' models. These pedals are usually considerably more expensive than pedals using cup and cone bearings. [BITD SunTour pedals were often rebadged MKS; thus a thirty year old set of Superbe Pro pedals uses similar cartridge bearings to current MKS pedals.]

This is the layout for a typical MKS pedal using 1/8" balls





above you can see 11 x 5/32" balls in the upper pedal and 12 x 1/8" balls in the lower one. Both are MKS pedals, the upper being a sylvan touring.

5/32" balls were the most common size used in pedals for many years and this gives (once they are run-in) the strongest, smoothest and longest lasting pedal bearings in the long run. Needless to say Campagnolo Nuovo Record pedals used 5/32" ball bearings. MKS Sylvan are not as good as Campag of course but they are head and shoulders above most other pedals.

cheers

[Christopher Lycett]

Thanks Brucey, pedal service long, long overdue so wanted to get new bearings before I stripped them down. Got away with it - bearings worn but tracks OK! Cleaned & re-greased and sweet. Says something about the quality of these MKS pedals especially considering the price.