You have to grease them each time and make sure they never go in cock-eyed.

LBS may be able rethread the cranks, call ahead. Only a good shop will know how to do it and it is 50/50

I would guess most shops have pedal thread taps on hand to clean up cross-threaded cranks.

Worst case you can buy a set online yourself: https://www.parktool.com/...pedal-tap-9-16-tap-6

I thought the same thing happened to me, so I took it up to my LBS to rethread. They said it didn't need it.

Turns out on my road bike, I have to get the peddle in the crank just perfect, it sometimes takes me several tries, but I eventually get it. On the try bike it seems to go in just fine, different crank though. If you are sure it's the threading, have your LBS look at it, but try playing with the peddles position in the crank first.

Thanks for the help guys. Sounds like there is hope :-)

---

CB
Physical Therapist/Endurance Coach
http://www.cadencept.net

Anytime I'm screwing something into my bike, I always go by hand first until it needs to be torqued. Or if I use a tool, I use something without any torque. So the long end of an allen key, or just an allen socket (without the ratchet). Once it's on hand tight, only then will I use something that can apply torque.

Lots of expensive parts on a bike that can easily be made useless by stripping threads. And not all of them you can just go down to your LBS to have replaced same day even if you did have the money.

I bought a new crankset for one bike because the arms were stripped, was not a new bike. Since I’ve done that I’ve had zero issue swapping between two bikes and i don’t grease every time. I’m just careful that I don’t cross thread it before tightening.

The other thing I've noticed, if it's difficult to turn the allen wrench, it's not in right. I know it's in correctly when the wrench turns relatively easily. I learned not to force it, but reposition until it goes smoothly.