How to: Wolf Tooth Clipless Pedal Q factor adjustment

Q factor is quickly becoming a key topic in bike fit, with many riders switching between road, gravel and MTB setups, all of which will have different Q factors that will influence your performance. Most pedal designs lock you into one Q factor, but Wolf Tooth’s clipless pedal design allows you to personalise the fit to match your preferences and riding style.

What is Q factor and why does it matter?
How to adjust Q factor on Wolf Tooth Ctrl, Alt and DEL pedals

What is Q factor and why does it matter?

So, what is Q factor and why does it matter? Q factor is the lateral distance between your pedals, with the measurement taken from the outside of one crank arm to the outside of the other. Put simply, it is how wide your stance is on the pedals.

Too close together, and your knees may track inward; too far apart, and you risk pedalling like John Wayne as your knees bend outwards. A perfect setup means improved performance and bike fit.

Most pedals lock you into one axle length that will affect Q factor – 55mm being the most common. Wolf Tooth gives three options as standard, 51, 55 and 59mm. An optional 2mm spacer kit is available to really dial in the fit, should you need it.

Q factor bearing and spacer configuration

How to adjust Q factor on Wolf Tooth Ctrl, Alt and DEL pedals

A key design feature of the pedals was to make this Q factor adjustment as simple and user-friendly as possible, so simple, in fact, that you can do it in just a few minutes with the pedal left on the bike. Let’s walk you through how to do it.

Watch the video

Tools Needed

8mm hex key
6mm hex key
3mm hex key
Torque wrench with 3mm and 6mm hex bits
Grease

Step 1

First, hold the pedal body and, with a 6mm hex key, remove the black end cap.

Step 2

Next, you’ll need the 3mm hex key. If you are taking the pedal apart off the bike, grab the 8mm hex key too. With the 8mm hex key in the threaded axle end, unscrew and remove the axle bolt set* that you can see inside the pedal.

*The axle bolt on the right pedal has a knurled head and is left-hand threaded, so you will turn clockwise to loosen it. The axle bolt on the left pedal is right-hand threaded, so you will turn counterclockwise to loosen it.

Step 3

Now you’ll be able to slide the pedal body off the axle.

Step 4

Using the 6mm, gently push the bearings and spacers out from the axle pedal body end (the opposite side to the black end cap end). There are three bearings and two 4mm spacers.

Step 5

Re-install the axle back into the pedal body.

Step 6

Slide the bearings and spacers back into the pedal body with your new Q factor spacing.

Step 7

Re-install the axle bolt.

Step 8

Tighten this, using the torque wrench with 3mm bit, to 5Nm.

Step 9

Re-install the end cap.

Step 10

Using the Torque wrench, tighten to 7Nm.

Step 11

Check the pedal spins smoothly, with no play. Now, go ride!