I dropped my bike a while back and while the R&Gs saved me from major cost, the footbrake pedal took a lot of the weight and is now bent in towards the frame.
What’s the best way to gently bend it back into shape without snapping it or straining the pivot?
Be carefull bending it back as it`s only alloy it will crack and then snap. How far bent is it, do you have a picture.
Spose it the same for most…remove it, put some soft jaws/rag/card on the the vice jaws (if you have one) clamp the pivot end, find a tube/extension bar that fits over the pedal/lever apply gentle heat to the bent area and slowly apply pressure to the pedal/lever untill its at the point you think it should be. dont try and put too much heat on the pedal/lever and just take your time. Works for me! good luck:)
Better buy a new one.
Or wot he said 
It will no doubt be cast aluminium and should be annealed before you try to bend it back into shape. This is because the alloy has work hardened by the initial prang and may crack if not annealed.
Wipe washing up liquid on the area you will be heating up. Play a flame on the area until the soap goes black and let it cool down naturally.
Then bend back into shape with a length of scaffold tube or similar
Done!
It’s only a rear brake pedal, different if it were a front brake lever!Heat it, bend it back with the aid of a vice and a big pair of pliers!
One day you will need all the braking you can get, and that will be the day it snaps.
was the actual long bit str8 b4? reason for asking is place it in a bench vice and close it thus staightening.
Not if its annealed it wont:)
That’s why it needs to be done properly, or not at all.
if its the rear brake pedal and you’re pressing on it with sufficient force that you can snap it (even in a weakened condition) that will be the least of your problems…grab a handfull of the front brake on a modern bike, and you’ll be lucky if the rear tyre is doing much at all to slow you down, and will prob not even touching the tarmac
