12strings

My bike came with an FSA Vero triple crankset and a "sealed cartridge bottom bracket" (obviously not a specific designation). It has square taper shafts coming out of it.

I'm looking for a compatible, yet stiffer/better crankset.

1. Any suggestions? Im open to Double or triple...I know going double will mean additional changes.

2. Does a cheap bottom bracket also contribute to flex? So should I replace both?

3. Any place I can look to see if all FSA cranks fit the same bb?

fietsbob

Info .. Is frame BB shell threaded ?


Bike shop.

dsbrantjr

The BB shell type will determine (threaded, pressfit, size) will determine which crankset families you can search among. Figure out what crankset you want and then get the BB it requires. Trying to find a crankset compatible with an existing BB is letting the tail wag the dog.

HillRider

Most bottom brackets, even square taper, are quite stiff. Are you sure the flex isn't due to the frame, not the crank or bottom bracket?

12strings

I dint know this either....

JohnDThompson 

Some pictures would be quite helpful at this point.

svgeek

You probably have the English thread bottom bracket shell. Wifey had a bike with a Vero triple crankset and similar bottom bracket.

Upgrades will include SRAM or FSA cranksets with their respective bottom brackets (GXP for SRAM and MegaEXo for FSA). Shimano bottom brackets will fit as well and from my personal experience, you can upgrade all the way up to Ultegra-level cranksets. I don't know about Dura Ace.

You'll also have to accumulate misc tools to remove the current crankset/bottom bracket and install the new bottom bracket and crankset.

Slash5

I'm not aware of square taper bottom brackets are available in anything but threaded and I would assume BSA - unlikely to be Italian.
You can use any of the common threaded BB's and cranks out there - Shimano, SRAM GXP and FSA Megaexo.

Homebrew01

Your triple bb axle is longer than a double, so you can probably use a JIS (non Campagnolo) type double crank with your bb.
No reason to replace the bb if it works.

12strings

HERE IS A PICTURE!


And some xtra info:

1. I am sure that my frame has some flex, since it is a standard, smooth-riding Reynolds 520 steel frame. I like it a lot. I can cruise at 20+mph in a paceline, I can climb hills fairly well with it. But most of what I do is based on fairly high cadence. This could be due to they way i've conditioned myself, or also due to percieved lack of willingness from the bike to respond to low-cadence, high-power efforts: Such as:
a. When the group decides to start practicing doing lead-outs for each other, reaching up to 30mph, so the sprinter can jump around the lead out and reach 35mph...I have trouble at those high efforts.
b. On long slight downhills, when everyone is pedalling in their fastest high gear, I feel like I'm pushing the bike to it's limits to use those gears.

2. I don't really know if what i'm describing has anything to do with crank stiffness or not...but If figure if I DO have a flexy frame (A frame that I really like) , why not try to compensate for it elsewhere?

Ronno6

Changing the crankset will probably do nothing to compensate for frame flex.
If anything, if your crank is flexing, changing to a stiffer one would accent the frame's flexing tendency.

You have not mentioned what gearing you are using.
As you have a triple chainring, I would think your large chainring is a 50 tooth ring.
As you feel you are spinning out with your current setup, going with a 53 tooth setup would help.
I have seen 52 tooth rings for 110mm BCD cranks, but cannot guarantee that they would fit your crank.
Should you try that, you would probably need to change the middle ring as well, as chainrings are made
more or less in sets to facilitate shifting.

12strings

To clarify....I do NOT feel like I am spinning out. Rather, I feel like Something in the system does not want to be pushed to that speed/power level. (Now, this could be the frame, the drivetrain, or perhaps just my wimpy legs). But for whatever reason...my bike/rider system would much rather climb a steep hill than try to maintain 30mph on a slight downhill pedalling big gears. So it's really the opposite: Even with a 50/11 combo, I ususally feel like that gear is too big to be any use...ie, to hard to pedal...innefficient.

It's not really a big deal, since that's a very small percentage of my riding...I generally stay in the middle ring most of the time. But I was reminded of it on our last group ride when the fast guys started their lead-out practice on a flat stretch...I just couldn't hang on with them once they reached close to 29-30mph, not even for 30 seconds! (Of course, I caught up with them quickly because they had just gassed themselves, and I hadn't, so they slowed back to sub-20mph speeds pretty quick) Perhaps I just need to suffer a bit more to hang with them.
:-) but I'm trying to see if any other changes are warranted.

squirtdad

what is the bike? road, hybrid, etc

andr0id

That's going to be a standard English bottom bracket.

1) Pick any crank that has a 68mm English BB available for it.
2) Buy the crank and the BB the mfg intends for you to use with it.
3) Remove the existing crank and BB and sell them on CL.
4) Install the new BB and crank.
5) Realize that you've just spent a lot of money and did a lot of work to alleviate a crank "flex" problem that doesn't really exist.

12strings

Road bike. 2015 Jamis Quest Comp, the one listed under "my bikes" Mostly Sora Components, but FSA Vero Triple crank.

12strings

Thanks! This is Helpful info.

davidad

Bingo! This is the best answer.

12strings

"Realize that you've just spent a lot of money and did a lot of work to alleviate a crank "flex" problem that doesn't really exist."


Sounds good to me!

I really have no intention of replacing any parts until the drivetrain begins to wear out...So that will be a cassette in 5-10 years, then perhaps a crankset in 20 years. But I was curious what the options were.

SquidPuppet

What the hell????

dr_lha

techsensei

Sean Kelly, one of the most successful racers in the 80's, he rode an aluminum Vitus, one of the least stiff bikes around. Wanna go faster in bigger gears? Training is the answer.

12strings

Surely I'm not the only one who obsessively researches the prices and feasibility of every possible upgrade for their bike, regardless of whether they have any plans or budget to do the upgrade anytime soon???? :-)

ThermionicScott 

I've engaged in a little bit of "future-proofing" to make sure I have replacement parts on hand for my 25+ year old bikes. But who knows, by the time you do get around to those upgrades, even better stuff may be out there, or the upgrade parts you have in mind now may no longer be available.

akulak

I have a nashiki 29er mountain bike that needs the BB and crankset replaced - crank stripped. Any suggestions on what will fit? Thanks.

ShannonM

Since stiffness is not a factor in bicycle performance, increasing the stiffness of your bicycle will not increase your cycling performance.

The idea that flex "wastes pedalling energy" is simply wrong. It doesn't. It's one of the oldest, most pernicious myths in cycling, and it needs to die.

Here endeth the rant.

--Shannon