Looking for a new crankset - advice
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Looking for a new crankset - advice
My main bike is out of use due to a crankset brand Stronglight model Track 2000 of whose both cranks broke with 3 weeks between, at their pedal mounts.
Clearly the quality lacked and I'm now searching for a better crankset.
The bcd of the chainrings mount should be 144, and 107mm with JIS (Shimano type) taper.
I also like to solve chain tension variaton so a well centered crankset / spocer would be an improvement
But the biggest wish is reliability. I don't want broken cranks, and no thread damage due to careful usage of crankpuller.
Ideas, experiences?
Clearly the quality lacked and I'm now searching for a better crankset.
The bcd of the chainrings mount should be 144, and 107mm with JIS (Shimano type) taper.
I also like to solve chain tension variaton so a well centered crankset / spocer would be an improvement
But the biggest wish is reliability. I don't want broken cranks, and no thread damage due to careful usage of crankpuller.
Ideas, experiences?
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Do you have a budget in mind? Also, are you set on using square taper? There are some good cranks out there that use outboard bearing BBs (ie, Andel, SRAM), which are much easier to install, eliminate the spindle length/taper compatibility concerns, and are functionally just as good (if not better) in my experience.
#3
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Do you have a budget in mind? Also, are you set on using square taper? There are some good cranks out there that use outboard bearing BBs (ie, Andel, SRAM), which are much easier to install, eliminate the spindle length/taper compatibility concerns, and are functionally just as good (if not better) in my experience.
I don't understand why so many people insist on having 144bcd cranks and rings for road only use.
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I don't have a budget in mind, I don't want broken cranks / misery along the road that's all.
I also don't insist on square taper - it was the choice of the producer/dealer of the bike.
The bike is a travel bike, a Dutch brand "Santos", model "TravelMaster3+" customized to fixed gear by them.
The bottom bracket has an eccentric to tension the chain. Does that limit choices (square taper, ...) in any way?
I also don't insist on square taper - it was the choice of the producer/dealer of the bike.
The bike is a travel bike, a Dutch brand "Santos", model "TravelMaster3+" customized to fixed gear by them.
The bottom bracket has an eccentric to tension the chain. Does that limit choices (square taper, ...) in any way?
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Did you file a warranty claim? That shouldn't happen with new cranks.
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I don't have a budget in mind, I don't want broken cranks / misery along the road that's all.
I also don't insist on square taper - it was the choice of the producer/dealer of the bike.
The bike is a travel bike, a Dutch brand "Santos", model "TravelMaster3+" customized to fixed gear by them.
The bottom bracket has an eccentric to tension the chain. Does that limit choices (square taper, ...) in any way?
I also don't insist on square taper - it was the choice of the producer/dealer of the bike.
The bike is a travel bike, a Dutch brand "Santos", model "TravelMaster3+" customized to fixed gear by them.
The bottom bracket has an eccentric to tension the chain. Does that limit choices (square taper, ...) in any way?
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Het te vervangen Stronglight Track 2000 chainset is volgens de specificaties ervan voor 107 mm JIS taper
Is deze dan een optie:
Miche Primato Pista Advanced Track Cranks - 144 BCD
New for 2008 the Primato Advantage cranks have the track standard 144 BCD for better rigidity and interchangability. A significant improvement of the new cranks is that they now use chainring nuts and bolts rather than having threads cut in the alloy crank spider.
Is deze dan een optie:
Miche Primato Pista Advanced Track Cranks - 144 BCD
New for 2008 the Primato Advantage cranks have the track standard 144 BCD for better rigidity and interchangability. A significant improvement of the new cranks is that they now use chainring nuts and bolts rather than having threads cut in the alloy crank spider.
- Forged light alloy
- 144 BCD - chainring must be purchased separately
- Satin anodised finish
- Supplied with chainring bolts
- Track chainring must be purchased separately, sizes 46T through to 52T are in stock in Miche.
- Requires ISO square taper BB with 107mm axle.
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The to-be-replaced chainset Stronglight Track 2000 chainset specifies 107 mm JIS taper
This is a potential replacement, but ISO:
On another selling place the set is specified as CNC machined.
Just 1 try
In meantime I found another Miche:
This is JIS, so matches the current axle.
Longest length is 170 though. Same as now and I wanted option to return to 175 like on my previous bikes.
This is a potential replacement, but ISO:
Miche Primato Pista Advanced Track Cranks - 144 BCD
New for 2008 the Primato Advantage cranks have the track standard 144 BCD for better rigidity and interchangability. A significant improvement of the new cranks is that they now use chainring nuts and bolts rather than having threads cut in the alloy crank spider.
New for 2008 the Primato Advantage cranks have the track standard 144 BCD for better rigidity and interchangability. A significant improvement of the new cranks is that they now use chainring nuts and bolts rather than having threads cut in the alloy crank spider.
- Forged light alloy
- 144 BCD - chainring must be purchased separately
- Satin anodised finish
- Supplied with chainring bolts
- Track chainring must be purchased separately, sizes 46T through to 52T are in stock in Miche.
- Requires ISO square taper BB with 107mm axle.
Just 1 try
In meantime I found another Miche:
Miche Primato Advanced Track Cranks - Black
- Primato Advanced cranks have the track standard 144 BCD for better rigidity and interchangability. A significant improvement of the new cranks is that they now use chainring nuts and bolts rather than having threads cut in the alloy crank spider.
- Forged light alloy.
- 144 BCD - chainring must be purchased separately.
- Black anodised finish.
- Supplied with chainring bolts and crank bolts.
- Track chainring must be purchased separately, sizes 46T through to 52T are in stock in Miche.
- JIS Square Taper Standard
Longest length is 170 though. Same as now and I wanted option to return to 175 like on my previous bikes.
Last edited by Novalite; 11-06-19 at 04:20 PM.
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Another thing I discovered this evening that there is such thing as "steel pedal insert". Since my cranks broke at their pedal mount, I assume such inserts could save the day?
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If it was a pedal eye failure, I'd look to getting a top-quality forged (not "melt-forged," aka "cast") and not CNC-machined crank. Expect to spend a fair amount.
N.B. if it was a new crank that failed, have you pursued warranty replacement, as others have suggested?
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Steel pedal inserts are intended to repair stripped threads; they don't make the pedal eye itself any stronger, if that was the nature of your failure.
If it was a pedal eye failure, I'd look to getting a top-quality forged (not "melt-forged," aka "cast") and not CNC-machined crank. Expect to spend a fair amount.
N.B. if it was a new crank that failed, have you pursued warranty replacement, as others have suggested?
If it was a pedal eye failure, I'd look to getting a top-quality forged (not "melt-forged," aka "cast") and not CNC-machined crank. Expect to spend a fair amount.
N.B. if it was a new crank that failed, have you pursued warranty replacement, as others have suggested?
The current (French brand "Stronglight / stronglight-track-2000-chainset ) specifies "hot-forged aluminium"
The cranks have been mounted 2 years and its weird both cranks fail with just a few weeks inbetween.
My application / the bike is fixed gear, used for home work shops with heavy loads (bike used for everything), riders weight is abit over 80 kg, default luggage weight is 10 kg (so a situation with no "real" luggage, just what I have always with me).
So a common situation is me riding up bridges with all that weight.
This to explain my point of view. I've lost trust in aluminium thread, so I wish to have crucial bike parts in steel, with the exception of the chainring, since one can hardly keep that entirely oiled to prevent rust and salt problems.
I so far didnt pursue warranty replacement. I also don't want a replacement with the same, that would be just a ticket to future same story, and I might be not that lucky as I've been now (way home, just 3 and 5 km away, and no accidents as result)
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Ok. I'm currently trying to identify parts.
Remember, I know nothing about the bottom bracket, and am now starting learning.
The older bike I'm now using, has cranks that are mounted along two allen key-head bolts opposed to eachother, and the cross section seen from the side looks splined with 8 ridges. After searching, I think the term for it is "Octalink", and it has two versions that differ on the length of the ridges. And "ISIS".
The big benefit I see is that it gets rid of the square taper problem of deformation every remounting. Mounting / unmounting is pretty similar to screwing in/out a bolt. Done with having to use lotsa force to get it off.
I don't know if the frame of the new bike (with the broken cranks) is compatibel.
Will have to ask.
Remember, I know nothing about the bottom bracket, and am now starting learning.
The older bike I'm now using, has cranks that are mounted along two allen key-head bolts opposed to eachother, and the cross section seen from the side looks splined with 8 ridges. After searching, I think the term for it is "Octalink", and it has two versions that differ on the length of the ridges. And "ISIS".
The big benefit I see is that it gets rid of the square taper problem of deformation every remounting. Mounting / unmounting is pretty similar to screwing in/out a bolt. Done with having to use lotsa force to get it off.
I don't know if the frame of the new bike (with the broken cranks) is compatibel.
Will have to ask.
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What I'm searching for should have these specifications:
- a bottom bracket - splined system alike Octalink (it has proved itself on my previous bike - preferrably v2 instead of older v1, assuming better?) and I wanna get rid of the current square taper of whose I suspect being the cause of my chain tension variation problem.
- a corresponding crankset with chainring mount bcd 144 mm (I have been informed that the latter is not produced/available - (still) true?
- It has to realize a chainline of 57 mm so axle length accordingly.
I found Shimano Dura Ace Track FC7710, bcd is 144 mm
The bottom bracket for it is BB-7710 for frame thread BSA, case width 68 mm, axle length 109.5 profile Octalink.
I don't know if longer axles (could be needed for the 57 mm chainline) are available.
- a bottom bracket - splined system alike Octalink (it has proved itself on my previous bike - preferrably v2 instead of older v1, assuming better?) and I wanna get rid of the current square taper of whose I suspect being the cause of my chain tension variation problem.
- a corresponding crankset with chainring mount bcd 144 mm (I have been informed that the latter is not produced/available - (still) true?
- It has to realize a chainline of 57 mm so axle length accordingly.
I found Shimano Dura Ace Track FC7710, bcd is 144 mm
The bottom bracket for it is BB-7710 for frame thread BSA, case width 68 mm, axle length 109.5 profile Octalink.
I don't know if longer axles (could be needed for the 57 mm chainline) are available.
Last edited by Novalite; 11-10-19 at 04:46 AM.
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Does that pose a problem somehow?
Would the adjustment allen key insert become unreachable?
Please explain.
I have to make decisions on the short term.
Octalink axle/bb should be possible according to the lbs.
But > 130 bcd mounts wouldn't be available.
A 130 choice would render my stock 144 rings useless.
If it has to be this way, so be it, it's just a pity. Maybe I can try to sell them but few ppl ride fixed so it may be hard.
You could say stupid to stock them but I really didn't expect crank breaks on the expensive bike.
It's not normal that cranks break at their pedal mounts - they should have undergone stress and the only origin I can think of is flexing due to the combination of bottom bracket located parts. The chain tension variation likely has the same origin. Hence my wish to get rid of the square taper and go to Octalink, that brings the bearings closer to the cranks/pedals.
So what did I miss, related to eccentric?
Would the adjustment allen key insert become unreachable?
Please explain.
I have to make decisions on the short term.
Octalink axle/bb should be possible according to the lbs.
But > 130 bcd mounts wouldn't be available.
A 130 choice would render my stock 144 rings useless.
If it has to be this way, so be it, it's just a pity. Maybe I can try to sell them but few ppl ride fixed so it may be hard.
You could say stupid to stock them but I really didn't expect crank breaks on the expensive bike.
It's not normal that cranks break at their pedal mounts - they should have undergone stress and the only origin I can think of is flexing due to the combination of bottom bracket located parts. The chain tension variation likely has the same origin. Hence my wish to get rid of the square taper and go to Octalink, that brings the bearings closer to the cranks/pedals.
So what did I miss, related to eccentric?
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New crankset (should be Octalink but can't verify without taking off caps) is mounted.
Still a chain tension variation, but quite different.
Due to requirement related to Octalink availability had to change chainring bcd 144 to 130 and order>mount a new chainring, which introduces an extra variable / cause in the judgement.
Before, the chains tension varied gradually across 1 rotation from 1 min to 1 max.
After, now, the chains tension stays the same except for a very narrow (few links) range within that 1 rotation.
A very sudden tightness followed by a very sudden back lose/normal.
Hard to find an explanation for this. It points to the chain itself but its once per crank rotation which would exclude particular chain links as cause.
Still a chain tension variation, but quite different.
Due to requirement related to Octalink availability had to change chainring bcd 144 to 130 and order>mount a new chainring, which introduces an extra variable / cause in the judgement.
Before, the chains tension varied gradually across 1 rotation from 1 min to 1 max.
After, now, the chains tension stays the same except for a very narrow (few links) range within that 1 rotation.
A very sudden tightness followed by a very sudden back lose/normal.
Hard to find an explanation for this. It points to the chain itself but its once per crank rotation which would exclude particular chain links as cause.
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maybe miche primato?
A lot people i know use this and they said its good
I actually use stronglight crank too, the Speedlight messenger 48t, always use in on hard ride but still no problem with it
A lot people i know use this and they said its good
I actually use stronglight crank too, the Speedlight messenger 48t, always use in on hard ride but still no problem with it
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I've had pretty bad experiences with square taper cranks.
Then again, I've never owned very high quality ones, and vuelta pistas never seemed to give me a problem.
I currently own outboard bearings with a spline design on my current bike, and they are amazing.
I've also had a lot of experience with splined designs on BMX bikes.
IMO splined designs are far superior, because you do not need to pay much mind to the very specific torque requirements that most square tapers have.
They are designed to go on with a certain torque, so that they sort of form themselves to the taper. Too much torque, and you risk flaring the crank arm hole.
Too little torque, and you risk having a loose crank arm hole, which again, will flare the hole.
That should immediately tell you that they are not designed to come on and off the bike very often, but have you ever had a situation where you took your cranks off of your bike often?
Like you said, if budget is not an issue, and you want absolute reliability, and a "set it and forget it" kind of option that is also modular, then go with a splined spindle design, with outboard bearings.
You should be able to get a pretty decent set for $150 (Maybe something like an essor aerodash), and a GREAT set (like omniums) for $200.
They will be useful on several bikes, and you will have great resale value, and they w as they are a great niche product that anyone that's into this stuff will buy at the right price. (You can easily sell a set of omniums for $130-150).
Items like that are also in high demand, so you can probably expect to wait a couple of weeks tops before they are gone.
The difference JIS and ISO standards are the taper, length of spindle, and width of spindle.
Depending on the crank arm, they are SOMETIMES interchangeable, but I wouldn't risk it.
Anyways, as you can see, the main issues are compatibility with crank arms and spacing.
That means that if you go with an outboard splined design, you will only have to worry about spacing, and making sure that your chainline is correctly lined up.
Most track cranks have the same BCD, but on the same token, many track cranks come with chainrings.
Again, if money is not an issue, a new chainring is not a bad idea, especially if it's stiff, round, and made of high quality aluminum.
You might have a nicer smoother more responsive drivetrain if you change out your chainring and if your old one is soft and old.
So as long as you pay attention to spacing, you should be fine.
Then again, I've never owned very high quality ones, and vuelta pistas never seemed to give me a problem.
I currently own outboard bearings with a spline design on my current bike, and they are amazing.
I've also had a lot of experience with splined designs on BMX bikes.
IMO splined designs are far superior, because you do not need to pay much mind to the very specific torque requirements that most square tapers have.
They are designed to go on with a certain torque, so that they sort of form themselves to the taper. Too much torque, and you risk flaring the crank arm hole.
Too little torque, and you risk having a loose crank arm hole, which again, will flare the hole.
That should immediately tell you that they are not designed to come on and off the bike very often, but have you ever had a situation where you took your cranks off of your bike often?
Like you said, if budget is not an issue, and you want absolute reliability, and a "set it and forget it" kind of option that is also modular, then go with a splined spindle design, with outboard bearings.
You should be able to get a pretty decent set for $150 (Maybe something like an essor aerodash), and a GREAT set (like omniums) for $200.
They will be useful on several bikes, and you will have great resale value, and they w as they are a great niche product that anyone that's into this stuff will buy at the right price. (You can easily sell a set of omniums for $130-150).
Items like that are also in high demand, so you can probably expect to wait a couple of weeks tops before they are gone.
The difference JIS and ISO standards are the taper, length of spindle, and width of spindle.
Depending on the crank arm, they are SOMETIMES interchangeable, but I wouldn't risk it.
Anyways, as you can see, the main issues are compatibility with crank arms and spacing.
That means that if you go with an outboard splined design, you will only have to worry about spacing, and making sure that your chainline is correctly lined up.
Most track cranks have the same BCD, but on the same token, many track cranks come with chainrings.
Again, if money is not an issue, a new chainring is not a bad idea, especially if it's stiff, round, and made of high quality aluminum.
You might have a nicer smoother more responsive drivetrain if you change out your chainring and if your old one is soft and old.
So as long as you pay attention to spacing, you should be fine.
#21
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It's now a year ago that I started to specifically search for a well-centered crankset (alike on my previous 2 singlespeeds>later on>fixed gears.
As said, the octalink crankset showed the same problem, about equally worse tension variation (2 cm).
So a square taper - taper tolerance/bias (was also a possible scenario) became alot less likely with this octalink same story.
Now, so far I was asking around in the singlespeed/fixed gear section.
But recently I came on the thought that ppl with external gears / derailers should also be able to notice how well centered their crankset is.
Because, if not well, their derailer should move forward/backward during crank rotation.
So if I could get some experiences on this, I would be able to gather a list good/bad crankset producers/models, that I could pick one out for a next attempt (yet another crankset trial).
Because I want to get this solved. My drivetrain is most of the time creaking ticking / making noise, sometimes I can temporarly make it less worse by moving the chain over the chainring, but a week later the crap is back, gradually getting (once again) worser.
So anyone that is willing to take a look, and does NOT see the derailer cycling forth and back during crank rotation, must have a well centered chainset, and the brand / model being a tryout option for me.
As said, the octalink crankset showed the same problem, about equally worse tension variation (2 cm).
So a square taper - taper tolerance/bias (was also a possible scenario) became alot less likely with this octalink same story.
Now, so far I was asking around in the singlespeed/fixed gear section.
But recently I came on the thought that ppl with external gears / derailers should also be able to notice how well centered their crankset is.
Because, if not well, their derailer should move forward/backward during crank rotation.
So if I could get some experiences on this, I would be able to gather a list good/bad crankset producers/models, that I could pick one out for a next attempt (yet another crankset trial).
Because I want to get this solved. My drivetrain is most of the time creaking ticking / making noise, sometimes I can temporarly make it less worse by moving the chain over the chainring, but a week later the crap is back, gradually getting (once again) worser.
So anyone that is willing to take a look, and does NOT see the derailer cycling forth and back during crank rotation, must have a well centered chainset, and the brand / model being a tryout option for me.
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I've had pretty bad experiences with square taper cranks.
Then again, I've never owned very high quality ones, and vuelta pistas never seemed to give me a problem.
I currently own outboard bearings with a spline design on my current bike, and they are amazing.
I've also had a lot of experience with splined designs on BMX bikes.
IMO splined designs are far superior, because you do not need to pay much mind to the very specific torque requirements that most square tapers have.
They are designed to go on with a certain torque, so that they sort of form themselves to the taper. Too much torque, and you risk flaring the crank arm hole.
Too little torque, and you risk having a loose crank arm hole, which again, will flare the hole.
That should immediately tell you that they are not designed to come on and off the bike very often, but have you ever had a situation where you took your cranks off of your bike often?
Like you said, if budget is not an issue, and you want absolute reliability, and a "set it and forget it" kind of option that is also modular, then go with a splined spindle design, with outboard bearings.
You should be able to get a pretty decent set for $150 (Maybe something like an essor aerodash), and a GREAT set (like omniums) for $200.
They will be useful on several bikes, and you will have great resale value, and they w as they are a great niche product that anyone that's into this stuff will buy at the right price. (You can easily sell a set of omniums for $130-150).
Items like that are also in high demand, so you can probably expect to wait a couple of weeks tops before they are gone.
The difference JIS and ISO standards are the taper, length of spindle, and width of spindle.
Depending on the crank arm, they are SOMETIMES interchangeable, but I wouldn't risk it.
Anyways, as you can see, the main issues are compatibility with crank arms and spacing.
That means that if you go with an outboard splined design, you will only have to worry about spacing, and making sure that your chainline is correctly lined up.
Most track cranks have the same BCD, but on the same token, many track cranks come with chainrings.
Again, if money is not an issue, a new chainring is not a bad idea, especially if it's stiff, round, and made of high quality aluminum.
You might have a nicer smoother more responsive drivetrain if you change out your chainring and if your old one is soft and old.
So as long as you pay attention to spacing, you should be fine.
Then again, I've never owned very high quality ones, and vuelta pistas never seemed to give me a problem.
I currently own outboard bearings with a spline design on my current bike, and they are amazing.
I've also had a lot of experience with splined designs on BMX bikes.
IMO splined designs are far superior, because you do not need to pay much mind to the very specific torque requirements that most square tapers have.
They are designed to go on with a certain torque, so that they sort of form themselves to the taper. Too much torque, and you risk flaring the crank arm hole.
Too little torque, and you risk having a loose crank arm hole, which again, will flare the hole.
That should immediately tell you that they are not designed to come on and off the bike very often, but have you ever had a situation where you took your cranks off of your bike often?
Like you said, if budget is not an issue, and you want absolute reliability, and a "set it and forget it" kind of option that is also modular, then go with a splined spindle design, with outboard bearings.
You should be able to get a pretty decent set for $150 (Maybe something like an essor aerodash), and a GREAT set (like omniums) for $200.
They will be useful on several bikes, and you will have great resale value, and they w as they are a great niche product that anyone that's into this stuff will buy at the right price. (You can easily sell a set of omniums for $130-150).
Items like that are also in high demand, so you can probably expect to wait a couple of weeks tops before they are gone.
The difference JIS and ISO standards are the taper, length of spindle, and width of spindle.
Depending on the crank arm, they are SOMETIMES interchangeable, but I wouldn't risk it.
Anyways, as you can see, the main issues are compatibility with crank arms and spacing.
That means that if you go with an outboard splined design, you will only have to worry about spacing, and making sure that your chainline is correctly lined up.
Most track cranks have the same BCD, but on the same token, many track cranks come with chainrings.
Again, if money is not an issue, a new chainring is not a bad idea, especially if it's stiff, round, and made of high quality aluminum.
You might have a nicer smoother more responsive drivetrain if you change out your chainring and if your old one is soft and old.
So as long as you pay attention to spacing, you should be fine.
Only that quite some people out there are negative about Octalink.
I dont understand something about it, a criticism I've read is that they are very critical on good installation, high torqued. If not done, the connection would have some play, which would increasingly worsen with nothing to do about it (that's a benefit of the taper of square taper - it allows to compensate for play).
But what exactly should be tensioned that hard? In the end it's just two surfaces mating eachother when pressing together, so purely a matter of making sure the splines cover eachother completely. There is no post further tensioning alike square taper.
Or what do I overlook, what is wrong in what I said?