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Is this normal for an Ultegra crank?

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Is this normal for an Ultegra crank?

Old 05-30-18, 11:57 AM
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Jiggle
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Is this normal for an Ultegra crank?

Was riding along, felt a shudder as I dialed it up.

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Old 05-30-18, 11:58 AM
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Were the crankbolts not torqued? Or does the break trace to the hollowing of the spider? Trying to see what exactly failed.
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Old 05-30-18, 12:27 PM
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Safe to say that is not normal for any crank. **** happens...
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Old 05-30-18, 12:41 PM
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That'll buff right out.
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Old 05-30-18, 12:48 PM
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I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that is not normal.
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Old 05-30-18, 01:10 PM
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Yes. This isn't the first time I've seen something like this on the internet. I asked a mechanic online about it and he said he's only seen it with Ultegra 6800 and Duraace 9000 cranks. The two parts of the crank are bonded together and it looks like that has failed. You can try to get it fixed under warranty but I don't know if they will replace like with like. If they did I'd be worried that they fixed the problem in manufacturing. Personally I would replace with another crankset that isn't 6800 or 9000.
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Old 05-30-18, 01:22 PM
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I just saw another picture like this, also of an Ultegra crank from 2015, I think.
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Old 05-30-18, 01:36 PM
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I saw some photos like this a few weeks ago. I think the rider was 270lbs, and claimed it happened from JRA.
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Old 05-30-18, 01:44 PM
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This happens way more than one would expect with the 6800 cranks. I've seen 3 in the past few years myself and of the 100 or so people I follow on strava 2 have had theirs do the same thing mid ride.
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Old 05-30-18, 01:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Spoonrobot
This happens way more than one would expect with the 6800 cranks. I've seen 3 in the past few years myself and of the 100 or so people I follow on strava 2 have had theirs do the same thing mid ride.
you had this happen to your crankset?
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Old 05-30-18, 01:49 PM
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Oh sorry, no I work at a shop and people brought their bikes in with broken cranks for warranty/repair.
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Old 05-30-18, 02:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Spoonrobot
Oh sorry, no I work at a shop and people brought their bikes in with broken cranks for warranty/repair.
offhand, do you remember the rider weights?
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Old 05-30-18, 02:17 PM
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I only saw one rider the others were just bikes. He was a normal looking cyclist. Probably 160-170. Guys online are probably the same, I don't know them personally just follow them as we live in the same city.
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Old 05-30-18, 02:41 PM
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@Jiggle, what year is your crank from?
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Old 05-30-18, 03:21 PM
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170lb rider, 2017 model. If it's glued together I can just glue it back, right? What do you think of JB Weld?
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Old 05-30-18, 03:27 PM
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Originally Posted by Jiggle
170lb rider, 2017 model. If it's glued together I can just glue it back, right? What do you think of JB Weld?
If YOU repair it then YOU assume product liability.

Have a authorized Shimano dealer get a warranty replacement and install it.
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Old 05-30-18, 03:48 PM
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Well Shimano obviously can't get it right. JB Weld is an American company, and it has been used to hold engine blocks together. I think it can handle a little bike crankset. Just shooting from the hip here, but I think this plan has a chance.
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Old 05-30-18, 03:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Jiggle
Well Shimano obviously can't get it right. JB Weld is an American company, and it has been used to hold engine blocks together. I think it can handle a little bike crankset. Just shooting from the hip here, but I think this plan has a chance.
...Remember aluminum oxidizes in the air. Your JB weld will not be contacting actual metal, but the oxide surface coating. Presuming following the shear/ripping of your crankset spider you can even get it to mate together nicely enough to attempt this.


Seek official warranty service first....resort to last-ditch duct-tape measures last.
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Old 05-30-18, 03:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Jiggle
Well Shimano obviously can't get it right. JB Weld is an American company, and it has been used to hold engine blocks together. I think it can handle a little bike crankset. Just shooting from the hip here, but I think this plan has a chance.
any mass produced product can fail. I bet Shimano sells millions of Ultegra cranks. how many failures have you heard of?

Yes, JB Weld is a great product, but if you don't apply it correctly or it fails for some other reason, you are at fault.

I'm sure Shimano will replace it, so i guess you lost confidence in their ability to manufacture a defect free product and will never buy any of their products in the future.

Maybe you should look at Sram.
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Old 05-30-18, 03:57 PM
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You dialed it up to 1200w and broke the crank. Kudos! You beast!
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Old 05-30-18, 04:16 PM
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Originally Posted by oldnslow2
any mass produced product can fail. I bet Shimano sells millions of Ultegra cranks. how many failures have you heard of?

Maybe you should look at Sram.
Yes failures happen, and most manufacturers will stand behind their products.


If this failure worries you, do some research into product failures of the big 3 manufacturers.
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Old 05-30-18, 04:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Jiggle
170lb rider, 2017 model. If it's glued together I can just glue it back, right? What do you think of JB Weld?
what do I think? I think you are posting some photos of a product failure you saw posted recently on the webernets.
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Old 05-30-18, 04:26 PM
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Originally Posted by noodle soup
Yes failures happen, and most manufacturers will stand behind their products.


If this failure worries you, do some research into product failures of the big 3 manufacturers.
https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/25/1...stuck-software

Fiat Chrysler recalls nearly 5 million vehicles that could get stuck in cruise control

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Old 05-30-18, 04:57 PM
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I had a Shimano 6800 crank fail at the spider - cracking - and have seen several others. It is either a design flaw, or a manufacturing flaw and they should cover it under warranty.....
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Old 05-30-18, 05:11 PM
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Originally Posted by mcours2006
You dialed it up to 1200w and broke the crank. Kudos! You beast!
This! You better cook up a great story to go along with this picture!
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