providencebikes

Hi i have a felt sr91 road bike it has the older style crank and bb i want to up grade to the new shimano claris 2 piece crank i was wondering what it the easiest way to do this ?

Andrew R Stewart 

Go to a bike shop.




Really with only the info supplied we can't say much else. Now if we do some work and discover what "the older style of crank" actually means and then find out what spec BB and such the Shimano Claris is available with we might be able to give more specific advise.


Please remember that the rate of changing design specs is very rapid these days. Not like 40 years ago where a component spec would be "current" for many years and frames were made to only a very few BB styles, very few. Andy

Kontact

The SR91 was made for several years, so no one can guess which year had which specific part. But what you'd need to buy and do:

Measure the width of the BB shell to insure that it is 68mm wide vs the MTB format of 73mm. Claris is normally 68mm.

Buy a wrench for the crank bolts (probably 8mm allen), a wrench for the pedals, crank extractor tool, a wrench large enough tighten the crank tool correctly into the crank arms and the correct spline tool for the BB cups you currently have. That will get the old one out, if you are using a good instruction manual.

Once the old one is out you'll need grease, the Claris BB, the correct BB tool and a socket wrench that fits it, a triple Claris crank that is roughly the same size as your current one and an allen wrench for the crank bolts. After you've mounted the new crank you will likely have to readjust the height, stops and cable tension of your front derailleur.


That's if everything goes well. You'll need several tools that you won't need again after removing the old crank. This is the point where you decide whether the Claris crank is actually an upgrade (nothing really wrong with your current crank), how many tools you want to buy and if you have the aptitude to do this correctly. A bike shop will make sure everything is compatible, will have all the tools necessary and will guarantee everything works.

providencebikes

Ok there is a free community bike shop where i can remove the old crank , i have the 2004 with 68mm bb https://www.bicyclebluebook.com/searchlistingdetail.aspx?id=31777

I was wondering what kind of bb can i put in my bike im lookin at the FC-R2030 Claris triple chainset, 8-speed.

But maybe you could recommend an even better cheaper option
This bike is a work commuter its made me more money than it cost so i feel why not give it a few simple upgrades . its flat bar and i thought about going road drop bars but im happy with that aspect of the bike . so i figure for a bike i use every day it could use a effiectly update . the cranks work good but id like to look into a two piece modern crank system and a few youtubers made videos on the updated claris . the crank is around 80 bucks so its a decent choice unless i can find something on craigslist .


I found these options would you be able to reccomend any on rhis list i see a tiagra for under 40 bucks i think tiagra is better than claris ??? https://www.merlincycles.com/chainsets-1-93715/?price=5-101&discipline=road

3alarmer

.
... on a work commuter, as you describe it, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Is a very questionable reason for tossing the current crank and BB in the recycle bin.

Kontact

You would used the Claris HollowtechII BB.


I'm going to second what I already said and what 3alarm said - it sounds like a pointless exercise. The Claris crank isn't going to improve your bike in any way.

fietsbob

this.. unless you are buying all the tools needed to remove the old, used once,

and another set to install the new , then search the web for videos or getting books on bike repair, and educating yourself.

the LBS labor rate for that job will be reasonable ..





.....

AnkleWork

And they want cheap, and they call it an "upgrade."

csport

Probably some road Hollowtech II English threadedBB. Shimano has some compatibility chart, 2017-2018 SHIMANO Product Information Web Some non-Shimano BB's will fit as well.

BTW, the Claris crankset you are referring to is 50-39-30, while yours is 52-42-30. It will give you a slightly different gearing.

Changing to drop bars will change the reach, resulting in a more stretched out fit. You may have to compensate for this by using a shorter stem. It depends on the frame geometry and the current fit. You will also need brifters or bar end shifters + drop bar brake levers for that.

Unless you want to learn wrenching, I would instead save the money for a new bike. As people said, there is nothing wrong with square taper BB. I did GAP and C&O last fall (335 miles in 6 days) on an almost 20 years old Hardrock. No problem

I have done the same thing myself, I converted an hybrid to drops, but later ended up buying a new CX frame and moving the components to it.

providencebikes

im happy with the flat bars , i feel the two piece cranks add more efficiency to the bike less parts to fail i guess maybe its harder to regrease if at all possible , i dont yet i haven't worked with them so far , would the tiagra be better than the claris ???

https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano...ed-107625.html

fietsbob

Dura Ace is the Top of the Heap.

Kontact

I love non-sequiturs, and corn flakes!

csport

The Tiagra you are referring to has "lightweight aluminium chainrings". It will make them more fragile. Also, it is a 10 speed crankset, which means chainring spacing may be slightly smaller. You can probably use shims to correct for that.

What exactly are you trying to regrease? You probably have a sealed cartridge bottom bracket, it needs no regreasing.

How will the new crankset add efficiency?

Many touring bikes (including LHT) use tapered square bottom brackets. These parts should be easier to find in the middle of nowhere. People tour coast to coast on them. People tour around the world on them. I did a 335 miles ride (GAP and C&O) last fall on an old Hardrock which I put M131 crankset (yes, square taper) on. The "problems" with your current crank (in the context of a commuter bike) are nothing but marketing hype.

If you want to burn money or learn wrenching, that is a different story.

I'd rather get the Super Record

Kontact

You don't know what you're talking about, and you shouldn't be handing out advice until you do.

Aluminum chainrings are normal and hold up great.

11 speed spacing is fractionally wider, not narrower, and Claris is 8 speed.


It is perfectly okay to have an contrary opinion, but you are offering contrary facts.

csport

So the OP stated he was looking for something more efficient and durable ("less parts to fail") and asked for a specific advice regarding the linked Tiagra 4600 crankset. It is 10 speed. I stated that it is not more durable since aluminum chainrings are not more durable than steel (rather more fragile). Also, 10 speed crankset spacing is slightly different.
I did not say aluminum chainrings were BAD. They are weaker than steel chainrings of the same profile, at least this is a commonly spread opinion. Many people including me would go with Deore over XT (steel vs aluminum) for the granny (22t) ring. If you are stating the opposite, I think people will be happy to see some proof.
The statement regarding the narrower spacing of the 10s cranksets is common and is even spread by some bike shops; e.g., see this thread: https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-m...g-spacing.html
11 speed has nothing to do with the OP's question and my answer.
Also, where did I say Claris was not 8 speed?
Care to elaborate?

Kontact

The fact that you have to go to a granny gear to find an example of a steel chainring on a nicer bicycle illustrates the fact that aluminum chainrings are the norm and wear well. That's why Deore and Deore XT use aluminum for the middle and outer, always. Aside from small sprockets, steel rings are really just for cheap bikes, and are usually made of thin stock that bends more easily than anodized aluminum rings.

What did you expect the OP to do with your steel chainring advice? Find a middle to high end crank with steel chainrings, even though they don't exist?

The thread you posted are other forumites spouting off "stuff they heard" and not factual information. No one sells a kit to convert 11 to 10 speed spacing or 10 to 9, because there is no functional difference. But that's rather beside the point, because anyone who actually cares enough to bring this stuff up should either be citing a tech manual or their own caliper measurements.


I can understand trying to learn from what you read on a forum, but aping what you hear without any knowledge of your own just reinforces all the baloney that is already being posted.

3alarmer

...you appear to be making some fundamentally wrong assumptions about what you propose as an upgrade.

A two piece crank and the bearings (usually outboard bearings) to support it are probably lighter than what you now have as original equipment. But in terms of overall improvement of your commuter bicycle, it won't be more efficient, nor will you notice any improvement in overall reliability.

A lighter crank might appeal to someone who has racing aspirations, but for the rest of us mere mortals you often give up some durability/reliability in making this bargain. I think most of the two piece crank setups have sealed bearings, which is an improvement. But you can pretty easily install a sealed bearing BB unit in your bike and keep the current crank arms if the bike didn't come with one already.




The only reason I'm taking the time to repeat this advice is because with every mechanical alteration there is some risk you'll get it wrong and cause yourself some grief. It's not rocket science to install a two piece crank and bearing set, but it's an exercise that will produce little net gain. There are better places to spend money on your bike if you feel like you want to do so than replacing a functional crankset with zero issues. On a commuter that often takes a lot of abuse from bad pavement in a major city, that's often the wheels/tyres. But that might not be your situation.

You appear set on the idea, though. So good luck with it.

providencebikes

My crank is def worn i feel the two pice systems i have been on transfer my power better than the tapered systems i have . on my commute bike i need power and efficiency jusy as much as a racer . any watts i can save are the over. All goal to have a happier time on bike

Kontact

It won't. There is no efficiency difference between the different kinds of cranks - especially the lower end ones. But a more aero helmet or different tires will.