threeoneseven

i just bought a new frame to build up a race rig, and am beginning to gather parts. i was wondering your thoughts on using a set of fsa gossamer cranks i have in my parts bin (~100 miles on it), replacing the rings and possibly b.b. vs. buying a new ultegra sl set.

the weights are similar - taken off weight weenies:
ultegra sl with sl b.b. - 811g
gossamer with ceramic b.b. and super rings - ~860g

i could save around $150 with the fsa with the prices i can get. but i have read nothing but negatives about fsa b.b. and their longevity.

i have never used gossamers but i thought i remember hearing they are pretty stiff and were used by csc's Fabian Cancellara last year? thanks for any insight.

JBS103

In my opinion, the gossamer cranks are probably FSA's most durable crank, and for the price you can get them, a pretty good buy. I was running a compact gossamer with an FSA bottom bracket and had no problems at all. I've since replaced it as I went for a standard double set up.

Although with FSA, experiences vary moreso than any other company.

agilis

I went with a SRAM Force compact crankset to go with my dura-ace groupo. So far I love it. shifts great... and now that RED is out... you can usually find one pretty cheap on eBay with BB.

nitropowered

The gossamer is a nice cheap crank, but not cheap on quality. My gossamer cross crank (46/36 rings 110bcd) weighed in less than a Shimano 105 crank. Though it might not be a fair comparison since the 105 is a standard 53/39.

Just always keep an eye on the torque on the crank arm pinch bolts. I've had my crank arm almost fall off while riding before.

botto 

i prefer shimano. ymmv.