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Confused about cranks....

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01 / Original postConfused about cranks....Doesnotcompute · 21 Jul 2003 02 / This pagePosts 1–20Page 1 of 2 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #33Doesnotcompute · 22 Jul 2003

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UK and Europe
Published
21 July 2003
Last activity
22 July 2003
Original author
Doesnotcompute
Posts
33
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Public discussion
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1,823
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Topics
Taper and peakingCranksetsTorque wrenches

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  1. Original post
    Doesnotcompute
    Archived post
    #1

    As you may have read, I think my crank is knackered.

    During the ride yesterday, my LHS pedal came a little loose. At a stop one of the mech's used a
    torque wrench to tighten it back up but warned riding with it slack had probably cause damaged to
    the crank.

    Cest la vie thinks I, nowt I can do about it in the middle of no-where, soldier on and deal with it
    afterwards.

    Sure enough not more than a mile from leaving the mech, the creaking/clicking returned, by the time
    I finished, people were double taking due to the amount of noice coming from my bottom bracket area!

    I haven't stripped it down yet, but what exactly am I looking at and looking to replace? having a
    look on wiggle, it seems that whole chainsets are their option of choice, is it really necessary to
    replace 3 chain rings, arms and spider?

    Pictures would be good as well as descriptions, save me getting confused.

    Any reason I can't do this myself and should give it to the LBS?

    cheers....

    --
    Dnc

    Report
  2. Dave Larrington
    Archived post
    #2
    Doesnotcompute said:

    it seems that whole chainsets are their option of choice, is it really necessary to replace 3
    chain rings, arms and spider?


    [...]

    Quoted message said:

    Any reason I can't do this myself and should give it to the LBS?

    What make / model is it? There are some places which sell cranksets so it /may/ be that you could
    retain the chainrings and save a few sponds. Doing the job is relatively straightforward, though
    you'll need the correct type of crank extractor to separate the thing from the bike.

    Dave Larrington - legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uklegslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk
    ===========================================================
    Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
    bhpc.org.ukbhpc.org.uk
    ===========================================================

    Report
  3. Pete Biggs
    Archived post
    #3
    Doesnotcompute said:

    As you may have read, I think my crank is knackered. During the ride yesterday, my LHS pedal came
    a little loose.

    I'm confused. Do you mean pedal or crank? Riding with a crank loose on the bottom bracket spindle
    will ruin the crank. Loose pedal might but not so likely to.

    Glossary: www.sheldonbrown.com/glossary.html

    Quoted message said:

    I haven't stripped it down yet, but what exactly am I looking at and looking to replace? having a
    look on wiggle, it seems that whole chainsets are their option of choice, is it really necessary
    to replace 3 chain rings, arms and spider?

    Quite possibly. You could get a few quid back by selling the chainrings if they weren't needed by
    advertising them here or on eBay. Not a bad idea to have spare rings and crank though.

    ~PB

    Report
  4. Frank X
    Archived post
    #4

    "Doesnotcompute" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    As you may have read, I think my crank is knackered.

    During the ride yesterday, my LHS pedal came a little loose.

    You mean the crank came loose?

    Quoted message said:

    At a stop one of the mech's used a torque wrench to tighten it back up but warned riding with it
    slack had probably cause damaged to the crank.

    Dunno what type of bike you have, my cranks take an alum key.

    It sounds bad, However you might still get away with it. Tighten the crank again, as hard as you
    can, standing on alum key, whatever etc. But don't strip the thread ;o)

    Then repeat tightening after every ride for a few days, then every week for a few weeks.

    You may get away with it

    Report
  5. Doesnotcompute
    Archived post
    #5
    Dave Larrington said:
    Doesnotcompute said:

    it seems that whole chainsets are their option of choice, is it really necessary to replace 3
    chain rings, arms and spider?

    [...]

    Quoted message said:

    Any reason I can't do this myself and should give it to the LBS?

    What make / model is it? There are some places which sell cranksets so it /may/ be that you could
    retain the chainrings and save a few sponds. Doing the job is relatively straightforward, though
    you'll need the correct type of crank extractor to separate the thing from the bike.

    Durr - sorry, should have said - Gary Fisher Joshua ZO

    Hmm Crank extractor I don't have... LBS it is then.

    --
    Dnc

    Report
  6. Doesnotcompute
    Archived post
    #6
    Pete Biggs said:
    Doesnotcompute said:

    As you may have read, I think my crank is knackered. During the ride yesterday, my LHS pedal came
    a little loose.

    I'm confused. Do you mean pedal or crank?

    How long is a piece of string? I mean the 8mm Hex bolt from the pedal arm into the bottom
    bracket area.

    Quoted message said:

    Riding with a crank loose on the bottom bracket spindle will ruin the crank. Loose pedal might but
    not so likely to.

    Glossary: www.sheldonbrown.com/glossary.html

    Yeah i checked that, but it's not overly useful unless you already know what you're looking for.
    I'll take some photo's tonight, annotate them and post the link here.

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    I haven't stripped it down yet, but what exactly am I looking at and looking to replace? having a
    look on wiggle, it seems that whole chainsets are their option of choice, is it really necessary
    to replace 3 chain rings, arms and spider?

    Quite possibly. You could get a few quid back by selling the chainrings if they weren't needed by
    advertising them here or on eBay. Not a bad idea to have spare rings and crank though.

    Bugger, I wasn't expecting to spending what looks like the best part of a hundred quid 🙁

    --
    Dnc

    Report
  7. Dave Larrington
    Archived post
    #7
    Doesnotcompute said:

    Durr - sorry, should have said - Gary Fisher Joshua ZO

    Hmm Crank extractor I don't have... LBS it is then.

    Durr to me too - I should have asked what make / model is the chainset... FWIW,
    chainreactioncycles.comchainreactioncycles.com have a goodly selection of MTB cranksets which might allow you
    to keep the existing rings. As well as a crank extractor for a tenner:
    chainreactioncycles.comviewproduct.asp 1

    Dave Larrington - legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uklegslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk
    ===========================================================
    Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
    bhpc.org.ukbhpc.org.uk
    ===========================================================

    Report
  8. Doesnotcompute
    Archived post
    #8
    Dave Larrington said:
    Doesnotcompute said:

    Durr - sorry, should have said - Gary Fisher Joshua ZO

    Hmm Crank extractor I don't have... LBS it is then.

    Durr to me too - I should have asked what make / model is the chainset...

    Ahh sorry with you now - and my answer is - dunno. Hopefully there will be some markings when I
    inspect later.

    Of course if it needs a gizmo to remove, then that could scupper that plan too.

    Quoted message said:

    FWIW, chainreactioncycles.comchainreactioncycles.com have a goodly selection of MTB cranksets which might
    allow you to keep the existing rings.

    My word what a minefield! Lots of nice shiny stuff, but I don't actually know what I'm looking to
    replace. I guess what I need is an exploded diagram of the whole area.

    According to Sheldon Browns glossary, the crank is simply the arm between the bottom bracket and the
    pedals. So why can't I just by a new arm (or pair of) to replace the ones I've got? Why do I need a
    new spider and chainrings? As it happens, I've got a knackered tooth on my outer chainrings, so
    maybe it's time to do the whole lot.

    Quoted message said:

    As well as a crank extractor for a tenner:
    chainreactioncycles.comviewproduct.asp 1

    Could be useful - ta.

    --
    Dnc

    Report
  9. Dave Larrington
    Archived post
    #9
    Doesnotcompute said:

    According to Sheldon Browns glossary, the crank is simply the arm between the bottom bracket and
    the pedals. So why can't I just by a new arm (or pair of) to replace the ones I've got? Why do I
    need a new spider and chainrings?

    Way back when, you could - I once had to repace the left crank of a Stronglight 99 after falling on
    black ice and bending it to the extent that it could no longer trace a complete circle, as the
    chainstay prevented it from so doing. St John St Cycles still sell odd cranks from time to time, but
    the chances of their having the one you want are probably slim. This is all part of the Conspiracy
    to make bicycles in bigger and bigger lumps, with labels on them saying "No user-serviceable parts
    inside", grrr, chiz.

    In most cases, FWIW, the spider is integral with the right crank.

    Dave Larrington - legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uklegslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk
    ===========================================================
    Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
    bhpc.org.ukbhpc.org.uk
    ===========================================================

    Report
  10. Doesnotcompute
    Archived post
    #10
    Dave Larrington said:
    Doesnotcompute said:

    According to Sheldon Browns glossary, the crank is simply the arm between the bottom bracket and
    the pedals. So why can't I just by a new arm (or pair of) to replace the ones I've got? Why do I
    need a new spider and chainrings?

    Way back when, you could - I once had to repace the left crank of a Stronglight 99 after falling
    on black ice and bending it to the extent that it could no longer trace a complete circle, as the
    chainstay prevented it from so doing. St John St Cycles still sell odd cranks from time to time,
    but the chances of their having the one you want are probably slim. This is all part of the
    Conspiracy to make bicycles in bigger and bigger lumps, with labels on them saying "No
    user-serviceable parts inside", grrr, chiz.

    In most cases, FWIW, the spider is integral with the right crank.

    And this is my point - It's the left hand side that's causing the grief
    - or at least displaying the symptons - hence I really don't want to replace the whole lot complete
    with chain rings.

    I've just had a horrible thought - is it possible it's not the crank that's worn, but the bottom
    bracket "end" where the crank slides on? Or is it most likely to be the crank itself?

    Thanks for your patience btw 🙂

    --
    Dnc

    Report
  11. W K
    Archived post
    #11

    "Dave Larrington" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:
    Doesnotcompute said:

    According to Sheldon Browns glossary, the crank is simply the arm between the bottom bracket and
    the pedals. So why can't I just by a new arm (or pair of) to replace the ones I've got? Why do I
    need a new spider and chainrings?

    I bought a really cheap shimano SiS type full thing- chainrings, cranks the lot - when I stripped
    the pedal thread on the crank arm. I only changed the RH crank/spider/ring assembly, so this means I
    have a spare LH crank arm (170mm).

    BTW - to others - does the end of the bottom bracket get damaged by this sort of thing, or is it
    only likely to be the crank arm ?

    Quoted message said:

    St John St Cycles still sell odd cranks from time to time, but the chances of their having the one
    you want are probably slim. This


    is

    Quoted message said:

    all part of the Conspiracy to make bicycles in bigger and bigger lumps,


    with

    Quoted message said:

    labels on them saying "No user-serviceable parts inside", grrr, chiz.

    In most cases, FWIW, the spider is integral with the right crank.

    And of course - bottom of the range ones have spider integrated with chainrings too.

    Report
  12. Doesnotcompute
    Archived post
    #12
    Doesnotcompute said:

    I've just had a horrible thought - is it possible it's not the crank that's worn, but the bottom
    bracket "end"

    I think the word I was looking for is "axel" I just couldn't think of it when I needed it... of
    course the minute I hit the send button......

    --
    Dnc

    Report
  13. Richard
    Archived post
    #13
    Doesnotcompute said:

    I've just had a horrible thought - is it possible it's not the crank that's worn, but the bottom
    bracket "end" where the crank slides on? Or is it most likely to be the crank itself?

    FWIW, in my callow youth I had a loose left crank on my 10-speed. It would get loose, I would ride
    around for yonks with it flapping and being tightened by fingers every mile, then get around to
    borrowing the correct tool and overtighten it badly, it would get loose, I would ride around for
    yonks with it flapping, etc. When I was finally shown the error of my ways, I had a good look at it.
    The "axle" was still (tapered) square but the crank was horribly rounded inside.

    R.

    Report
  14. Dave Larrington
    Archived post
    #14
    Doesnotcompute said:

    I've just had a horrible thought - is it possible it's not the crank that's worn, but the bottom
    bracket "end" where the crank slides on? Or is it most likely to be the crank itself?

    I would /think/ that the crank is more likely to be damaged than the BB axle, as cranks are usually
    aluminium, whereas the axle is usually steel, and thus much harder.

    Dave Larrington - legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uklegslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk
    ===========================================================
    Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
    bhpc.org.ukbhpc.org.uk
    ===========================================================

    Report
  15. Jim Price
    Archived post
    #15
    Doesnotcompute said:

    And this is my point - It's the left hand side that's causing the grief
    - or at least displaying the symptons - hence I really don't want to replace the whole lot
    complete with chain rings.

    Halfords sell an alloy 170mm left hand crank for about 8 UKP. It won't look identical to whats on
    the other side, though. Others as mentioned have been known to have LH cranks in stock.

    Quoted message said:

    I've just had a horrible thought - is it possible it's not the crank that's worn, but the bottom
    bracket "end" where the crank slides on? Or is it most likely to be the crank itself?

    Its almost certainly the crank. I did once manage to put a dent in an axle once, but that was
    using a setup Heath Robinson could have designed for Powergen. Other stuff got a lot more deformed
    in the process.

    --
    Jim Price

    jimprice.dsl.pipex.comjimprice.dsl.pipex.com

    Conscientious objection is hard work in an economic war.

    Report
  16. Pete Biggs
    Archived post
    #16
    Doesnotcompute said:
    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    As you may have read, I think my crank is knackered. During the ride yesterday, my LHS pedal
    came a little loose.

    I'm confused. Do you mean pedal or crank?

    How long is a piece of string?

    Twice as long as half a piece ;-)

    Quoted message said:

    I mean the 8mm Hex bolt from the pedal arm


    [crank]

    Quoted message said:

    into the bottom bracket area.

    I hope I'm not confusing the issue even more, but if it's just the BOLT coming "a little loose" and
    the crank itself seems to be holding itself on ok, there may not be a problem at all.........

    Please read: draco.acs.uci.edu8f.11.html

    note. "spindle" = bottom bracket axle

    ~PB

    Report
  17. Pete Biggs
    Archived post
    #17
    W K said:

    does the end of the bottom bracket get damaged by this sort of thing, or is it only likely to be
    the crank arm ?

    It'll be the crank. BB axles are steel and can take a lot of abuse. Cranks are *easily* damaged
    (rounded off) by being ridden when loose.

    ~PB

    Report
  18. Doesnotcompute
    Archived post
    #18
    Pete Biggs said:

    I hope I'm not confusing the issue even more, but if it's just the BOLT coming "a little loose"
    and the crank itself seems to be holding itself on ok, there may not be a problem at all.........

    The bolt was coming loose, therefore the crank had play, therefore it seems it's knackered. Even
    with the bolt torqued correctly, there is still much noise, creaking and groaning of the cranks. How
    is this "not a problem at all" ?

    Quoted message said:


    Please read: draco.acs.uci.edu8f.11.html

    Excellent. I read it. I'm still not sure what point you're trying to make? Or was it just for
    interesting reading?

    ta

    --
    Dnc

    Report
  19. Frank X
    Archived post
    #19

    "Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:


    Please read: draco.acs.uci.edu8f.11.html

    Jobst overstates this, my current road bike had it's left crank go floppy a year ago, I needed to
    pop into a bike shop mid ride to get it fixed back on.

    I did have to tighten the crank bolt a few times in the weeks after it happend, but haven't
    tightened it for nearly a year and it is fine.

    I've never had a split crank, is it a catastophic failure that I should be worried about?

    Report
  20. Doesnotcompute
    Archived post
    #20
    Dave Larrington said:
    Doesnotcompute said:

    Durr - sorry, should have said - Gary Fisher Joshua ZO

    Hmm Crank extractor I don't have... LBS it is then.

    Durr to me too - I should have asked what make / model is the chainset...

    Okay, now I'm home and although faded I reckon the markings suggest Shimano Deore LX.

    Would that suggest I can directly replace with this:

    wiggle.co.ukv2 product detail.asp

    If so I reckon that's an acceptable price to sort the cranks and the bent toothed chainring.

    --
    Dnc

    Report

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