New Crank?

DiabloScott said:

Check your chainring bolts..........
.... Word to the wise.

Thanks Scott, I bought a new crankset this week, still building the bike, but just now checked all the bolts. All OK. Good advice. 😎

yeah, they can come loose, but I've never lost one. I do occasionally check mine.

I've bought 3 Dura-Ace crank sets this year, and I decided to grease the threads on the chain-ring bolts, and all the bolts were SO FKN TIGHT!! 😄

DiabloScott said:

Check your chainring bolts. I put on my FSA Gossamer crank (very happy with it) about 200 miles ago. This morning I noticed some odd behaviour on the front end of my drive train and I stopped to investigate... missing 3 of 5 bolts and the other two were loose! I have no idea how long this has been happening but they obviously didn't all fall out at once.

Word to the wise.

1,064 posts and you've only just realized you need to check your bolts every once in a while:eek: . I thought this common sense and common knowledge.

shannons dad said:

1,064 posts and you've only just realized you need to check your bolts every once in a while:eek: . I thought this common sense and common knowledge.

All the world loves a smart [censored]. How long since you removed your cranks and checked your BB tension?? :p

gclark8 said:

All the world loves a smart [censored]. How long since you removed your cranks and checked your BB tension?? :p

I'm no smartarse, but considering how much punishment a bike takes, it makes sense to check everything once in a while, especially when you're about to try and break your speed record down that particularily knarly downhill!🙂

DS- i would like to hear your take on the gossamer.

im ready to bite on a compact gossamer myself.
i would take the CF crank, BUT:
it is $325 whsl (and sexy), while the alloy is only $108
and the weight diff is not worth 3x the $ to me. 🙄

are you running the EXO bearing version?

i want to think the external BB is a possible better design.
shimaNO is betting the farm that it is with their cranks.
the S compact is just around the corner, but im not waiting,
and would rather try the FSA.
ive been happy with other FSA stuff in the past

I've had probably 8 new cranks (Shimano, Campagnolo, and Sugino) purchased new or as original equipment on a new bike over the last 20 years, and never had a single one get a loose chainring bolt. I've changed chainrings a few times - fixed gear conversion for example, and I've always checked those and occasionally found one or two bolts that needed to be tightened after a few rides.

So I guess I knew it was possible but in my experience it never happened on a new one and I grew complacent - I just thought I'd put out the warning for anyone else who may have grown complacent as well.

TBilly - I've got the Gossamer Compact ISIS with the FSA ISIS BB. Works great, looks great, installs easily, lots cheaper than the Mega EXO version probably because they're phasing the ISIS version out so it's old stock on sale (ISIS isn't being phased out, just this model). External bearings are maybe 5% better... I don't need it... especially at that cost. I am not a fan of carbon cranks though - I've broken too many cranks and it is not fun, I just don't think cranks are a good place to go carbon...they're too easily scratched and nicked.

There are a few crank manufacturers listed here
🙂

DiabloScott said:

I've had probably 8 new cranks (Shimano, Campagnolo, and Sugino) purchased new or as original equipment on a new bike over the last 20 years, and never had a single one get a loose chainring bolt. I've changed chainrings a few times - fixed gear conversion for example, and I've always checked those and occasionally found one or two bolts that needed to be tightened after a few rides.

So I guess I knew it was possible but in my experience it never happened on a new one and I grew complacent - I just thought I'd put out the warning for anyone else who may have grown complacent as well.

TBilly - I've got the Gossamer Compact ISIS with the FSA ISIS BB. Works great, looks great, installs easily, lots cheaper than the Mega EXO version probably because they're phasing the ISIS version out so it's old stock on sale (ISIS isn't being phased out, just this model). External bearings are maybe 5% better... I don't need it... especially at that cost. I am not a fan of carbon cranks though - I've broken too many cranks and it is not fun, I just don't think cranks are a good place to go carbon...they're too easily scratched and nicked.

I saw your initial post Diablo.
In my experience, I have never heard of the bolts coming loose.
I regularly clean the chainsets on my bikes and naturally you have to open the bolts so as to have access to clean the chainset thoroughly.
But I always ensure that I tighten them and I check them before replacing the chainset back on to the frame.

So for bolts to loosen under their own volition is very unusual and could result
in a terrible mishap.