Removing Hollowtech cranks

scirocco said:

I'm trying to remove the Tiagra-series HollowtechII cranks from my new bike. I've removed the non-drive crank with no problems and was expecting to simply be able to pull the chainwheels / drive crank and spindle out from the BB as a single unit, from the drive side. This would just be the opposite of installation I would have thought (although I didn't do the installation on this bike, but have on another one).

The spindle doesn't seem to want to move. I've tried gently tapping on the exposed non-drive end of the spindle with a rubber mallet, but it hasn't budged. What am I doing wrong? Thanks.

I'm not sure what you are doing wrong, per se.

Get a piece of SCRAP WOOD and place that between the end of the crank & a "regular" hammer ... gently tap the piece of wood with about the force you would use to start a nail in a piece of pine.

BTW. I presume the chain is NOT on the largest chainring while you are trying to remove the crank.

FWIW. If you MUST remove the crank, while it might seem a bit tedious and/or unnecessary, you can remove the non-driveside cup, first -- THAT should make it possible to simply slip the crank off the bike.

BTW2. WHY are you trying to remove the crank from your "new bike"?

alfeng said:

I'm not sure what you are doing wrong, per se.

Get a piece of SCRAP WOOD and place that between the end of the crank & a "regular" hammer ... gently tap the piece of wood with about the force you would use to start a nail in a piece of pine.

BTW. I presume the chain is NOT on the largest chainring while you are trying to remove the crank.

FWIW. If you MUST remove the crank, while it might seem a bit tedious and/or unnecessary, you can remove the non-driveside cup, first -- THAT should make it possible to simply slip the crank off the bike.

BTW2. WHY are you trying to remove the crank from your "new bike"?

Agreed.

http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=122

If you have a plastic or leather faced mallet you could use it. Sometimes another person holding the frame helps, especially if your work stand is holding the bicycle at the seatpost.

Ah, good, thanks for that, so it is just a question of applying enough force. I didn't want to do so before checking I wasn't missing something obvious. I had seen the Park Tools article. (I've actually removed the chain, although I'm not sure what difference the ring it was on would make??)

The reason for the work is a long story involving a heavily discounted purchase of a bike I wanted because of frame geometry, and replacing the 9-speed Tiagra 50/34 compact with a brand new Ultegra 50/39 groupset I bought from a work colleague for a song a while back. This will give me better shifting and ratios (I live in a flat city and a 34 ring is a waste of space.)

Thanks again. 🙂

scirocco said:

... (I've actually removed the chain, although I'm not sure what difference the ring it was on would make??)

The reason for the work is a long story involving a heavily discounted purchase of a bike I wanted because of frame geometry, and replacing the 9-speed Tiagra 50/34 compact with a brand new Ultegra 50/39 groupset I bought from a work colleague for a song a while back. This will give me better shifting and ratios (I live in a flat city and a 34 ring is a waste of space.)

I guess it wouldn't make that much difference which ring the chain was on ... I guess it's more a matter of convenience (i.e., less tension on the chain & front derailleur that you/I have to deal with AND you [generic] would have to eventually move the chain onto the inner ring, briefly, as you are removing the crank, regardless, so it's just easier to start with it in that location) ... but, removing the chain (as you had done) is better.

BTW. If your terrain is as flat as I think you are suggesting, then I probably would have suggested that you simply locate a 42t inner ring for your "compact" Tiagra crankset ... eventually, you may want to consider swapping the 39t on your 130BCD crankset for a 42t.