alu / titanium spindles (on pedals)
- Thread starter urge2kill
- Start date
All AL or TI spindles will bond to an AL crank arm after time if not properly treated, so if you want to prevent the AL or TI spindles from bonding you have to use anti seize compound which is nothing more than grease which is all I've ever use just plain grease. I grease all my bolts, spindles, and seat posts with a thin layer of grease, on the seat post I put a thin layer on both the post and the inside of the seat tube.
As far as inexpensive TI pedals, not sure who has the least expensive ones but I like my Speedplay, but I also didn't buy titanium because it cost a lot and the weight loss wasn't significant enough to justify the price, so I got stainless steel which won't rust like the cheaper cromoly yet it's also lighter then cromoly, and it's stiffer than titanium. But the big thing that really attracted me to Speedplay was the ability to use a grease injector and put fresh grease in the pedals every season, and if they ever need rebuilding they have a rebuild kit.
You can get cheap made in China titanium spindle platform pedals for about $50 on line, not so sure if I would trust them but if you can then see this: http://www.aliexpress.com/titanium-platform-pedals_price.html
As far as inexpensive TI pedals, not sure who has the least expensive ones but I like my Speedplay, but I also didn't buy titanium because it cost a lot and the weight loss wasn't significant enough to justify the price, so I got stainless steel which won't rust like the cheaper cromoly yet it's also lighter then cromoly, and it's stiffer than titanium. But the big thing that really attracted me to Speedplay was the ability to use a grease injector and put fresh grease in the pedals every season, and if they ever need rebuilding they have a rebuild kit.
You can get cheap made in China titanium spindle platform pedals for about $50 on line, not so sure if I would trust them but if you can then see this: http://www.aliexpress.com/titanium-platform-pedals_price.html
There must be a reason that steel is used in the spindle. Could aluminum be used as a bearing surface? I'd have to imagine that any such pedal would have a very short lifespan.
Unless you are going for the ultimate weight weenie build, there must be easier ways to shed grams.
I ride with cheap wellgo pedals and cheap aluminum cranksets all winter, through heavy rain and submerged in flood. Like froze, I use a dab of grease on the threads and I have not had any issues with the spindle bonding to the crankarm.
Unless you are going for the ultimate weight weenie build, there must be easier ways to shed grams.
I ride with cheap wellgo pedals and cheap aluminum cranksets all winter, through heavy rain and submerged in flood. Like froze, I use a dab of grease on the threads and I have not had any issues with the spindle bonding to the crankarm.
Yes. It's strong, and relatively inexpensive.
I don't know of anyone making quality pedals with aluminum spindles. I doubt they could be made strong enough, and even then failure would tend to be sudden and catastrophic. Aluminum bearing races would be even less practical because it can't be hardened sufficiently.. Headsets and bottom bracket cups have been made from aluminum, but they always had inlaid steel races.
Most riders choose a pedal based on the style of cleat and how it interfaces with the shoe rather than what the spindle is made of. I suggest you do the same. Then choose your spindle material based your weight, your style of riding, your perception of bearing quality, and how much you want to spend. Lightweight pedals with broken spindles are no fun, as are pedals with crappy bearings.
And make sure the threads are clean and greased when you put them on.
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