Crankset opinions

[jim c]

I am building up a bike and would like some opinions about cranksets. My
bike will be a Chorus drivetrain, except for the crankset. I am
interested in the new class of external bearing cransets; FSA K force
mega exo, Truvative Rolleur carbon, and ummm, dura ace. Any opinions on
the first two?

jim

 

[bfd]

Well, you got the money? Any of those cranks are gonna cost alot more
than a standard chorus. Perhaps you're looking for "compact" gearing,
e.g., 110bcd? If so, forget the DA, its a standard 130mm.

 

[Weisse Luft]

I smell a Shimano/Campy ******** coming!

 

[jim c]

well, the Carbon FSA lists at $499. But this is for the BB and the crank
since its integrated. The carbon Chorus is $489 for the crankset only.
besides the similar cost, bottom line anyways is that its not a money
issue, this is an insurance replacement.

My tiny mind tells me that the external bearing BB/crank is the way to
go, I had terrible luck with the chorus bb/crank on my last bike, and
really want to move on (now I know that some may be tempted to open up
the torque/no-retorque it lube/no lube it no problem my god is better
than your god square taper discussion...I've moved on)

Since I enjoy the 53-39, I have no plans to go compact. The FSA road
version and the Truvative road version are in the OEM only stage now
with retail distribution due in January. The DA is probably the best
looking crankset, but I dont know, with an otherwise Campy build-up on a
carbon bike, I'd rather see the carbon "FSA" down there than "Dura-ace"
much less flea market i think, although I suppose I could polish the
name off.

Or I could wait 5 years and maybe Campy will come out with an external
bearing-integrated crank.

Just looking for opinions.

thanks


bfd wrote:
> Well, you got the money? Any of those cranks are gonna cost alot more
> than a standard chorus. Perhaps you're looking for "compact" gearing,
> e.g., 110bcd? If so, forget the DA, its a standard 130mm.
>

 

[jim c]

Weisse Luft wrote:
> I smell a Shimano/Campy ******** coming!
>
>
Yeah, I tried to word my post so as to eliminate it, but some things in
life are unavoidable.

jim

 

[[email protected]]

<snip>
> The DA is probably the best
> looking crankset...
<snip>

That "dura ouch my wallet and it ain't even carbon" crankset may live
up to the marketing hoo-ha about "stiffness and durability" and
"outboard bearings" but good-lookin' it is not.

App

Homer (to Khal-Khalash vendor): Now what do you have to wash that awful
taste out of my mouth?

Vendor: Mountain Dew or crab juice.
Homer: Blecch! Ew! Sheesh! I'll take a crab juice...

 

[peet9471]

I like to try to keep all my componets from the same country at least.
Go Campy

 

[Weisse Luft]

<snip>
> The DA is probably the best
> looking crankset...
<snip>

That "dura ouch my wallet and it ain't even carbon" crankset may live
up to the marketing hoo-ha about "stiffness and durability" and
"outboard bearings" but good-lookin' it is not.

App

Homer (to Khal-Khalash vendor): Now what do you have to wash that awful
taste out of my mouth?

Vendor: Mountain Dew or crab juice.
Homer: Blecch! Ew! Sheesh! I'll take a crab juice...

I have never seen a failed Dura Ace crank. Now carbon...

 

[davidd86]

Outta curiosity, what was wrong with your Chorus setup? I have a set of Record low-pro 8-speed cranks that I bought used in 1997, on a Record BB that I bought new at that time, and there have got to be at the very least 20K miles on the things, some of it racing in dismal conditions a while back, and the setup still runs as smooth as glass. I'm a pretty big mofo, too. Still running the original 53/39 EXA chainrings, which are fine and shift perfectly -- I change out the chain may 2-3 times a year. Come to think of it, the crankset has been about the lowest-maintenance thing on my bike. I don't know about external vs. internal bearings, or square tapers vs. spline drive setups, but they certainly get the job done, are nice and light, and IMHO are a very nice-looking design -- always thought the Record cranks with one leg of the spider being the crank arm looked very svelte.

One major problem(!) with my setup is that I still have no excuse to purchase a new bike -- my wife would wonder what the *%&^ I was thinking if I did -- so I'm still on a mid-'90s steel frame with an 8-speed setup. I think I will be on it for the next decade. It's amazing how much longer bikes last when you don't crash too often (... a coupla minor spills, but I never truly Feared the Reaper on this particular bike ...) and brush-wash 'em clean, TdF style, after mucky outings. All you have to do is put a new shift disk into the Ergo shifters every year or so -- the detents get a bit worn -- and all is well.

[OTOH, one thing I wasn't at all happy with was the Campy Record '97 headset -- it got glommed up with grit right away and was useless after that -- I put on an Ultegra headset and it has now been perfect for 7 years.]

well, the Carbon FSA lists at $499. But this is for the BB and the crank
since its integrated. The carbon Chorus is $489 for the crankset only.
besides the similar cost, bottom line anyways is that its not a money
issue, this is an insurance replacement.

My tiny mind tells me that the external bearing BB/crank is the way to
go, I had terrible luck with the chorus bb/crank on my last bike, and
really want to move on (now I know that some may be tempted to open up
the torque/no-retorque it lube/no lube it no problem my god is better
than your god square taper discussion...I've moved on)

Since I enjoy the 53-39, I have no plans to go compact. The FSA road
version and the Truvative road version are in the OEM only stage now
with retail distribution due in January. The DA is probably the best
looking crankset, but I dont know, with an otherwise Campy build-up on a
carbon bike, I'd rather see the carbon "FSA" down there than "Dura-ace"
much less flea market i think, although I suppose I could polish the
name off.

Or I could wait 5 years and maybe Campy will come out with an external
bearing-integrated crank.

Just looking for opinions.

thanks


bfd wrote:
> Well, you got the money? Any of those cranks are gonna cost alot more
> than a standard chorus. Perhaps you're looking for "compact" gearing,
> e.g., 110bcd? If so, forget the DA, its a standard 130mm.
>

 

[bfd]

"Weisse Luft" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
>
>> I have never seen a failed Dura Ace crank.
>
Well then you need to see the "Wheelsmith Collection" of broken cranks, bb
spindles and axles:

One Dura Ace crank:
http://pardo.net/pardo/bike/pic/fail/FAIL-010.html

Another Dura Ace crank:
http://pardo.net/pardo/bike/pic/fail/FAIL-016.html

For more, including lots of Campy, Colnago (carbon), Cannondale and Sweet
Wings:

http://pardo.net/pardo/bike/pic/fail/000.html

Yes, bicycle parts of all makes can and do break.....

 

[Terry Morse]

Weisse Luft wrote:

> I have never seen a failed Dura Ace crank.

http://pardo.net/pardo/bike/pic/fail/FAIL-016.html

--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA http://bike.terrymorse.com/

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

ex-<< I am building up a bike and would like some opinions about cranksets. My
bike will be a Chorus drivetrain, except for the crankset. I am
interested in the new class of external bearing cransets; FSA K force
mega exo, Truvative Rolleur carbon, and ummm, dura ace. Any opinions on
the first two? >><BR><BR>

I say, just sold our first FSA. Nice piece of gear. External bearings a good
idea to fix the 'small bearing, big BB spindle' problem.

As for my opinion, it'll look good at the coffee shop but functionally, will do
nothing for your 'ride', when compared to a Chours crank and BB..

What 'problem' are you trying to solve? What question are you trying to answer
by not using a Chorus crank?

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

Jim writes-<< Or I could wait 5 years and maybe Campy will come out with an
external
bearing-integrated crank.
>><BR><BR>

I say-shimano liked to think that Octalink/spindle was the new standard, it
wasn't so I think the new standard of external bearings isn't either.

Big spindle mean small bearings, the exter\nal bearing, ala a headset' solves
this BUT a standard square taper, well made spindle good bearings...geez, still
works jjust great.

I asked the FSA president what was wrong with the square taper and he said it
broke too often...huh? I have seen one broken one in the last 13 years.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[Jay Beattie]

"Qui si parla Campagnolo " <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> ex-<< I am building up a bike and would like some opinions
about cranksets. My
> bike will be a Chorus drivetrain, except for the crankset. I am
> interested in the new class of external bearing cransets; FSA K
force
> mega exo, Truvative Rolleur carbon, and ummm, dura ace. Any
opinions on
> the first two? >><BR><BR>
>
> I say, just sold our first FSA. Nice piece of gear. External
bearings a good
> idea to fix the 'small bearing, big BB spindle' problem.
>
> As for my opinion, it'll look good at the coffee shop but
functionally, will do
> nothing for your 'ride', when compared to a Chours crank and
BB..
>
> What 'problem' are you trying to solve? What question are you
trying to answer
> by not using a Chorus crank?

If it is an issue of weight saving, the FSA carbon pro team crank
is in the low $200s (and dropping). It is a fine crank and
considerably cheaper than any of the Campy carbon offerings. The
steel or Ti ISIS FSA bottom brackets are pretty cheap, too. I
would not bother with anything more expensive, not with the
potential of an interface sea change within the next five or so
years. All this stuff may become Dura Ace AX in the next five
years (yes, I hold on to bikes for more than five years -- or 25
years in the case of my commuter). -- Jay Beattie.

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

Jay-<< If it is an issue of weight saving, the FSA carbon pro team crank
is in the low $200s (and dropping). It is a fine crank and
considerably cheaper than any of the Campy carbon offerings. The
steel or Ti ISIS FSA bottom brackets are pretty cheap, too >><BR><BR>

I guess but the FSA/RTi BB is still $300+.
Chorus aluminum crank and Record BB is less $ and only slightly 'heavier'. Plus
I would bet the Campagnoo bearings will outlast any ISIS BB.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[Drew Eckhardt]

In article <[email protected]>,
Qui si parla Campagnolo <[email protected]> wrote:
>As for my opinion, it'll look good at the coffee shop but functionally, will do
>nothing for your 'ride', when compared to a Chours crank and BB..

My thoughts were that if women can spend hundreds on clothes that will be
soon outdated and baubles with no functionality, we guys can spend less
on bike jewelry we'll use daily for 5-10 years.

So I bought an FSA carbon crank ($70 more than an aluminum part) when I
wore out my triple chain rings and switched to a compact double. The
new FSA carbons with the one-piece right crankarm+spider are even prettier
are a lot less expensive than the Campy carbon compacts.

--
<a href="http://www.poohsticks.org/drew/">Home Page</a>
9/11 was a premptive attack

 

[Donald Gillies]

"Jay Beattie" <[email protected]> writes:

>> What 'problem' are you trying to solve? What question are you
>> trying to answer by not using a Chorus crank?

>If it is an issue of weight saving, the FSA carbon pro team crank
>is in the low $200s (and dropping).

I don't like the look of the webbed Carbon PRO TEAM crank, but I think
the Carbon Pro Elite crank is quite pretty and graceful looking, and
110 bcd to boot. I can understand your interest to buy one of these
over the (bland) Campagnolo Record / Chorus crankset, for just a
little bit more money ... and unlimited future chainring availability.

- Don "Chorus 2003" Gillies
San Diego, CA