What Crankset should I get?



UmmTone

New Member
May 8, 2012
2
0
0
I'm looking to get back into biking, as of right now I am borrowing my friends spare mountain bike. I'm going to be buying the parts to make a bike to fit my needs; however, I am stuck on choosing what type of Crankset to buy. The frame I am going to be getting the All-City Dropout (size small).

Specs:
http://allcitycycles.com/bikes/dropout_framesets

This bike is going to be my fixed gear, round year, commuter around the city. I would like to keep my prices below $200.
 
UmmTone said:
I'm looking to get back into biking, as of right now I am borrowing my friends spare mountain bike. I'm going to be buying the parts to make a bike to fit my needs; however, I am stuck on choosing what type of Crankset to buy. The frame I am going to be getting the All-City Dropout (size small). Specs: http://allcitycycles.com/bikes/dropout_framesets This bike is going to be my fixed gear, round year, commuter around the city. I would like to keep my prices below $200.
I think that YOUR crank choice should be based on a cosmetic preference as much as a practical one ... With most contemporary ROAD cranks, the chainring can be mounted on the outer shoulders of the spider's arms ... With most MTB cranks, the chainring will need to be mounted on the inner shoulders. IMO, due to the relatively low BB height (the 60mm "drop" on the ALL CITY frame which is similar to what is commonly found on most Road bikes vs. a lesser drop which is normally found on a Track-or-"Fixie" frame), you will probably want a crank whose arms are 170mm or shorter ... Before YOU buy a crank, you need to choose the gear ratio which you think you will want to use. FWIW. I've set up four different bikes as Single Speeds ... three had roughly similar gear ratios, but used different size chainrings & Freewheels (53x20, 50x18, 42x16) and the fourth was set up for riding on Mountain Roads (32x22).
The crankset on the "white" bike is a Campagnolo Chorus (135BCD / 102mm BB) with a 53t chainring. The crankset pictured on the "black" bike is a Shimano (130BCD ... the "standard") with a 50t FSA chainring, but has subsequently been changed to a Campagnolo crankset similar to the crankset which is pictured on the "white"bike but with a 50t Gebhardt chainring. The crankset on the "red" bike has a 42t chainring (130BCD). The crankseet on the "green" bike has 32t chainring (104BCD). FYI. "Track" Cogs & BMX Freewheels are available with EITHER 1/8" OR 3/32" (Road size) tooth width ... THAT may-or-may-not be a consideration.
 
Originally Posted by alfeng .



I think that YOUR crank choice should be based on a cosmetic preference as much as a practical one ...
With most contemporary ROAD cranks, the chainring can be mounted on the outer shoulders of the spider's arms ...
With most MTB cranks, the chainring will need to be mounted on the inner shoulders.
IMO, due to the relatively low BB height (the 60mm "drop" on the ALL CITY frame which is similar to what is commonly found on most Road bikes vs. a lesser drop which is normally found on a Track-or-"Fixie" frame), you will probably want a crank whose arms are 170mm or shorter ...
Before YOU buy a crank, you need to choose the gear ratio which you think you will want to use.
FWIW. I've set up four different bikes as Single Speeds ... three had roughly similar gear ratios, but used different size chainrings & Freewheels (53x20, 50x18, 42x16) and the fourth was set up for riding on Mountain Roads (32x22).
The crankset on the "white" bike is a Campagnolo Chorus (135BCD / 102mm BB) with a 53t chainring.
The crankset pictured on the "black" bike is a Shimano (130BCD ... the "standard") with a 50t FSA chainring, but has subsequently been changed to a Campagnolo crankset similar to the crankset which is pictured on the "white"bike but with a 50t Gebhardt chainring.
The crankset on the "red" bike has a 42t chainring (130BCD).
The crankseet on the "green" bike has 32t chainring (104BCD).
FYI. "Track" Cogs & BMX Freewheels are available with EITHER 1/8" OR 3/32" (Road size) tooth width ... THAT may-or-may-not be a consideration.
I was thinking of 45/16 OR 48/17 for my gearing ratio, with 165mm Crank arm.
Would something like this be sufficient?
https://www.ws-outlet.com/p-2304-sram-s300-11-165mm-48t-courier-black-crankset-with-bottom-bracket-gxp.aspx

I'm not sure, how to know, if it'll fit inside the All-City Dropouts bottom bracket.