Crankset opinions
 

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

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.

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


--
Weisse Luft

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.

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


--
peet9471

Wrote:
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...


--
Weisse Luft

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 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.]





jim c Wrote:
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.



--
davidd86

"Weisse Luft" wrote in
message ...

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.....

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/