Removing BIOPACE Crank - Help Needed

i cannot remove the cap on the BIOPACE crank - it has two very small holes it. similar to this :

I’ve tired turning it but the holes are too small to get a grip and the plastic breaks, I’ve tired using knife / screw driver but nothing to use as lever, and I’ve also tired allen key.... can any one help with ideas on how to get it off?

also has anyone ridden a BIOPACE fixed, if so what are they like? Sheldon brown seems to think they are ok.

thanks

the actual cranks themselves would be ok, but the rings are egg shaped and totally not suited for fixed.

any ideas how to get the cap off???

hammer and screwdriver??? if you dont want to keep 'em,
they are just threaded on, make a dent in one of the holes and bash a screw driver anti-clockwise

Google 'self extracting crank removal'.

Can't see a picture. If they're plastic, then (if they really are stuck) heat an old knife and melt a slot through the centre and then use knife, with mole grips, as a big screwdriver.
I seem to remember Sheldon saying something about using a Bp ring with fixed, not sure I'd try it.

get two small allen keys one in each hole and turn anticlockwise. or a metal coathanger and bent to fit i the same way. or get super frustrated and break it out. a flat blade screwdriver down the edge and a wiggle and a twist should do it. or gat a blowtorch (im serious) ad heat it till its super soft and fondue it out with sharp thing. as for biopace, they were a huge flop when shimano brought them out for mountain bike back in the day. all to do with creating a more efficient stroke and changing the forces when the legs were at their weakest point. basically they were shite back then. cant imagine why they'd be any good now to be honest. except for people to say wow biopace. i remember them, they were shite.its your bike though, ride what you like. ive got full length mudguards and a front disc brake on my fixed and when im in london i get some dirty looks. better than a dirty arse and face and broken teeth in the wet though. good luck.

wanted to try to keep them. thought there may be an official way to get them off that i am missing.

whatfriends get two small allen keys one in each hole and turn anticlockwise. or a metal coathanger and bent to fit i the same way. or get super frustrated and break it out. a flat blade screwdriver down the edge and a wiggle and a twist should do it. or gat a blowtorch (im serious) ad heat it till its super soft and fondue it out with sharp thing. as for biopace, they were a huge flop when shimano brought them out for mountain bike back in the day. all to do with creating a more efficient stroke and changing the forces when the legs were at their weakest point. basically they were shite back then. cant imagine why they'd be any good now to be honest. except for people to say wow biopace. i remember them, they were shite.its your bike though, ride what you like. ive got full length mudguards and a front disc brake on my fixed and when im in london i get some dirty looks. better than a dirty arse and face and broken teeth in the wet though. good luck.

cheers for advice - ill fondue if coathanger fails

if they are plastic, forget about keeping them. a bunch of companys made metal ones back then, nice ano colours and all that. i may even have a red set kicking about. someone will have some better replacements for you. the official way though was a round alu block with two pins in it. a local bike shop may have one lurking from before 8mm allen bolts were invented.

31t®um the actual cranks themselves would be ok, but the rings are egg shaped and totally not suited for fixed.

Suprisingly, even the Biopace™ rings themselves are fine to use fixed.

I had that problem with the plastic caps a while ago. I just had to smash them and dig out all the plastic with a screw driver. Make sure you have got it all out before you screw in your crank extractor. I did not look carefully and thought I had got all the plastic out but had not. This resulted in me not having the extractor in far enough and stripping the threads in the crank. They may still have stripped as the crank was very tight and a puller I made just bent the cranks but be careful and don't get in a rush like me.

oh and one more thing, like hippy said, google the self extracters. xlite made them, so did other people. basically its an 8mm allen bolt that holds your crank on then a top cap is screwed into the crank thred after but it has a hole for the top of the allen bolt. so when you undo the allen bolt, the crank comes off presto style.

allen key BB bolts are shit, old school 14mm is where its at!

also if anyone has the campag metal caps with the allen whole in the middle, don't round the fucker off. took me 2 hrs to dig a metal cap out of a stupid crank :(

(c) 31trum

so i dont know what your H.T.F.U means. um and dogs, allen bolts are best. would you want 14 bolts holding your bars, stem seat post etc etc in place? got a computer yet? maybe i'll wait till tonight till you finish work and i'll abuse you on here all weekend and you wont know till monday. Mwahahaha. (thats an evil laugh).

harden the fuck up!

karma, dude ;)

yes i now see that you said allan bb bolts and not just allen bolts altogether. sorry. thats why i have no friends.

Just trying to be amusing whatfriends. that ^ is a picture of dogsballs. :-)

its funny. i'll look out for him. um he looks a wee bit like that comedian guy who did a show where he was a trvelling saleman or something, always driving in his car. i dont have a tv so cant remember. flash glasses though. so im the new boy, hello to everyone. and goodbye. gotta go teach small children how to ride safe on the road this afternoon. on my fixed. makes me laugh. and the council pay me for this you know.

Can I have your job?

whatfriends so i dont know what your H.T.F.U means.

Harden the fuck up.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=unkIVvjZc9Y

31t®um the actual cranks themselves would be ok, but the rings are egg shaped and totally not suited for fixed.

It does work okay though.. i have ridden fixed biopace on my winter mtb, works fine.

wheels [quote]31t®um the actual cranks themselves would be ok, but the rings are egg shaped and totally not suited for fixed.

Suprisingly, even the Biopace™ rings themselves are fine to use fixed.[/quote]

a guy called Ken Cox on bikeforums has written numerous long posts about his use of biopace on fixed

ive taken my skirt off and cancelled my manicure but just cant grow a decent mustach. im trying though. yea you can hace my job. or maybe one just like it. london always need instructors i think. maybe.