Record Pista Left Crank Warning

If they're meant to be installed dry then so be it. I stand corrected.

Originally Posted by Jobst Brandt

• Install and properly tighten new cranks on the spindle after greasing the tapered square ends of the spindle. Proper tightness should be achieved with a torque wrench or by a skilled hand.
  
  

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However, cranks cannot be split by overtightening them. This can be proven by attemting to do so. An M8x1 bolt is not strong enough to split a major brand crank.

Failure from "over-tightening" is caused by repeated re-tightening of properly installed cranks. In use, an aluminum crank squirms on its taper and, because the retaining bolt prevents it from moving off the taper, it elbows itself away from the bolt and up the taper ever so slightly. The resulting loss of preload, after hard riding, can be detected by how easily the bolt can be turned.

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The claim that a greased spindle will enlarge the bore of a crank and ultimately reduce chainwheel clearance is also specious, because the crank cannot operate in a plastic stress level that would soon split the crank in use.

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No fucking about with spindle tapers, etc:

Saw the Omniums in TokoFixed today... They look a bit fugly but are no doubt strong. Also saw some Race Face two-piece cranks, didn't realise they were doing track stuff. Again, gross looking but Race Face stuff is pretty solid.

Gustav - Were you ok? May I ask which model of 105 the were?

Truvativ's self-extracting bolt system is awful in my opinion. Rounds too easily, often needs threadlock or loosens.

My gut feeling is that the Record Pista left crank is just not beefy enough around the BB end for 15,000 mile a year messenger use pulling away from lights time after time (by a heavy git like me). To be fair though they're not designed for that. They're very slim cranks.

Jonny managed to just bend a new left pista crank without crashing or anything. I remember Jimbillily diagnosing his problem at South drinks.

They look nice but they just don't seem to have any tolerance whatever for hard use/misuse/abuse that Sugino 75 have for same money. I've never seen or heard mention of a failure of them or Dura Ace. Probably linked to them still being used actively for yer actual track racing?

Never seen a snapped 75 or even a miche for that matter.

Adding to what Gizmond has already touched on.

Note
Before you assemble the cranks on the bottom bracket axle, degrease the axle and crankset square heads thoroughly.

How would the presence of grease cause crank failure?

How would the presence of grease cause crank failure?

simply i guess because the crank would travel further up the bb axle then it should leading to the crank breaking. if its not that then i have no idea.

Jobst says not^^ quoted there a lot.

So campagnolo recommend no grease, though?

Go figure.

How would the presence of grease cause crank failure?

I've been reliably informed that greasing BB spindles (& no matter how hard you tighten your cranks) causes a tiny layer of grease between spindle and crank, leading to small amounts of play that can lead to cranks loosening more easily and possibly causing failure. Also don't Campag have a history of shoddy cranks?

I never greased the spindle. I had mine tightened to the exact torque by faires from the campag factory in a sealed vacuum and the things still cracked. I have said it a million times they can not handle too much force. They are fine for commuting and stuff but repeatedly take them up a steep hill where masses of torque are applied and they will start to fail

Bang!

I've never had Campag cranks fail, you guys must be generating sooooooo much power you should all try for the 2012 games now that Jamie Staff has retired

ha!

I bet Jamie Staff doesn't use Campagnolo cranks.

I bet Jamie Staff doesn't use Campagnolo cranks.

Not any more, he's retired!

Come on hippy, it's written two posts above :-)

I've heard hippy was slow... but that takes the biscuit...

Err.. taking things literally much? They said he was out during the Worlds. Anyway, retirement from racing doesn't mean he stops riding. Duh.

I've only just seen this and the other thread, Matt. Heal up quickly and better luck with the next set of cranks!