|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Cottered Cranks with Fixed Gear
I have recently come into posession of a 1950's Raleigh Lenton that was
converted into a fixed gear somewhere around the early 80's. My LBS has given it the once over, but advised me to change the original steel cottered cranks as soon as possible, on the grounds that they would invevitably fly apart at an intersection forthwith, especially on a fixed gear bike. The cotters seem to be in good condition, and the cranks are currently secure. I'm currently using the bike on my daily commute. Are the cottered cranks truly a ticking time bomb, or is the LBS being unnecessarily cautious here? Jeff 8-) |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Cottered Cranks with Fixed Gear
A properly installed cottered crank will be no problem with a fixed
gear. This was done for years, and there was not a rash of failures. I had a similar set up, and it works as you would expect. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Cottered Cranks with Fixed Gear
Let's see ... this bike has been a fixie for probably 20 years, with
no problem with the cottered cranks. Cottered cranks are a sturdy and durable design. Did you ever take the cranks off of a cottered set-up? Without a special tool, it takes alot of hammer force to pound out the cotter -- which is held secure with a nut and washer on the narrow end. What? Vibration is going to loosen the nut, it will fall off, and then without warning the crank will fly off? If by some remote possibility the nut did fall off, you would feel slop in the crank way before anything bad happened. (Just like you feel slop in a cotterless crank that is loosening up.) Then it would be a simple matter of replacing and tightening the nut. The LBS can make $100 bucks or so if they "upgrade" your bike. I wonder what kind of experience your LBS has with cottered fixies? What is their experience re. the failure rate of cottered fixies vs. cotterless on fixies. I'm a little cynical here. I asked my LBS to install a "sealed bearing" BB on my fixie -- in part just to support them. A couple of months later the BB loosened, IMO because of improper installation -- not tight enough. They said it was my fault, as my "back pedal for stopping" was the cause of the problem -- and charged me for the repair. Actually, I have front and rear brakes, and use them for most of my slowing down. I now do pretty much all of my own repair work. Regards, Larry |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Cottered Cranks with Fixed Gear
Let's see ... this bike has been a fixie for probably 20 years, with
no problem with the cottered cranks. Cottered cranks are a sturdy and durable design. Did you ever take the cranks off of a cottered set-up? Without a special tool, it takes alot of hammer force to pound out the cotter -- which is held secure with a nut and washer on the narrow end. What? Vibration is going to loosen the nut, it will fall off, and then without warning the crank will fly off? If by some remote possibility the nut did fall off, you would feel slop in the crank way before anything bad happened. (Just like you feel slop in a cotterless crank that is loosening up.) Then it would be a simple matter of replacing and tightening the nut. The LBS can make $100 bucks or so if they "upgrade" your bike. I wonder what kind of experience your LBS has with cottered fixies? What is their experience re. the failure rate of cottered fixies vs. cotterless on fixies. I'm a little cynical here. I asked my LBS to install a "sealed bearing" BB on my fixie -- in part just to support them. A couple of months later the BB loosened, IMO because of improper installation -- not tight enough. They said it was my fault, as my "back pedal for stopping" was the cause of the problem -- and charged me for the repair. Actually, I have front and rear brakes, and use them for most of my slowing down. I now do pretty much all of my own repair work. Regards, Larry |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Cottered Cranks with Fixed Gear
As they say on Car Talk, "Somebody needs to make a boat payment."
Other than being a bit heavy, cottered cranks are refreshingly durable, handsome, and mechanically straight-forward. Keep them--and get some slot cleated shoes and wool shorts just to spite those bike shop jagoffs. :P Only reason to replace would be if the chainring's worn, but steel/chrome rings last virtually forever. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Cottered Cranks with Fixed Gear
|
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Cottered Cranks with Fixed Gear
They're not a PITA to take apart either, unless somebody's
over-tightened the cotters. Soak the area with penetrating lube before trying to undo 50 y/o cotters. If you do have to drill them out, you can buy new cotter pins. |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Cottered Cranks with Fixed Gear
|
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Cottered Cranks with Fixed Gear
|
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Fixed gear and clipless pedals? | [email protected] | Techniques | 40 | September 6th 05 02:22 PM |
FS: 58cm Fixed Gear - Gunnar Street Dog | [email protected] | Marketplace | 0 | February 14th 05 02:17 PM |
Fixed gear questions....... | John | UK | 3 | May 19th 04 04:44 PM |
Fixed Gear - Chain Questions | Kalukis | Techniques | 3 | March 13th 04 02:04 PM |
mountain bike or fixed gear singlespeed:thanks everyone | Brink | General | 1 | July 29th 03 04:44 AM |