Chainline weirdness

I've now fitted the new TA Alize track cranks and bottom bracket and the
chainline is a very atypical 46.5mm, as measured with my vernier
calipers. The BB is the correct 103mm TA Axix Light and the spindle is
symmetrical (I tried it the other way around, to be sure).

The good news is I can buy that Goldtec track hub I wanted, because that
will give a perfect chainline with this chainset, even if Goldtecs are
incompatible with track standard.

Sheldon - any chance of listing some *front* chainline measurements,
with cranks and the recommended BB, on your excellent website? There's
one above for starters...

"Nulla tam bona est fortuna de qua nihil possis queri." - Syrus
On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 18:37:37 +0000, Zog The Undeniable
wrote:

I've now fitted the new TA Alize track cranks and bottom bracket and the
chainline is a very atypical 46.5mm, as measured with my vernier
calipers. The BB is the correct 103mm TA Axix Light and the spindle is
symmetrical (I tried it the other way around, to be sure).

This pretty much mirrors my experience a few years ago with this crank
and bottom bracket combination when these models were introduced.
Manipulating the cups to the left (both cups of the TA b/b are
adjustable) allows one to cozen a couple of milllimeters of chainline
movement toward the bike's centerline, but I found no practical way to
get the crank to conform to the common contemporary track chainline
range of 42.5 to 43 mm.

-------------------------------
John Dacey
Business Cycles, Miami, Florida
http://www.businesscycles.com
Since 1983
Our catalog of track equipment: online since 1996
-------------------------------

John Dacey wrote:

This pretty much mirrors my experience a few years ago with this crank
and bottom bracket combination when these models were introduced.
Manipulating the cups to the left (both cups of the TA b/b are
adjustable) allows one to cozen a couple of milllimeters of chainline
movement toward the bike's centerline, but I found no practical way to
get the crank to conform to the common contemporary track chainline
range of 42.5 to 43 mm.

My Axix is not adjustable. The RH cup is fixed, and the instructions
make this clear.

"Rerum omnium magister usus." - Caesar
On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 06:35:33 +0000, Zog The Undeniable
wrote:

John Dacey wrote:

This pretty much mirrors my experience a few years ago with this crank
and bottom bracket combination when these models were introduced.
Manipulating the cups to the left (both cups of the TA b/b are
adjustable) allows one to cozen a couple of milllimeters of chainline
movement toward the bike's centerline, but I found no practical way to
get the crank to conform to the common contemporary track chainline
range of 42.5 to 43 mm.

My Axix is not adjustable. The RH cup is fixed, and the instructions
make this clear.

The unit I tried used "adjustable" cups with lockrings for left and
right sides as shown in the picture on TA's webstite:
http://www.specialites-ta.com/produits/boitiers_gb.htm#

Clicking on the "more details" link on that page brings up a diagram
showing a unit with a traditionally flanged fixed cup which I assume
is a more recent generation which you have.

When I first encountered this chainline issue a few years ago, I
returned the whole stock of these cranks I had bought to the
distributor from which I'd gotten them. The subject came up again in
conversation some months ago and they advised me that the source of
the problem was a batch of bottom bracket spindles whose tapers were
out of spec and the wide chainline matter had been resolved.

Your report would indicate otherwise.
-------------------------------
John Dacey
Business Cycles, Miami, Florida
Since 1983
Comprehensive catalogue of track equipment: online since 1996.
http://www.businesscycles.com

John Dacey wrote:

When I first encountered this chainline issue a few years ago, I
returned the whole stock of these cranks I had bought to the
distributor from which I'd gotten them. The subject came up again in
conversation some months ago and they advised me that the source of
the problem was a batch of bottom bracket spindles whose tapers were
out of spec and the wide chainline matter had been resolved.

Your report would indicate otherwise.

The cranks go far enough onto the tapers that clearance between the
crank and the cup is *minimal* (the cranks are chamfered to just miss
the cups). I think the distributor was having you on.

Anyway, the solution is a Goldtec hub - comparable in price to DA, but
also with a weird chainline.