Classic & Vintage - What Kind Of Crank Is This ??

Just wondering if anyone knows what kind of cranks this is, it has Campagnolo rings but no other markings.. It's really nice and polished.

They look like the kind that collapse. They're pretty cool looking. Yours?

They look like the kind that collapse. They're pretty cool looking. Yours?
what do you mean collapse ? Yes they are mine, they came on a older Cannondale Saeco frame I bought the other day. The arms and spider look like they are made of machined billet, but it's just a guess.

Looks like some serious home machinists' work on some Campy 130 BCD cranks? Very cool looking, but I would not sprint on them.

What Otis said. I think they look great, but I've seen several pics of machined cranks like yours that have ripped apart under stress. The spider is more likely to go before the crank arm. Ride them carefully and inspect them often.

Speaking of which, is the drive side two pieces? I think I see a seam between the spider and the arm. Just curious.

Waste of a nice C-Record crankset.

-Kurt

I would like to see some rings machined to match even if it would lead to an even more nerve wracking ride.

They're not like any Campy crank I can recall. Photo 2 - the close-up - shows a crank arm that is separate from the spider yet one of the spider arms is attached to the crank arm in some way (position similar to C-record). Campy alloy cranks are all one piece. They look spectacular though!

Wow,lotta work.
Why don't you weigh them to see just how much was pared away.
If you are reluctant to use it, why don't you ebay it? If you are light, or old, or really gentle they might be ok for you.I would definitely keep the RPMs up and the torque down.
A light crankset of that vintage would be ~600 grams.The regular Record mid late 1970's wasn't extremely light-probably high 600's-the SR might have been close to 600 or so because of the rings-crank arms were the same I think
Check Weight weenies-there might be a weight there-and maybe a sale.
Luck,
Charlie.

They are Topline roadcranks, http://www.bikepro.com/products/cranks/topline.html

They are Topline roadcranks, http://www.bikepro.com/products/cranks/topline.html
Yee-up ! those look like them,, cool !! I guess I will hold on to them, I think they would make a cool looking singlespeed crank..
Thanks for the info

racycles.com has em for sale, around 200 bucks I think

just don't ride fixed with them...:)

They are Topline roadcranks, http://www.bikepro.com/products/cranks/topline.html

I really didn't think they were campy cranks to begin with but didn't know what they were, thanks.

what length are they?

Wow.


The 170mm arm set, with spider in Silver weighs just 363 grams, the 172.5 set weighs 369 grams. Please be certain to specify length.

They are 172.5, and yes they are really light in weight, but what good is that if they can't be run hard ?

Look around here these resemble that there crank

http://www.bikepro.com/products/cranks/cooks.html

http://www.bikepro.com/products/cranks/topline.html

They are 172.5, and yes they are really light in weight, but what good is that if they can't be run hard ?

Since no one has offered up any stories of hearing about these cranks failing and are only basing their expentancy for failure on appearance I would say run them as hard as you like.

Found one!
http://pardo.net/pardo/bike/pic/fail/FAIL-034.html
http://pardo.net/pardo/bike/pic/fail/toplinefail.jpg

From the same site.
http://pardo.net/pardo/bike/pic/fail/FAIL-020.html
"Topline cranks have a reputation for failing, but typically in the arms, which are quite slender."

Found one!
http://pardo.net/pardo/bike/pic/fail/FAIL-034.html
http://pardo.net/pardo/bike/pic/fail/toplinefail.jpg

Yikes and it's not even at the spider!

I can't find it, but recently in SS/FG there was a post w/ pic of (I think) a Sugino drive side crank that had the flutes on its spider arms drilled out. My memory is that four of the five arms twisted and broke under pressure.

It looks just like the Topline you link to, in terms of the details, except for one bigee: this has the crank arm parallel to the 5th arm of the spider...similar in practice to Campy as well as some other makes. So is this some exotic bit of Topline machining?

They are 172.5, and yes they are really light in weight, but what good is that if they can't be run hard ?

I have used these cranks (in 175 mm) on my favorite bike for over 10 years now (bought them in 95). I didn't race them, but have used them pretty hard, in mountain riding too. I weighed (and still weigh) about 82 kgs, am pretty strong, but I don't hammer the pedals.

All this to tell you these cranks have held up excellently. They still look great too. I have no doubts about them, but you do have to check where the crankarm attaches to the spider. That's potentially a weak spot. And don't race them in criteriums!