About 3 months ago I bought a Trek 6500 MTN bike. Could not be happier with the setup did very little with it, save throw some slicks on it.
I use it as a daily commuter/around towner putting anywhere from 8-15 miles per day (work week) on it and maybe another 5-10 on the weekend.
I'm no small guy and hardly barely a clyde. 6'4" roughly 330lbs. Since aquiring the bike I love it, its been great adding the extra workout into my daily. However I have been exceedingly rough on the crank arms.
I have now gone through two sets, the shop replaced the first one thinking it'd been crossthreaded wrong, and the second rounded out just yesterday (left side). I have a loaner off a friend's bike until I order something new.
I'd like to replace the whole drivetrain. Stronger Cranks, Larger Chain Wheel, Better Chain, and possibly even a Road Cassette (I have also broken one cassette).
I was hoping to find some solid suggestions for a hard as nails drive train and crank, preferably one with a large than stock chain wheel, I am not concerned about weight though I am about craftsmanship.
Thank you!
-Po
JumboRider
06-13-07, 08:20 AM
Do you know the model of the cranks that failed?
BeerBiker
06-13-07, 08:40 AM
According to Trek's website, that bike had a pretty decent crankset on it (M442 Octalink). Are you saying you are rounding out the cranks where they interface with the bottom bracket? That seems highly suspect to me. I wonder if the bottom bracket is somehow faulty? How in the world did you break a cassette? You're a big guy, but I hardly think you are that big to destroy parts that easily inside of three months? By my calculations, based on the milage estimates you gave, you have no more than 1000 miles on that bike. Something isn't right here. I think I would be calling bullsh!t with the dealer.
Mark
Apropos80
06-13-07, 09:57 AM
I have the 2006 Model
The originals were Botragers, the replacements were Specialized.
I didn't round out the first set actually should have been more specific, I blew the threading in the pedal socket. The second set was the one that rounded out. So two completely different problems, and looking inside the second crank I could see some genuine wear on the threads in the second set as well.
It's probably because I ride extremely agressively, Im almost always in high gear (after the first crank I started shifting if I was at a stand still), instead of stopping at a light I will turn through the intersection and around and I stand up a lot... I am not gentle.
bdinger
06-13-07, 10:03 AM
Swap out the BB and crankset for a Shimano XT and you should be golden. If not, I'd consider being a tad more gentle :)
I'd consider being more gentle but then that would ruin the fun of blowing past riders half my size on rigs that cost 3 times as much. :D
Velo Dog
06-13-07, 10:09 AM
I have the 2006 Model
The originals were Botragers, the replacements were Specialized.
I didn't round out the first set actually should have been more specific, I blew the threading in the pedal socket. The second set was the one that rounded out. So two completely different problems, and looking inside the second crank I could see some genuine wear on the threads in the second set as well.
It's probably because I ride extremely agressively, Im almost always in high gear (after the first crank I started shifting if I was at a stand still), instead of stopping at a light I will turn through the intersection and around and I stand up a lot... I am not gentle.
Based on this, one could argue that it's your fault, but I'm not entirely convinced...I've been as high as 270, ridden aggressively on- and off-road for nearly 30 years, and I've never had ANY of these problems, even on my singlespeed, which started life as a Trek touring bike in 1984 and still has the original crank and BB (bearings have been replaced a couple of times, but the rest is original). You're certainly at the high end of the design envelope for that bike (or pretty much any bike, I imagine--this is largely a sport of midgets). Still, it shouldn't be crumbling under you. I'd check the assembly and fit of everything down there, be really careful with the torque (no more "that feels about right"--use a torque wrench) and see what happens. But you've pretty much admitted you abuse the bike, and you take pride in it...that's going to give the dealer an out when he gets tired of screwing with it.
Apropos80
06-13-07, 10:15 AM
Admitting it here and admitting it to the dealer are two different things... However, I honestly don't mind accepting responsibility because if I do, and I fix the problem I can do so with confidence at the expense of a couple bucks, peace of mind and time spent not taking my bike back into the shop is worth more to me than haggling back and forth playing who done it with a bike shop.
I haven't gone back to the bike shop I originally purchased from (simply didn't like them) and I found a local shop that while costs slightly more, has a great neighborhood vibe and friendly helpful people.
Apropos80
06-13-07, 10:23 AM
Anyone use a Block 8 crank? Just doing some googling... came up.
bdinger
06-13-07, 10:36 AM
Admitting it here and admitting it to the dealer are two different things... However, I honestly don't mind accepting responsibility because if I do, and I fix the problem I can do so with confidence at the expense of a couple bucks, peace of mind and time spent not taking my bike back into the shop is worth more to me than haggling back and forth playing who done it with a bike shop.
I haven't gone back to the bike shop I originally purchased from (simply didn't like them) and I found a local shop that while costs slightly more, has a great neighborhood vibe and friendly helpful people.
Heh, you sound like you are in my area. You wouldn't happen to be in Lincoln Nebraska, would you? Sounds far too much like the Trek dealers here...
Another option is to go with a Deore LX crankset. I've heard they are essentially bombroof as well, but a little more affordable than XT. This is the one I'm looking at for my Trek FX:
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=&subcategory=&brand=&sku=17945&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Show%20All%20Products
I like the 48 tooth big ring, great for speed :).
Another option is to give the shop the whole "money is no object - I'm sick of stuff breaking" line. There's plenty out there that are strong.. way strong, but entry is a little on the steep side.
Apropos80
06-13-07, 11:24 AM
Hokay so I think I'm going to grab a pair of these