Classic & Vintage - Identify an old Ofmega crank? (no pictures)

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Kommisar89
09-02-07, 06:27 PM
My old bike had an unusual crank - at least I've never seen one like it before or since. Unfortunately it has long since gone on to its reward and I have no pictures but a description should suffice: it was an Ofmega brand circa 1974 cotter-pin crank. It had the standard steel arms they most all had back then but a 5 arm steel spider instead of the usual 3 and alloy chainrings in 52/44 size. At a glance it resembled a Nuovo Record until you got up close. Don't know what the bcd was. Anybody ever seen one of these?


John E
09-03-07, 07:17 AM
I cannot help you with the model name, but I have seen similar cranks Ofmega cranks, as well as the cotterless steel 5-arm Nervar Sport crank, which took the same 128mm aluminum rings as the top-of-the-line Star.

The concept of aluminum rings on steel cranks goes back to the late 1950s, with the Simplex 3-bolt / 6-bolt 157mm BCD system, for which both steel and aluminum chainrings were offered on 3-pin cottered steel cranks and spiders.

Kommisar89
09-03-07, 11:33 AM
Thanks - I always found it kinda odd. My old bike (1973-74 Bottecchia Special) had that crank and alloy Fiamme clincher rims. Never seen another one like it as they all have steel cranks and rims. Guess I got lucky back in the day. :D