Road Cycling - Any Broken Crank Stories?

Any broken crank or bottom bracket stories?

Not too long ago I snapped a crank right through, right where the pedal screws in, and it was far from pleasant. :mad:
I was only going about 10mph (standing on the pedals) and I still managed to take off quite a bit of skin. It was an old Mavic 175mm i had bought 2nd hand, which was not a very sturdy design, so i probably should've been wary.

How prevalent is this?
What cranks are more susceptible to failure?
Any links to information?

In general crank failures are extremely rare. Yours was probably weakened from excessive tightening of the pedals over the years. I've seen a Campy crank are boroken mid-length. All parts have the potential to fail, cranks dont do it too often. Nothing to worry about.

I had a done damage to the crank, but I don't consider it a failure..
The bolt the holds the crank unto the BB was, I think loose, so after 30kms+, I noticed the left arm play(sideways), I stopped but it was too late. The square tapered inside was already damged and I had to replace the crankset.

It's frightening; i was too scared to stand up on the pedals for about a month.

I did see an old (1999) Startrac Vbike crank explode during spin class, Blood and skin shot out all over the place. Not a pretty site. She ended up with 26 stitches(sp?) in her leg.


If you take spinning class on a Startrac Vbike. Make sure the cranks are steel (Black in color) and not aluminum.

omg!!! yesterday i was riding my local sk8 park, just a normal day like n e other, btw the cranks i HAD were wethepeople cranks...22ml 48 spline spindle, ya know the usual. As i sed i was ridin my local park and i rode the fun box, the next thing i know i land in the landing and i hear a crack.
i get up the flat bank and look down to see that my crank arm has split at the weld!! wtf!!!!!!!!
should this really happen.!!! i am not impressed... i hav had them 4 about 9 months!!1

Knew a fellow who had Avocet cranks. One snapped, literally in half, widthwise. In each half was the perfect impression of a cigarette filter. As best we could deduce a workman tossed a butt into the mold where it burned away leaving a hollow spot. He wasn't hurt when it broke but an unpleasant experience none the less.

My race lite cranks in my first crash broke right below the pedal attachment, actually cracked. The arm was found to be defective, the whole arm was twisted like a prezel... :eek:

Any broken crank or bottom bracket stories?

Not too long ago I snapped a crank right through, right where the pedal screws in, and it was far from pleasant. :mad:
I was only going about 10mph (standing on the pedals) and I still managed to take off quite a bit of skin. It was an old Mavic 175mm i had bought 2nd hand, which was not a very sturdy design, so i probably should've been wary.

How prevalent is this?
What cranks are more susceptible to failure?
Any links to information?


LOL...too funny.... thats why Mavic is out of the crank biz..

I snapped my right Mavic 180 at the pedal hole climbing a hill standing and wracked my nuts....and they warrantied it.

I snapped the warranty crank in the same place a few years later... they would not warranty it.

Way, way long time ago, I cracked the spider on an old Campy Record crank (back when C Record was the top of the line). Could not get it warrantied.