"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - FSA team issue carbon crankset - opinions?

I was wondering if anyone could chime in with their thoughts about this crankset?

? :thumb:

I had it.

It worked, never broke.

I have an SRM now.

Are you thinking of getting this with a Cinqo? I have the Sram S900 carbon cranks. Seem like pretty much the same thing, and they work well.

Are you thinking of getting this with a Cinqo? I have the Sram S900 carbon cranks. Seem like pretty much the same thing, and they work well.

not really.

I picked up this crank in the off season and have put about 1k miles on problem free. I would rate it similar to a sram crank.

I picked up this crank in the off season and have put about 1k miles on problem free. I would rate it similar to a sram crank.

The Sram S900 requires only one size hex wrench (I can't remember the size) to attach and appropriately tighten the cranks. Are the FSA the same?

FSA has had a history of cranks with loosening. That's enough for me to look elsewhere.

They fixed the loosening with a steel fixing bolt that comes stock on all the newer cranks.

I have a pair that are about 3 years old. They've been trouble free after the initial install through grit, grime, rain, and snow. My only real gripe is that I needed a special spanner to tighten the lockring around the self-extracting fixing bolt. They also use a different BB from the rest of the FSA line.

If you were going to get a CinQo, I would say its a good crank to go with. Otherwise, you might look at the Ultegra or Rival cranksets instead. You're not really gaining any stiffness with the FSA carbon arms, and the weight difference is negligible.

The Sram S900 requires only one size hex wrench (I can't remember the size) to attach and appropriately tighten the cranks. Are the FSA the same?

yup, FSA is the same.

FSA has had a history of cranks with loosening. That's enough for me to look elsewhere.

Yup.

Once it gets loose, its basically a downhill battle of re-tightening more frequently untill you strip it.


Happened to me with an FSA SLK-carbon crankset

i've got an FSA wireless SRM that I never need to even think about.

The FSA lossening issue was due to the alu bolt and poor installation.

I have a SL-K crank on my cross bike and haven't touched it since installed the steel replacement bolt.

As for the different BB comment, that's just incorrect. FSA and Shimano are interchangable and the FSA Mega-Exo road BBs are as well.

As for the different BB comment, that's just incorrect. FSA and Shimano are interchangable and the FSA Mega-Exo road BBs are as well.

Not according to FSA. http://road.fullspeedahead.com/fly.aspx?layout=tech&taxid=74

Look at the mega exo BB instructions. It shows the Team issue using a different BB from the other FSA mega exo cranks.

Pretty certain the Quarq website makes the same point although its down for maintenence.

As to the broader assertion that FSA and Shimano are interchangeable, its not quite that simple.

http://www.velonews.com/article/86337


As for the crank itself. I have one with a Cinqo. It works fine. If I wasn't using the Cinqo, I'd go with a Shimano crank basically because the Shimano rings shift a bit crisper.

so why don't you buy shimano rings and put them on your FSA crank?

^ I've thought about it. Mostly aesthetics, and the difference in shifting isn't that big of deal. If I ever wear out the FSA rings, I might put Shimano rings on.

I've got Q-rings and the shifting is even funkier with those, but I like the rings so I deal with it.

FSA, TruVativ, Bontrager and S900 Sram are all the same. It is a good crank that is stiff, but not overly light by any stretch of the imagination. This is the same crank that both Qaurq and SRM use with some of their PMs as stated earlier in this thread. Armstrong and others are on this crank, so you know it gets the job done.

Good luck.

Not according to FSA. http://road.fullspeedahead.com/fly.aspx?layout=tech&taxid=74

Look at the mega exo BB instructions. It shows the Team issue using a different BB from the other FSA mega exo cranks.

Pretty certain the Quarq website makes the same point although its down for maintenence.

As to the broader assertion that FSA and Shimano are interchangeable, its not quite that simple.

http://www.velonews.com/article/86337


As for the crank itself. I have one with a Cinqo. It works fine. If I wasn't using the Cinqo, I'd go with a Shimano crank basically because the Shimano rings shift a bit crisper.

Don't care what the instructions or Velonews have to say. I've installed countless Shimano BBs that run w/FSA cranks. I'm running a D/A BB w/SL-K cranks on my cross bike right now...no issues.

I also just installed a SL-K crank on a bike that WAS running a Team Issue crank. Works perfectly!

Hands on experience beats an article any day of the week.