The Official I Love/I Hate FSA Cranks Thread
08-07-08, 02:49 PM
#1
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The Official I Love/I Hate FSA Cranks Thread
Here's a chance to sing the praises or flame the crap out of FSA cranks.
The first set I had failed at the attaching splines, FSA replaced them with the new generation design, and they have been great since then. But I would like to hear the experiences that others have had with FSA cranks, either good, bad, so-so or whatever. The more detail you can give, the better. FSA bottom bracket stories welcome too.
Please, just first hand experiences as the result of your ownership of FSA cranks.
The first set I had failed at the attaching splines, FSA replaced them with the new generation design, and they have been great since then. But I would like to hear the experiences that others have had with FSA cranks, either good, bad, so-so or whatever. The more detail you can give, the better. FSA bottom bracket stories welcome too.
Please, just first hand experiences as the result of your ownership of FSA cranks.
Last edited by mantis; 08-07-08 at 03:40 PM.
08-07-08, 02:55 PM
#2
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The stock FSA Gossamer cranks that came on my Cervelo were ok, nothing special. Compared to my DA cranks they suck, but there is also a big price difference. Don't care for the ISIS drive system. They make it a pain to remove.
08-07-08, 02:56 PM
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I had FSA SLK's on my old Tarmac and the left crankarm became noisy as hell after about two years. FSA warrantied the crankarm. I don't mind that a company has problems with a product as long as they stand behind it and make it right when things go south.
08-07-08, 02:59 PM
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I hate my triple, came on my bike, nothing but trouble since the beginning to 2000 miles later.
08-07-08, 03:12 PM
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SLK Mega Exo. Three years of training, racing, and rec riding with no problem more significant than the occasional click.
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08-07-08, 03:17 PM
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my FSA gossamer mega exo compact didn't shift nearly as well as my Shimano R-700 compact. I think shimano just does compact better than FSA does.
08-07-08, 03:21 PM
#7
The mods changed this...
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Mine loosened up, but once FSA replaced the aluminum fixing bolt with the new style steel bolt, everything has been hunky-dory. There are on my cross bike and have taken some good abuse.
08-07-08, 03:32 PM
#8
stole your bike
My bike came with a Gossamer compact crank and so far so good.
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08-07-08, 04:00 PM
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Gossamer came on my bike stock. "Upgraded" to a Gossamer compact and all was good. Bought a SLK carbon compact as well and no problems. Had a little click in the Gossamer compact but was replacing it with the SLK so that solved it.
Very good so far...
[Edit: all with MegaExo bb]
Very good so far...
[Edit: all with MegaExo bb]
08-08-08, 06:21 AM
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Gossamer on my Tarmac.
Probably my favourite crank [I'm on a Dura-Ace now].
Reason: it whistles in the 53. I remember distinctly, when I shifted into the 53 and gave it a go - the drivetrain sounded like... a TRAIN! It was awesome, even though it was probably a bad bearing or something. I shouldn't have sold that bike
Probably my favourite crank [I'm on a Dura-Ace now].
Reason: it whistles in the 53. I remember distinctly, when I shifted into the 53 and gave it a go - the drivetrain sounded like... a TRAIN! It was awesome, even though it was probably a bad bearing or something. I shouldn't have sold that bike
08-08-08, 06:55 AM
#15
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FSA K Force Mega Exo sucks. 1) it more than 100 grams heavier than claimed, 2) the BB failed prematurely, (in less than 3000 miles) always creaked, 3) doesn't shift as well as Dura Ace. Anyone want to buy it?
FSA SLk with an Isis BB, its ok, on the TT bike so haven't put a lot of wear on its BB. Still doesn't shift great in comparison to Dura Ace.
FSA Gossamer Mega Exo Tandem Cranks, truly suck. 1) Both BB's were shot in 1100 miles, 2) the front crank creaks. ( reinstall, tighten stops for 100 miles, starts creaking again, repeat) 3) Shifts poorly.
In spite of the fact that have 3 FSA Cranks (one I bought on flase advertising, one came as part of a deal for a build kit, and the tandem one there just arent many choices for tandem cranks.) I don't know why people would buy them, when you can run Dura Ace cranks, and have a light, stiff, great shifting crank. (or Campy if you have campy components.)
FSA SLk with an Isis BB, its ok, on the TT bike so haven't put a lot of wear on its BB. Still doesn't shift great in comparison to Dura Ace.
FSA Gossamer Mega Exo Tandem Cranks, truly suck. 1) Both BB's were shot in 1100 miles, 2) the front crank creaks. ( reinstall, tighten stops for 100 miles, starts creaking again, repeat) 3) Shifts poorly.
In spite of the fact that have 3 FSA Cranks (one I bought on flase advertising, one came as part of a deal for a build kit, and the tandem one there just arent many choices for tandem cranks.) I don't know why people would buy them, when you can run Dura Ace cranks, and have a light, stiff, great shifting crank. (or Campy if you have campy components.)
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08-08-08, 06:56 AM
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By the way anyone want to buy a moderately used FSA Mega Exo K Force crank? Comes highly reccommended.
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08-08-08, 07:06 AM
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I love my FSA SRM 
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08-08-08, 07:12 AM
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^ I'm assuming you're running a campy groupset? Otherwise I can't imagine spending $3800 on a crank that starts with the letter F.
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08-08-08, 07:14 AM
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SRAM, and I didn't/wouldn't/couldn't spend nearly that much.
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08-08-08, 07:28 AM
#20
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FSA K Force Mega Exo sucks. 1) it more than 100 grams heavier than claimed, 2) the BB failed prematurely, (in less than 3000 miles) always creaked, 3) doesn't shift as well as Dura Ace. Anyone want to buy it?
FSA SLk with an Isis BB, its ok, on the TT bike so haven't put a lot of wear on its BB. Still doesn't shift great in comparison to Dura Ace.
FSA Gossamer Mega Exo Tandem Cranks, truly suck. 1) Both BB's were shot in 1100 miles, 2) the front crank creaks. ( reinstall, tighten stops for 100 miles, starts creaking again, repeat) 3) Shifts poorly.
In spite of the fact that have 3 FSA Cranks (one I bought on flase advertising, one came as part of a deal for a build kit, and the tandem one there just arent many choices for tandem cranks.) I don't know why people would buy them, when you can run Dura Ace cranks, and have a light, stiff, great shifting crank. (or Campy if you have campy components.)
FSA SLk with an Isis BB, its ok, on the TT bike so haven't put a lot of wear on its BB. Still doesn't shift great in comparison to Dura Ace.
FSA Gossamer Mega Exo Tandem Cranks, truly suck. 1) Both BB's were shot in 1100 miles, 2) the front crank creaks. ( reinstall, tighten stops for 100 miles, starts creaking again, repeat) 3) Shifts poorly.
In spite of the fact that have 3 FSA Cranks (one I bought on flase advertising, one came as part of a deal for a build kit, and the tandem one there just arent many choices for tandem cranks.) I don't know why people would buy them, when you can run Dura Ace cranks, and have a light, stiff, great shifting crank. (or Campy if you have campy components.)
08-08-08, 07:30 AM
#21
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I think a lot of people got into them for either compacts (wasn't too long ago that Shimano didn't have a compact) or they were on their bikes as stock to keep the price down.
08-08-08, 07:40 AM
#23
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I refused to accept the stock FSA crank on my Cervelo R3 and instead switched out to Ultegra. 10,000 miles later the Shimano crank is still perfect. Who needs the grief.
08-08-08, 07:42 AM
#24
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I have FSA team cranks and they are now a pain (after a fair amount of miles though). They loosen up on their own and have to be tightened after every 150 miles. I won't be using them anymore anyway since I got some Ultegra SL cranks to go on my new frame.
08-08-08, 07:42 AM
#25
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I realize it's inconsistent that I have 3. However, the first one, I had no experience with FSA, and FSA intentionally misrepresented the weightby over 100 grams sucking me in.
The second one, I picked up an entire TT build group cheap that included the FSA SLK. It's not Mega Exo, and it's the only one that doesn't creak, and the BB hasn't crapped out.
And as for the Tandem Gossamer, show me a better option for a Tandem crankset, and I'm all over it. The choices are severely limited.
The second one, I picked up an entire TT build group cheap that included the FSA SLK. It's not Mega Exo, and it's the only one that doesn't creak, and the BB hasn't crapped out.
And as for the Tandem Gossamer, show me a better option for a Tandem crankset, and I'm all over it. The choices are severely limited.
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You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.