str8flexed

What's the diff. between the "fixed gear/singlespeed" cranksets and the other ones?

I need to get a new one, can I just find an older Shimano 105, 600, Ultegra, etc, and slap it on? Things I'm looking for: square taper crank, 170mm or less.

For cranks w/ 2/3 chainrings, I can always take them off and only use one right?

Thanks,

Adam

MacG

I'm pretty sure they are one and the same. Have you seen them listed separately like this somewhere, or what?

I just ordered a pair of 165mm RDs from aebike.com for about $53. Cheapest I've ever seen them.

str8flexed

Wow, thanks for the link. they have nitto bars for $34 too. I'm gonna order there

colinm

I picked up the cranks too - and they have the better 103mm BB for $34...$96 shipped for the set vs $129 from that place out East.

(By "better" I mean "better as in slightly more expensive")

I feel like a cheap bastard, though, snce I use the Eastern database all the time. Oh well. I bought a set of wheels from them once.

KirbyxKamikaze

I ordered my RD cranks off aebike.com as well, they are an older model i guess because the box it came with said RD and the price tag read 89 bucks, but on the actual crank arm i got it just said Sugino, rather than the newer model that read Sugino RD down the crank arm.

ps. Here is a little secret (given you don't already know about it)

Best Bike Buys

Its a search engine and brings up a list of every big online store selling what you search for and lists em by price so you can compare website to website. I found a pair of Eggbeater Cs for like 31 bucks one time. Good Finds.

12XU

Sugino RDs = str8flexed.

colinm

OK, I'll bite - what's that mean?

redcurrycelt

I think 12 is, by way of citing the OP's screen name, referring to the popular notion that RDs are not terribly stiff.

MLPROJECT

i've been riding rx100s (pre 600/105) for like a year since i'm too cheap to buy some decent cranks. they've been dong me well though.

shants

i honestly think that you should avoid the rd and just get and older set of shimano 105 or 600/ultegra cranks. they are stiffer and usually cheaper to get. the rd's are just another road double -- there is nothing fancy about them that makes them 'singlespeed' or 'track.'

you can also usually get a decent chainline with the older shimano road doubles by using a 107mm shimano bottom bracket and putting the chainring on the inside of the spider.

queerpunk

unfortunately, putting the chainring on the inside of the spider looks kind of ugly. would 103mm bb spindles yield acceptable chainline with a ring on the outside of the spider with older shimano road doubles? who makes 103mm square tapered dealies these days?

colinm

Even at $96 shipped for the BB / crank / ring?

Chainline = positive 42, ring on the outside, and stiffness, well...probably a good thing but it's only a Pista.

Good cost / benefit vs having to shop around for a mixed bag.

A good argument for both alternatives can be made.

**edit - I have yet to receive the RD's, much less ride them...**

colinm

Based on my recent shopping, FSA and Sugino.

mattface 

According to Saint Sheldon https://www.sheldonbrown.com/bbsize.html#ultegra Shimano 600 doubles had 43.5mm chainline (measured between the chainrings) with a 113 square taper bb, so with the stock bb on the outer ring should be pretty close to 45mm. Therefore assuming you're at 45, and you bring it in 3mm with a 6mm shorter bb 107 should yield 42mm chainline on the outer ring.

Ken Cox

The Sugino RD came stock on the 2005 Bianchi Pista.
The crank star has a 130mm BCD, which means one can put a zillion different chainrings on it.

On the 2005 Pista, Bianchi put the chainring on the inside position of the crank, and I don't know why, because it provided a less than perfect chainline.

I moved my chainring to the outside position of the Sugino RD cranks, and, with an EAI cog, this gave me an absolutely perfect chainline.

As for stiffness, I didn't notice anything, but that may reflect my lack of perceptiveness.

I have my Pista in the shop for a new American Classic bottom bracket and Stronglight cranks, and I wonder if I'll detect a difference in stiffness.

shants

the '05 bianchi pista came with sugino rd's and a 103mm bottom bracket. the ring was mounted on the inside of the spider on those. just FYI.

mattface 

I always detect a difference in stiffness when I get new bike parts. Wear loose fitting pants, and carry a jacket you'll be fine.

colinm

Photos from Bianchi confirm that. I wonder why they did that.

I'm about to find out....RD's + 103MM BB + Campy Records.

I just gave away a beat-ass set of 105 road cranks, too...sob.



So SUPER cheap is Nashbar doubles plus a 107 bb = ($62 less 10% coupon) $56 plus shipping. ****!

hyperRevue

+1

My next buy will probably be a 103mm BB for my Pake so I can get the chainring on the outside of my XDs.