Originally Posted by
Andy_K
At least they're still recognized by the 2017 version of the
U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule, which allows "cotterless cranks and parts thereof" to enter the country duty free from most countries, but places a 10% tariff on "other crank-gear." That's probably why the technology died out.
Odd tariffs.
Are one-piece cranks still being put on new bikes?
I doubt that the cotter cranks died out due to the tariffs, but rather the cranks.
I presume the cotter cranks are very easy to manufacture, but at the expense of destructive cotters for maintenance.
Aluminum cotterless cranks became popular on racing bikes back into the 60's and 70's due to weight savings and ease of maintenance. Thus, leaving the steel cotter cranks in the middle ground between the one-piece cranksets and the cotterless.
As manufacturing prices on cotterless cranks came down, that middle ground became narrower. Whoever came up with the idea of making STEEL cotterless cranks? Yet, that probably made them look more modern, while keeping the prices down. And, pretty much ended the use of cotter cranks on mid-range bikes.