Originally Posted by
John E
You wouldn't be saying that if you had snapped a Sugino Mighty Competition crank across the pedal eye during an out-of-saddle climb. (Been there ... done that ... not fun.)
In Sugino's defense, I note that this was a 1970 or 1971 model and that even slightly more recent versions added more material around the pedal eye, making me suspect I was not alone in experiencing the failure.
"In Sugino's defense," I twice had to thread the needle in races to get past the wheel I was on when his Campy crank did exactly that. Once between the rider's bike and the outside curb coming out of a corner in a criterium, Don't ask me how I pulled it off. (1977 and 1978) Those were probably old, tired cranks but I did not seek out the riders and inquire. My first Sugino crank was ~1975. Never broke one. (Knock on wood.) If you rid a conventional aluminum crank long enough, it WILL break, probably through the threads or the square taper hole. Stress starters.
My only crank failure to date was a well ridden Avocet that i had on a new setup until I found the right ones. Lucked out. Happened just before the top of a small rise as I came out of the saddle. I just stepped on the road, sat down, stopped, then clomped around looking for the pedal until I realized it was still strapped to my foot. My luck didn't stop there. It was all downhill from there to a meeting with friends, one of whom had his pickup. Decided right there the bike was a keeper. (One of those that looks out for its owner.)
Ben