I was peering into the window of a closed bike shop this morning and noticed that the two commuter bikes -- one priced at $1.200 and the other at $1,500 -- were both equipped with FSA triples. I've seen these cranks (typically black with white lettering) on other new bikes online and in local local shops. To me, they look a bit cheap, especially the inner rings. Often, the bikes have nicer components, too: 105 brake/shifter levers, Tiagra rear derailer, decent rims. Yet what gives with the ubiquity of FSA cranks?

FSA cranks are far cheaper as OEM components than Shimano cranks so the bike companies tend to spec them as a cost savings measure. This is not new and early FSA cranks had some major shifting problems that seems to have been more-or-less solved with the current ones.

They do this in order to meet the price point of certain models of bikes.

An FSA crank looks cheaper than a Tiagra derailer?

It's the same as with Tektro brakes. For the same quality level, they're cheaper than Shimano.

Ha. Well, I may be stretching things there.

I think with the bb30 bottom bracket most new bike uses this days it has a 30mm BB you can't use shimano because shimano is a 24 mm so they use the FSA to use a shimano crank you need an adapter to downsize the BB to 24mm.

Perhaps that's a consideration now but the use of FSA cranks as a lower cost OEM part far predates the development of all the newer pressfit bb and 30 mm crank designs.

Plenty of bikes come with BB30/OSBB bottom brackets with Shimano cranks. They just factory install the spacers to make it work, like this bike for example:

Specialized Bicycle Components

The real reason for using FSA cranksets: Cost. BB30 compatibility is probably the secondary consideration.

We tore down the kings from their thrones...and have replaced them with something far worse. Penny-pinching accountants.

It's a bummer. I got the 2015 model of that bike and it came with an FSA crank. I wish it had the ultegra crank

The suggestion is that ubiquity equals poor quality. The 2 concepts are not directly related.

For the bike you linked to, nowhere on the spec list does it say that the bike has a BB30 bottom bracket. To my knowledge, Shimano has yet to make a directly compatible BB30 crank, and may never do so.

It has a Specialized OSBB bottom bracket. How do I know this? I've seen one in person. The Shimano crank fits it because they put in spacers, like those made by WheelsMfg, not sure why Specialized don't list the BB on their page.

EDIT: Although reading the specs page, I see they say "Threaded BB". Maybe I'm wrong here... I'll check out the guy's bike tonight on our group ride, but I'm 99% sure it has installed spacers on it. Regardless, the fact remains many bikes come with these spacers installed. Here's another example:

https://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/renegadeelite.html

This does not describe direct compatibility. Any adaptors or additional hardware not native to the BB30 system indicates the lack of direct compatibility or interchangeability.

Stated spec on the Jamis bike you linked to:

[TABLE="class: tg, width: 1002"]
[TR]
[TD="class: tg-3h3f, bgcolor: #00A7BC, align: right"]BB Set[/TD]
[TD="class: tg-3as3"]Enduro EVO PressFit 30 with Wheels MFG EVO adaptors
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

NOT BB30..

What point are you trying to make here?

You dont like the component picks of the bike brand Product Manager? change them in the bike shop and pay the extra $.

take-off parts can be a credit against your wish list of upgrades.

I'm really talking about the concept of running Shimano cranksets in press fit frames with adapters here. Whether it's BB30, PF30 or OSBB, what's the difference exactly? EDIT: Before you answer - yes I know what the difference is between those different standards.

How about this bike:

F3 - Felt Bicycles

The point I made is that you made this statement, "Plenty of bikes come with BB30/OSBB bottom brackets with Shimano cranks", and that your statement is factually incorrect. I don't know if you made the statement wittingly or unwittingly, but it is incorrect.

For the Felt bike you linked to, the Shimano crank has been adapted to work with the BB30 system. It may not be an issue for everybody, or anybody, who chooses to use an incorrect crank adapted to fit an alternate BB system. But the described adaptation will not have the integrity of a properly fitted, non-adapted BB30 crank. And for what it's worth, I know of very strong cyclists who have broken properly fitted cranks.

Finally, two of my main goals in life are to understand completely and to "get it right". Read carefully before you respond..

Tektro and FSA (the low end we are talking about) are not the same quality level. They are inferior, heavier and cheaper.
But mfgs are counting on the fact that most consumers won't notice.

What part do you have issues with? The "plenty" part? Or the fact that shims are required to make the BB30 bottom bracket to work with the Shimano crank?

PS I have a buddy with this bike:

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bik...ora-disc#specs

OSBB + Sora crank + shims. The thing creaks like a bugger. I recommended he toss the shims and get a Praxisworks BB converter.

Go back and read my OP in this thread. Shimano DOES NOT MANUFACTURE a CRANK FOR USE in BB30 systems. Period. Anything else is an adaptation or bastardization to make a Shimano crank work with a BB30 bottom bracket. You can use adaptors, shims, spacers, paper clips, bobby pins, etc., but it will be a compromise. The mention of your buddy and his adaptation of mis-matched components strengthens my point.

OK? So what. Just because Shimano doesn't support BB30 doesn't stop bike companies installing Shimano cranks into frames that are built for BB30/OSBB/PF30 or whatever. I still don't see what your issue is. I still don't see how "Plenty of bikes come with BB30/OSBB bottom brackets with Shimano cranks" is factually incorrect? It's not factually incorrect.

Sure. When did I say it was a good idea? I f***ing hate press-fit bottom brackets. I can't see how you can interpret my simple observation that bikes come with BB30 BBs and Shimano cranks (with shims) as an endorsement of this set-up?

On the path seems fixated on the "factual" incompatibility of Shimano cranks with these BBs, but is oblivious to the plain fact that it has been clearly stated that those bikes which are so equipped achieve this via shims, adaptors, etc. and that no endorsement of such accommodations has been made. As far as "getting it right" is concerned... You aren't. You're just stirring the pot for no reason.

Well, to get back on topic...

It doesn't matter if I use a shim to wedge in a Shimano crank or I use an FSA with a BB30 BB, they're all going to creak in short order.

I wouldn't attribute that to the lesser cost of low/mid end FSA components though. That's a general BB30 complaint.

I would rather see an "Ultegra equipped" bike with 105 brakes and cranks than what most mfgs put together. What that tells us is that the components they are using are still even cheaper than the 105 stuff which is not pricey at all. The retail price for an entire group is less than $400 from many online retailers, so the bulk cost to manufacturers has got to be really low.