Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

Help Identifying a Crank

Search
Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

Help Identifying a Crank

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 09-25-10 | 08:52 AM
  #1  
Thread Starter
Banned.
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,434
Likes: 277
From: Carlsbad, CA

Bikes: '09 Felt F55, '84 Masi Cran Criterium, (2)'86 Schwinn Pelotons, '86 Look Equippe Hinault, '09 Globe Live 3 (dogtaxi), '94 Greg Lemond, '99 GT Pulse Kinesis

Help Identifying a Crank

What type of crank is this?


It's a steel, 172.5 crank on my old Dutch 3-speed, and I'd like to get a longer replacement for it, but I don't know what it could be called. Sheldon either doesn't have anything like it, or I just don't know the search term.
Many thanks in advance!
calamarichris is offline  
Reply
Old 10-01-10 | 12:52 PM
  #2  
Thread Starter
Banned.
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,434
Likes: 277
From: Carlsbad, CA

Bikes: '09 Felt F55, '84 Masi Cran Criterium, (2)'86 Schwinn Pelotons, '86 Look Equippe Hinault, '09 Globe Live 3 (dogtaxi), '94 Greg Lemond, '99 GT Pulse Kinesis

Bump.
This is on my steel-on-steel Dutch bike. I desperately need to find a 177.5 (or 175mm) replacement with 42 or 42 teeth.
The chainrings are also steel, but it appears that the right crank is distinct/removable from the steel chainring. Will provide a photo of the crank/chainring with the chaincase removed if no one can tell from this photo. Any ideas?
Thanks!

calamarichris is offline  
Reply
Old 10-01-10 | 10:17 PM
  #3  
Thread Starter
Banned.
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,434
Likes: 277
From: Carlsbad, CA

Bikes: '09 Felt F55, '84 Masi Cran Criterium, (2)'86 Schwinn Pelotons, '86 Look Equippe Hinault, '09 Globe Live 3 (dogtaxi), '94 Greg Lemond, '99 GT Pulse Kinesis

Bump #2 Here's a photo with the chain & chaincase removed.
Even if you know the style of the crank, I sure would appreciate knowing how to look it up.
It's such a great bike, but it's geared for the pancake-flat polders of Holland, not the hilly coastal desert of San Diego County.



Pity that the chaincase makes changing rear flats such a PITA, because thanks to it, I'm still on the original chain that came with the bike after 10,000+ miles and 21 years!
Safe riding this weekend!
calamarichris is offline  
Reply
Old 10-01-10 | 10:27 PM
  #4  
Jeff Wills's Avatar
Insane Bicycle Mechanic
Titanium Club Membership
Sheldon Brown Memorial - Titanium
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 10,153
Likes: 1,120
From: other Vancouver
Originally Posted by calamarichris
Bump #2 Here's a photo with the chain & chaincase removed.
Even if you know the style of the crank, I sure would appreciate knowing how to look it up.
It's such a great bike, but it's geared for the pancake-flat polders of Holland, not the hilly coastal desert of San Diego County.

Pity that the chaincase makes changing rear flats such a PITA, because thanks to it, I'm still on the original chain that came with the bike after 10,000+ miles and 21 years!
Safe riding this weekend!
What's under the cap on the right crank arm? And what does the left crankarm look like?

I'd guess that it's a standard square-taper crank under all of that. You might be able to replace it with an aluminum single-speed/track crankset, but the chaincase complicates things. Not many cranks will have the room between the crankarm and the chainring to fit the chaincase.
__________________
Jeff Wills

Comcast nuked my web page. It will return soon..
Jeff Wills is offline  
Reply
Old 10-01-10 | 10:46 PM
  #5  
Thread Starter
Banned.
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,434
Likes: 277
From: Carlsbad, CA

Bikes: '09 Felt F55, '84 Masi Cran Criterium, (2)'86 Schwinn Pelotons, '86 Look Equippe Hinault, '09 Globe Live 3 (dogtaxi), '94 Greg Lemond, '99 GT Pulse Kinesis

Originally Posted by Jeff Wills
What's under the cap on the right crank arm? And what does the left crankarm look like?

I'd guess that it's a standard square-taper crank under all of that. You might be able to replace it with an aluminum single-speed/track crankset, but the chaincase complicates things. Not many cranks will have the room between the crankarm and the chainring to fit the chaincase.
Thank you kindly Jeff.
It appears to be a simple dustcap with a standard bolt beneath.
I guess I can go with an aluminum crank, but it will feel pretty lonely on this bike, since everything else is steel, (even the rims!) However, is there such a thing as an aluminum crank with a steel chainring?
I've gotten addicted to zero maintenance on this bike. Same chain and sprockets since 1989, and I've only cleaned and lubed the chain twice in that time (thanks to rear flat tires)!
calamarichris is offline  
Reply
Old 10-03-10 | 11:32 PM
  #6  
Iowegian's Avatar
Senior Member
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,812
Likes: 23
From: Boulder, Colo
Sweet bike! Loose steel chainrings aren't hard to find. Just make sure the bolt holes use the same BCD as your crank and you are good to go.
Iowegian is offline  
Reply
Old 10-04-10 | 08:11 AM
  #7  
Grand Bois's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 17,392
Likes: 40
From: Pinole, CA, USA
Originally Posted by Iowegian
Sweet bike! Loose steel chainrings aren't hard to find. Just make sure the bolt holes use the same BCD as your crank and you are good to go.
Take a good look at his crank. It doesn't have a BCD because it doesn't have a bolt circle.
Grand Bois is offline  
Reply
Old 10-04-10 | 08:32 AM
  #8  
southpawboston's Avatar
Senior Member
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,134
Likes: 192
From: Somerville, MA and Catskill Mtns
the crank looks a lot like the lower-end stronglight steel crank that i had on an 80s dutch bike i used to have. however, mine was cottered, whereas the OP's is cotterless.

i think i also had the same, or at least very similar, plastic chaincase. most dutch branded bikes used the same stock parts from the same vendors... it was mostly just the frame decals that were different.

instead of swapping out the crankset for one with a smaller chainring, you could just replace the rear cog with a larger one, like a 22T. this is what i did with my dutch bike to make the bike more suitable to the hilly area in which i live. that also meant replacing the chain, but it's still cheaper than doing a crankset swap, and there were no chaincase compatibility problems.


Last edited by southpawboston; 10-04-10 at 08:38 AM.
southpawboston is offline  
Reply
Old 10-04-10 | 11:11 AM
  #9  
Thread Starter
Banned.
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,434
Likes: 277
From: Carlsbad, CA

Bikes: '09 Felt F55, '84 Masi Cran Criterium, (2)'86 Schwinn Pelotons, '86 Look Equippe Hinault, '09 Globe Live 3 (dogtaxi), '94 Greg Lemond, '99 GT Pulse Kinesis

Thanks for the kind compliment Iowegian.

And thanks very much for the guidance Southpaw. That is a beautiful bike (really striking) and I see many similarities between yours and mine. Mine is rusty because it languished neglected for a few years in my father's garage while I was away in the Army. But I find that the light coat of rust is nearly as effective a theft deterrent as the bike's Axa lock and the bike formidable weight.

I've already got a larger rear sprocket on order, but I'd really also like to get a longer crank; at least a 175, but ideally, I'd like to find a 177.5, because I've got a few steep hills on my commute.

Last edited by calamarichris; 10-04-10 at 11:17 AM.
calamarichris is offline  
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
s5fskzfv
Bicycle Mechanics
8
12-18-18 09:52 AM
xodondum
Bicycle Mechanics
27
12-31-16 02:06 PM
Gunfunk
Classic & Vintage
6
10-07-15 04:26 PM
S60
Bicycle Mechanics
24
03-05-12 04:32 PM
JonnyV
Mountain Biking
5
01-06-10 01:09 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.