Do DA trackcranks' octalink splines strip on the street?
 

I just picked up a set of DA track cranks, the newer ones that are octa-link.
On the trackstar webpage they mention that running those on the street (harsh, non-smooth riding) will cause the splines to strip. Anyone had this happen? Do you think as long as the crank bolts are tightened to spec that won't be a problem?

Um. Octalink is on the whole shimano spectrum. 105, ultegra, dura-ace.... for touring, time trials, triathlon, road.

Do you really think there is a design flaw, or do you think that you are that hard of a rider that you can break (fairly) proven technology?

Thats what I'm hoping hahaha.

Huh? Most of the top track sprinters in the world use it and don't strip cranks. They break bars, pedals, frames, stems, shoes, and whatever else, but no one ever has a stripped crankset to show. And Octalink was used on the road for 4 years until DA-10 came along, and I never heard of a stripped crank.

There have been more attempts to malign Octalink. I heard this stripping issue early on when Octalink first came out, as well as the issue that the bottom bracket seals supposedly offered more friction than a traditional loose-ball and cup bottom bracket. The Dura Ace track ensemble is about as stiff and bulletproof as you can get. It'll probably outlast the JIS tapers on Sugino square taper cranks.

The current DA track cranks are octalink v1, which have shallower splines than the current v2. These did have some problems with rounding out cranks, but that was only because people weren't putting them on correctly. I have seen them in the shop plenty of times on road bikes that are a few years old, and I've ridden them myself, not gently either. Don't worry about it, just make you have them on properly before you go out.

yeah most of the problems with the octalink come from improper instalation.

I'm about to install my first Octalink crank. I thought it looked pretty simple. then I read this, and I wonder what might constitute "improper instalation" so I go look up the how to at Park's site http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=120

It still all looks pretty simple and obvious. What am I missing? How can you install and octalink crank improperly so that it will strip?

"Use care when installing the crankarm to the spindle so splines match correctly. Crankarms using the one-key-release system make it difficult to see how the arm is fitting to the spindle. A forced mismatch on the splines can damage the arm. Splined type crankarms without the one-key system allow easy viewing of the spline fit. The spline pattern on the spindle consists of a series raised splines separated by flutes or recesses, at the minor diameter."

I think most people who f them up, just dont match the splines before torquing them in place. I've never done this or seen it done, but if you've ever installed one you'd see how it could happen.

No problems here...on either my track bike (165 DA) or road bike (175 DA) with over 5K mi

I know for a fact that MTB octalink cranks developed play after a few thousand dirt miles, never heard of one completely stripping out though.

i saw a pair of DA track cranks, ridden on the street with matching BB, that had serious wear in them.
i think the issue is that octalink- incl. the track DA's- wasn't intended for skidding. (then again, neither was any other kind of bb/crank). because of the shallowness of the spline and the unanticipated two-way wear (front and skidding), the spindle wiggled a wear hole into the crank.

this is prolly the basis of the rumors about octalink and fixed.

i don't think it should be a problem, just keep an eye on 'em, as you would any component, to anticipate wear.

I think that the idea that octalink setups can strip is due to improper installation/maintenance. I noticed on my track cranks, that they did loosen up a bit after my first few rides. I just tightened them down, and to date haven't had any issues (I don't make skidding a habit though - I don't like wearing out perfectly good tires when I can use my front brake instead). If one were to ride a set of loose octalink cranks, especially fixed on the street, it would not take long to strip them. Just keep them tight.

Bump. Anyone had problems with the 7710's developing play over a year or two?

they only strip if you give em a couple martinis

all the more reason to use sugino 75 cranks, strongest crank known to man.

Splined cranks will strip pretty easily if you don't install them properly. It happened to my Omniums (though not beyond repair)

You need to be sure and tighten it to the correct torque. I don't think any of the problems come from the splines being misaligned, you have to be pretty clumsy for that to happen, and it would take quite a bit of force, not to mention your crank arms would be off.

Also, it is very important that you periodically tighten them as you ride, as they do and will loosen up.

I use the special FSA loctite, and it fills up any gaps between the splines preventing damage. Running the splined system without loctite may work fine, but with just the slightest amount of play that is probably inherent in the splined system, the cranks will wallow themselves out over time. The dual direction of the force from a fixed gear seems to do this even faster. It only took 3 weeks for my omnium cranks to wallow out.

I think the older square taper design, is superior to the splined cranks.

Some companies make tapered splines, like the SRAM omniums, but the FSA's are not tapered. If the SRAM ones suffer some damage, you can run some of the FSA loctite in them and tighten them down. With the FSA cranks, once there is some damage, you're screwed.

Gotta love ******ed mechanical advice from places like trackstar and businesscycles. They have no idea what they're talking about. I mean the whole line of octalink road/mtb cranks must also explode after being ridden on the road.

Right up until it interfaces with the bike through the square taper axle. Then it isn't.

Most cranks are pretty damn bulletproof as long as you install them correctly. Just make sure to install them correctly!

These are the top of the line Japanese-made Shimano cranks that have been used in the Olympics and every other world-stage cycling event for decades and you think you will strip them riding around with your friends?

um.... i doubt the question is if they will hold up on rides with ur friends....the question is whether they will survive the harness of skidding and the reverse pedal motion that doesn't occur on the track.

Track racers don't skid and apply the most minimal of backpedaling. If you want to slow down at the track, riding up-bank is a far better way to do it then backpedaling if you're in a group, and after the race is over usually everyone takes a few cooldown laps instead of just backpedaling really hard or skipping to a stop. So the forces applied to the cranks are only uni-directional, as opposed to on the street.

amen brudda

That said, I know some beast who've used these, taken care with installation and proper maintenance, and they've held up. Proper installation for the win.

For sure man. That's what the consensus seems to be. The reason I bumped this thread was I was considering getting some DA 7710's to replace my 7600's since I want to up to 167.5 anyway so my training / racing track bikes match up for crank size.