Chris_W

I started a thread in the Bike Mechanics sub-forum on an Index and Comparison of 2-piece Road Triple Cranksets / Chainsets. That was originally just for single bike cranksets, but I've now decided to add the three tandem cranksets that fit my criteria for inclusion in that list, which are:

(1) An inner BCD (bolt circle diameter) of no more than 94mm (so that the minimum inner ring size is no larger than 30 teeth),
(2) A chainline appropriate for a road bike, and
(3) A 2-piece / integrated axle design.

The index is below, shown as a jpeg image, but to see a larger version, you can download it as a pdf or xls file. I've tried to make all of the information as accurate as possible, but there are still a few missing data points.



Links to manufacturers' websites:
FSA, Lightning, Shimano, Stronglight, Sugino, Truvativ, Zinn.

The tandem cranksets that I have included are the FSA Gossamer, FSA SL-K, and Truvativ Elita. If anyone knows of others that satisfy my above criteria, then please tell me about them. I'm currently missing some info about the FSA SL-K (chainline and Q-Factor) and the Truvativ Elita (weight, chainline, and Q-Factor). If anyone can help me to fill these in, then I'd appreciate it, thanks. These specs don't seem to be published by the manufacturers, so it probably means measuring a set that you have. For the weight of the Truvativ Elita cranks, I already know the weight of a standard GXP bottom bracket, so I only need the weight of the two cranksets with stock chainrings and bolts. For the chainline and Q-Factors, these can be measured quite easily with a set of calipers: measure the distances to one side of the seat-tube, then add or subtract half the diameter of the seat-tube as necessary.

Of course, the index could be expanded to include all triple cranksets, but I explained in this response why I didn't want to do this for the single bike cranksets, at least not for now, and so I will be consistent with the tandem cranksets, even though that would be a far more manageable task.

jnbrown

I agonized over which crankset to put on the new tandem.
I really wanted 170mm on the front but nobody had them.
Finally FSA got in some SLK 170mm fronts last week and they are headed my way.
They have not made these in years but for some reason they had a batch made.
I will be putting 165mm Gossamers on the rear as my wife prefers the 165s on her single over the 170s on our current tandem. One crankset you can add to your list is the Lightning which sells for $1500.

https://www.lightningbikes.com/Cranks%20of%20Carbon.htm

The chainline on FSA cranksets are adjustable by moving some spacers around.
Too bad Shimano never made a tandem version of their newer cranksets.

Homeyba

I have a set of Tru Vativ Rouleur Carbon cranks on my Colnago. They are really nice, unfortunately when Sram bought Tru Vativ Sram decided to discontinued them. I could get you the missing data for them but that would entail taking them off my bike and measuring them. Since they have been discontinued its a mute point anyway. I'd love to have a set of them for the tandem!

Chris_W

I've now added the Lightning cranksets, if anyone wants further info on these then see this thread and this one.

Having full specs for the Truvativ Rouleur Carbon would be nice; you can measure the chainline and Q-factor on the bike. If the BB is a standard GXP model, then you'd only need to give me the weight of the crankset, but that should have the stock chainrings and bolts, if you don't have these then don't worry about the weight.

Homeyba

I assume the BB is standard because I swap between the triple and compact dble occasionally without changing the BB. The bolts are stock I believe but I'm not sure which of the chainrings are the originals. I'm always swapping chainrings around and they are in a box with a bunch of other ones (unless I wore them out). I'll rummage through the box and see if I can tell which ones are the originals.

Chris_W

The chainrings you are looking for should look extra shiny, but if you've used them a decent amount then that finish might be starting to flake off (a problem that a lot of people have reported). However, I believe the carbon Rouleur triple used the same chainrings as the standard alloy version, so if you just give me the weight of the cranks themselves then I can compute the difference between that and the ones I have (which are identical but are the alloy version) and subtract it from the 945 gm list weight for the complete alloy version. Some people have claimed that the carbon version is no stiffer or lighter than the alloy version, so getting the actual weight would be interesting.