Touring Cranksets
07-18-07 | 09:54 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 384
Likes: 30
From: Austin, TX
Bikes: 2005 Bike Friday NWT, 2015 Brompton, 2019 Titanium Bilenky Midlands
Touring Cranksets
Since I'm in the process of building a tourer, I've been looking at cranksets.
I've been concentrating on square-taper, since I don't really trust the octalink v1 for touring applications, but I've started to wonder about the most recent Shimano stuff, with the integrated axle/spider, and external bearings. That sounds like it could be a winning combination from a touring perspective.
What do people think?
I've been concentrating on square-taper, since I don't really trust the octalink v1 for touring applications, but I've started to wonder about the most recent Shimano stuff, with the integrated axle/spider, and external bearings. That sounds like it could be a winning combination from a touring perspective.
What do people think?
07-18-07 | 01:18 PM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 859
Likes: 56
From: Reno, NV
The external bearing design is nice and simple to install and remove. I don't know how durable it is but a replacement BB is cheap. I imagine almost all bike shops in North America would have replacement parts. This seems like a good choice to me.
07-18-07 | 01:44 PM
#3
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
I upgraded my Schwinn Voyageur to a Truvative Elita GXP crank. It has the external bearings. So far, no problems or issues. The nice thing about this crankset is that the bolt center diameter for the chain rings are 110/74, so I was able to put a more touring friendly 48 top gear and 26 low gear (and something else in between like a 38 or 36).
Rich
Rich
07-18-07 | 04:40 PM
#4
Mad bike riding scientist
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 29,149
Likes: 6,206
From: Denver, CO
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Since I'm in the process of building a tourer, I've been looking at cranksets.
I've been concentrating on square-taper, since I don't really trust the octalink v1 for touring applications, but I've started to wonder about the most recent Shimano stuff, with the integrated axle/spider, and external bearings. That sounds like it could be a winning combination from a touring perspective.
What do people think?
I've been concentrating on square-taper, since I don't really trust the octalink v1 for touring applications, but I've started to wonder about the most recent Shimano stuff, with the integrated axle/spider, and external bearings. That sounds like it could be a winning combination from a touring perspective.
What do people think?
Look at the Shimano Trekking cranks. A little expensive but very nice.
There really isn't any problem I've ever had with the Octalink/ISIS bottom brackets. I've been using them for 6 or 7 years without issue on many bikes. The Shimano LX trekking crank sold by Nashbar is a real bargain even with a new bottom bracket.
__________________
Stuart Black
Dreamin' of Bemidji Down the Mississippi (in part)
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Dreamin' of Bemidji Down the Mississippi (in part)
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
07-18-07 | 06:09 PM
#5
domestique
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,005
Likes: 1
From: off the back
The Octalink BB is a solution in search of a problem. Nothing wrong with the square taper BB's Shimano used to sell. Anyway, either one works fine. Find a good deal on a crank and buy the corresponding BB. The Octalink BB's seem to be more expensive at most places. Like I said, both work fine.
07-18-07 | 06:57 PM
#6
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 912
Likes: 1
From: Mid-Atlantic
Bikes: A bunch
Octalink is fine, so is old school square taper. Sugino makes a nice touring triple that uses square taper, RaceFace also makes nice touring cranks (I have a bike with the Turbine) , as do Shimano (and the touring LX seems like an especially good deal). You won't be replacing a bottom bracket very often no matter what brand or type you use. They are inherently long-life components, like most headsets are. Pick one you like that has the chainrings you like.
