Which size crank?

mijlee

I made a schoolboy error this week and bought a new Hope BB without checking if it fitted my present crank. Turns out my present one, the FSA AlphaDrive that came with my Kona Cinder Cone is not suitable for Hollow Forge BBs. So I have decided to upgrade my crank and found this bargain at chain reaction http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=23307 but am unsure whether I buy a 170 or 175mm. Is this referring to the crank arm length? If so is longer generally better?

Thanks in advance

nicklouse

yes it is the length of the arm.
It also comes with the bearings.

mijlee

In the description it mentions “We offer a range of Hollow Forged cranksets from road to XC to heavy-duty Gravity products.” Surely this would suggest that the bearings are not included? And probably why there is a 60% reduction in price. Whichever it is still a bargain.

Can you see any reason why I wouldn’t get this crank? The reviews seem OK and for the money should do me fine for my relatively light use?

nicklouse

Features:
• Hollow-forged AL6061/T6 crankarms
• CNC alloy spider
• 24mm integrated CrMo spindle
• Alloy external bearing cups
• Oversized cartridge bearings
• 9 speed
• Chainrings: 22/32/44, 26/36/48t
• Lengths: 170, 175mm
• Q-Factor: 169mm
• BCD: 104/64mm
• Chainline: 50mm
• Gray anodized
• Weight: 870g (without BB)

it come with cups and bearings.

As do just about all External bearinged MTB cranksets.

tiggerlator

Features:
• Hollow-forged AL6061/T6 crankarms
• CNC alloy spider
• 24mm integrated CrMo spindle
• Alloy external bearing cups <

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• Oversized cartridge bearings <

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• 9 speed
• Chainrings: 22/32/44, 26/36/48t
• Lengths: 170, 175mm
• Q-Factor: 169mm
• BCD: 104/64mm
• Chainline: 50mm
• Gray anodized
• Weight: 870g (without BB)

As i have marked,it does seem to come with the bb.

You just beat me to it

mijlee

Thanks guys.

So I guess I still buy this crankset, but use the BB that comes with it as spare and fit the superior Hope BB?

Or should I bother looking for a crank that comes without the BB?

nicklouse

mijlee wrote:

Or should I bother looking for a crank that comes without the BB?

MTB ones come with the cups/bearings.

FSA do things differently to the other companies in that they have a number of different bearing sets for different cranks. so you may have to use parts from the FSA set up.

Dont forget to get the BB cups faced.

mijlee

nicklouse wrote:

Dont forget to get the BB cups faced.

Not sure what all of this means? This is the first time I have gotten into the whole external Hollow Tech system. So if I buy this set up my Hope BBs might not fit? Should I be looking at Deore XT instead? and then return my Hope BBs to get a refund?

Chaz.Harding

mijlee - the 'face' of the bottom bracket where the bearing cups will screw into often aren't perfectly paralell (sp..??). Which means that the bearings wont spin as freely, and eat themselves up MUCH faster.

So if you go to your LBS, and get them to face your BB, the bearings won't get so much of a beating, and they'll last longer, and spin more freely!

nicklouse

mijlee
have a look in the FAQs