9 Speed Tiagra Crankset woes and options
Decided to replace my M540 pedals on my do-it-all bike as they are looking decidedly long in tooth and battered after a few offs and they get used a lot and in all weathers, feel a tad scratchy too but nothing too bad. When fitted they did have a generous amount of anti-seize applied but that was a while ago and I have been a bit remiss in removing/regreasing/replacing them. Anyway, easy job planned last night: replace the pedals, 5 minute job...which took an hour and still did not achieve the simple objective.
One pedal came off easy in a minute, the other was a complete and utter pig. After lot of grunting, application of some WD40, I managed to finally get it to rotate a few times but, after a few mm of travel, all progress was halted and it now won't go in either direction. Unfortunately I have the upper body strength of a Russian ballet dancer (the ones dressed as swans that is).
Hence, I am now looking at the next step. Popped into the LBS and a decent chap with big arms and a chunky allen key confirmed that it really wouldn't move and that something more substantial needs to be planned which means a workshop visit next week with the possibility that the NDS crank might be written off. Now, given the age (not sure what crankset it is but is is a compact 9 speed Tiagra so probably something like 4550) part of me says to just get the thing swapped out for a cost effective replacement but like for like seems a bit of a wasted opportunity to start the process of a long overdue overhaul.
Any ideas on what to do or what crankset to replace it with (shifters are 4501 on the left & 4500 on the right)?
I don't want to spend a lot, so have ruled out a brand new 5800 GS from Wiggle at only £280ish, then again...
One pedal came off easy in a minute, the other was a complete and utter pig. After lot of grunting, application of some WD40, I managed to finally get it to rotate a few times but, after a few mm of travel, all progress was halted and it now won't go in either direction. Unfortunately I have the upper body strength of a Russian ballet dancer (the ones dressed as swans that is).
Hence, I am now looking at the next step. Popped into the LBS and a decent chap with big arms and a chunky allen key confirmed that it really wouldn't move and that something more substantial needs to be planned which means a workshop visit next week with the possibility that the NDS crank might be written off. Now, given the age (not sure what crankset it is but is is a compact 9 speed Tiagra so probably something like 4550) part of me says to just get the thing swapped out for a cost effective replacement but like for like seems a bit of a wasted opportunity to start the process of a long overdue overhaul.
Any ideas on what to do or what crankset to replace it with (shifters are 4501 on the left & 4500 on the right)?
I don't want to spend a lot, so have ruled out a brand new 5800 GS from Wiggle at only £280ish, then again...
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I have a Tiagra 4500 standard crankset (53/39 IIRC) sitting in a box in the garage if you're interested??
I'm 60 next year and fitted a spinny friendly CX chainset instead
ETA: I see you can buy a brand new 4600 chainset for forty quid (Ribble), so with postage factored in we might struggle to agree a price to benefit both of us...
Unless I can wangle a business trip over to the west and meet up?
Might see if I can persuade my muscular, Strava obsessed son that he needs to replace his cheese-based FSA square taper compact jobbie with a real man's HT2 chainset. The rest of his drivetrain is Shimano, so it may be an easy bit of upselling.
Actually, thinking about it, he may also need the Tiagra brake calipers I now have lying around to replace the unbranded, probably Tektro ones on his Felt , then he'd have a fully Shimano groupset. Hmm, he gets paid in a fortnight; time to sow the seeds of doubt about his current equipment...
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Wouldnt a pedal spanner be better than a big allen key ? Longer so more leverage ?0
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My M540s come off every 6 months or so for a quick wipe and a fresh smear of copperslip. I've always been nervous relying on just an allen key. I much prefer pedals I can really swing on with my long pedal spanner, and have M520s on the winter bike for that reason alone.
On occasion I've still resorted to taking off the crankset and sticking the cranks in the workmate to get better / safer access with the hex socket.
If the threads do end up stripping, getting the crank helicoiled may still be your cheapest fix.
Hard to resist the lure of new, shiny stuff though...0 -
What's the bottom bracket, square taper? I've got a 10 yo Tiagra triple with no chainrings - 175mm from memory. You can have it if you want. (Bristol / South Wales collection preferred)0
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Thanks for the ideas chaps. Thing is, I can source a brand new 4700 crankset for as little as £40 so it might just be a case of accepting that this old crankset has given me my money's worth and it is time to replace it as an easy solution for now, and then buy a 4700 GS at some point (and resell the new crankset unused to get some of my money back).
The 4700 is compatible but I won't be able to partially replace other things (since 4500 and 4700 have different pull ratios) so it will be all or nothing after that.0 -
Well the 4700 crankset is a lot better looking than the 4600 was, so if they are only £40 too that's the obvious thing to do!
By all accounts the 4700 shifters / mechs are also a significant improvement over 46000 -
remove the pedal assembly from the spindle as if you were servicing the bearings.
Take the spikey bit to a large flat metal grinder/file to sand it down to a flat shape (the pedal is now a write off)
Put the now flattened spoke into a vice
Rotate crank arm as a lever and it should undo.
I had to do this when I shattered the Allen key slot on a pair of 5800 pedals and they have no spanner attachment0
