Replacing the crankset and BB on a fixie
loz_the_guru
Posts: 33
Hi all,
I bought a 10 year old Specialized Langster fixed gear bike as something to nip in and out of town on, as well as the occasional commute. It needed a fair bit of work, most of which I've done but I still have a clicking/creaking from the BB area. I'd like to have a go at replacing this and have already started.
Unfortunately the crank arms were on very tight. I initially couldn't get them off at all, and stripped the thread using my crank puller to do so. After soaking for a week, trying a 3 jaw gear pulley and eventually cycling up a hill without the bolts in I've managed to get them off.
My question is - will I have damaged the crank arms by cycling them without the bolts in place to the point I'd need to replace them? And if so does it need to be a fixie specific crankset, or will a single speed from a road bike or mtb suffice?
Thanks!
Edit: I should also say its a square taper BB, but presumably I could pop something newer in?
I bought a 10 year old Specialized Langster fixed gear bike as something to nip in and out of town on, as well as the occasional commute. It needed a fair bit of work, most of which I've done but I still have a clicking/creaking from the BB area. I'd like to have a go at replacing this and have already started.
Unfortunately the crank arms were on very tight. I initially couldn't get them off at all, and stripped the thread using my crank puller to do so. After soaking for a week, trying a 3 jaw gear pulley and eventually cycling up a hill without the bolts in I've managed to get them off.
My question is - will I have damaged the crank arms by cycling them without the bolts in place to the point I'd need to replace them? And if so does it need to be a fixie specific crankset, or will a single speed from a road bike or mtb suffice?
Thanks!
Edit: I should also say its a square taper BB, but presumably I could pop something newer in?
0
Posts
any bb, any cranks, ss specific 'ring to match the chain. use the old one.
De Sisti wrote:
This is one of the silliest threads I've come across.
Recognition at last Matthew, well done!, a justified honour
De Sisti wrote:
This is one of the silliest threads I've come across.
Recognition at last Matthew, well done!, a justified honour
‘Fixie specific’ and ‘single speed’ are effectively the same thing. Not to be confused with a 1x road or mtb chainset, which will likely require an external bb and end up giving you a different chain line.
Talking of chain line, if you are re-using the chainset, you will need a bb with the correct axle length and taper. Assuming the bb was actually the problem in the first place..
Square taper cartridge BB are usually bombproof and can outlive external bearings quite happily for years.
If this is your bike https://www.thebikelist.co.uk/specializ ... ster--2009
Then it's probably a Sealed cartridge, square taper, 68mm x 103mm and you can pick these up for less than £20. Providing you already have the tools to service this then it is a no brainer but you can get the BB tool for around a fiver online.