I lost my crankarm!!

[Needs Help]

The way I see it either the LBS or Shimano is responsible for the damage to your bike, and either way your LBS is going to replace the parts--the only question is who is going to get stuck with the bill: them or Shimano. The fact that they just put your crank back on and said, "not our fault" speaks volumes. From what I can tell, this is the second Serotta you've purchased from them, and an Ottott isn't some Trek they make $200 off. They have a huge mark up, and they treated you like that? They put you in a position to have to beg them to replace the damaged parts?

They're lucky you didn't go down and break a leg or worse and have doctor's bills and a whole frame to replace. I say tell them that...and in no uncertain terms. Personally, I would never deal with them again even if they do replace the parts.

[vaxn8r]

Spoke and Needs Help are correct. Any shop worth it's salt ought to stand up for both their work and the products they sell. Don't talk to a mechanic. Move right up to the manager...who you should be working with anyway on a purchase like that.

Personally I wouldn't force the issue. I'd let them know I expected them to replace parts. If they didn't, I'd move on to another shop for all my business. I know for a fact my lbs would stand behind their work. NO QUESTIONS ASKED. That's how their business multiplies, because you'll be happy, and keep referring to them, and vice-versa.

Here's an unrelated vignette about Cannondale. A guy out here in Oregon ordered some new Cannondale bike touring packs and went bike camping on the Oregon coast. At night, while he was asleep, racoons trashed the packs foraging for the food inside. He called Cannnondale who called my lbs (who had not even sold the original packs to him). Cannondale didn't ask the guy if there was food in the packs or if he left the packs open, they just told my lbs guy to replace them then and there. Didn't matter who was at fault. Replace 'em. That's stand-up behavior and it works cause I'm telling all you about it too.

[BumbleBeeDave]

I had always gotten the impression from what I saw on the forum that you WERE a bit cranky, but totally flying off the axle like this is just UN-acceptable!

Huh? What, Kevan? Oh, ALL right, I’ll reread the original post, but I’m SURE that I saw that-----Uuuuh. Oh. Un, never mind Sandy.

I’m very glad you’re OK!

BBDave

[Too Tall]

Snanady, seein' as you were takin a piss at the time I was guarding your bike not responsible for the world's problems. Sheesh.

You need to learn how to check your bike with a torque wrench. Not saying it is your fault OF COURSE NOT...but it will be your deal to check the bike and everyone needs to be able to do basic service. I have ALL the cute torque wrenches and fittings from snap on for you to play with. Write down the torque values for everything and bring it by sometime...I'll show you how it is done and than you can go spend some of that easy money on some tools. I charge one pocketful of red, green and blue cable crimps.

As for the crank. Hate to be a fly in the ointment, but I'd like to see that the crank arm receiver is undamaged. Splines are hard, no problem there. If they are fine than forget about the scuff mark...BFD. The pedal needs to be made right and than peace will reign in the planets and love will steer the stars.

[flydhest]

First, as TwoTall says, it's not your fault Sandy, but you should learn to check your bike. A quick "once over" before each ride can literally save your life. Paying attention while you're riding to how you bike feels can keep bad things from happening at the wrong time. The bike shop was at fault--that would be of little comfort to me if you had fallen in traffic and got seriously hurt or killed. I would have lost a friend and liability wouldn't matter to me at that point.

Second, I never go to that bike shop. They've treated me like crap the two times I've been in there, once when I was looking to buy my Serotta.

[jpw]

Umm, 1200 miles seems like more than would be required for an lbs goof to show itself. Of course it depends how hard you've been riding during this mileage. Twinkle toes spinning on the flat may have hidden it. A difficult situation. Quite impossible to pin it on the lbs, but if they value your custom they ought to be looking after you. Why not check the torque on the other cran... oh, is this the new DA? No,that wouldn't work, would it? Sorry, but i'm not familiar with the new DA. I was going to suggest you check the torque on the other crank. If it's less than the recommended NM you can be confident that the mechanic is at fault for the other crank.

I have to say that i can tell when my bikes are feeling 'odd' straight away. I stop immediately if somethng doesn't feel normal, even if it's a minor sensation. It's great to be old owl wise after the event, but it's important to listen both to your body and your bike when riding.

At least you live to fight another day. Irritating though. My deepest cycling sympathy.

[Jeff N.]

I am left with little doubt in my mind that your crank arm was installed with only the outside bolt holding on that crank arm. Whoever installed it neglected to torque down the two pincher bolts. He either got distracted...called to the phone or whatever...or just plane spaced it out. Or they just didn't know what the hell they were doing. The arm could've come off at anytime. That it took 1200 miles for it to do so is not that surprising. That one outside bolt could've held it that long, IMO.
1. Let that shop know that they're a lousy shop and that you'll NEVER do business with them again and that you intend to urge all your riding buddies to stay away as well....that is, if they continue to refuse to replace your crank arm.
2. Call Shimano in Irvine, CA and ask them how to go about special ordering a left crank arm for your Dura Ace-10.
3. Install it yourself. Your escapade supports why I let one, and ONLY one, person come toward my bikes with a tool in their hand: ME! Jeff N.

[Kevan]

then shoot (if needed).

Most shops like the owner to take a new bike out for a few hundred miles to stretch the cables, loosen what was supposedly tightened, and otherwise get a report back as to how everything's performing. If a shop doesn't offer this practice, or the customer neglects to follow the instruction then potential problems may arise. Could this been the issue?

Certainly a rider has to be in tune with how his bike is functioning. I had a situation with an older bike where the front derailleur was not functioning properly. I took it to the shop and they tuned it. Next weekend the same problem, I returned back to the shop complaining. Again, the shop checked "everything" out and reported it "health". It wasn't until the next weekend when the bb started to unscrew itself from the bb pipe and was completely removed and checked by the shop that we finally determined that it was the bb itself that was the culprit.

To this day I give my bike a once over before each ride and during, especially the bb.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . that the two small bolts were hand tightened but never torqued for some reason. If Dandy Sandy does not do a lot of standup sprinting then it doesn't surprise me the crank would take 1200 miles to work its way loose.

All part of the learning curve, Sandman . . . I'm just glad you OK, but I would have loved to have seen the look on your face when you held up your foot and realized what was going on!

BBDave

[Sandy]

Again, thanks for all the replys. I actually had the bike in before the mishaps, probably around 500 miles when I had the 10 speed cassette switched to another wheelset. They very quickly checked over the bike, but never looked at the crankarm. Spectrum Bob, knowing a good deal about bicycle mechanics, told me to ask them what force they use when they torque the bolts. The mechanic simply said that in the older cranks, they would adjust by feel. He replaced the cap, that does the alignment, and then simply tightened the other bolt mechanism without any torque wrench at any specified force, as far as I could determine.

I did not ask the shop for anything, since up to this point they have done a truly splendid job for me, especially in the purchasing of the bike.

Unless the crank design is faulty, which I would certainly not think, then it seems apparent, at least to me, that the crankarm was not adjusted and torqued properly, initially. The shop certainly had a chance to make whatever adjustments to the bike they wanted when I had the cassette changed.

Do most or even many shops use a torque wrench to tighten according to factory specs?

Riding with 2 crankarms lately,


Sandy

[MarinRider]

in a local race a month ago. Brand new Trek, Dura Ace 10. Dude was in the winning break of 10. On a power big ring roller, he almost fell into me. Left crank was off attached to his shoes.

FYI for what its worth.

[Sandy]

MarinRider,

Did he get hurt badly? Being in the big ring in a race could produce a horrendous accident in such a situation.

Sandy

[MarinRider]

I think...

Someone told me that he was up and walking. We did not linger since we were only 5 miles from the final climb to the finish line at the time.

[shinomaster]

Sandy. let me know if you want me to make you a ceramic crank arm. I can make it in any color you like good best buddy ...just let me know!!

[Too Tall]

Snanady, depends where you go. Some places live by it others incl. one I frequent eschew the notion claiming (and I loosely quote) "if you use the right tool you don't need a torque wrench". I'd NEVER assemble a new bike without it esp. first time torque of ISIS or carbon anything. Good for you standing by your shop. Make em' fix the pedal.