I have a strange bicycle that I am struggling to find cranks for

[bicycletricycle]

TLDR-

I got a sycip monstercross/touring/travel bike built almost 20 years ago. It has some interesting specs. 145mm spaced sub 11 track dropouts with derailleur hanger welded on, S&S couplers, 29 x 2.2 tire clearance, 68mm BB shell. I am about to send it back to Jeremy for some updates (disc brakes, thru axles). I have run it with some old race face turbine square taper cranks for a lot of its life but I am looking for a replacement. I end up pulling the cranks off when packing so I want to change over to a shimano pinch bolt 24mm style external bearing crank.

The point-

Looking for a crank with these attributes
-50mm ish chainline double
-Non proprietary Chainrings
-Narrow-ish mountain Q factor (165mm)
-Easy to remove cranks arms with small allen wrenches (24mm pinchbolt style preferred)

So far the 10 and 11 speed mountain double cranks from shimano seem to fit the bill except for some of the strange chainrings and slightly wider Q.

anything else?

[p nut]

Shimano is probably your best bet. SRAM needs 8mm Allen to remove (not sure if you’d consider that a “small” hex key). Of course, the BCD could be considered proprietary.

9100-2 double has a 49mm chain line and 162mm Q factor.
9000-2 has even a narrower Q factor of 158.

[bicycletricycle]

I don't see any aftermarket support for that assym 4 bolt BCD on the XTR. I would also want a bigger big ring.

Thanks for the suggestions though, those 9000 cranks are nice.

What a pain.

Shimano is probably your best bet. SRAM needs 8mm Allen to remove (not sure if you’d consider that a “small” hex key). Of course, the BCD could be considered proprietary.

9100-2 double has a 49mm chain line and 162mm Q factor.
9000-2 has even a narrower Q factor of 158.

[p nut]

I don't see any aftermarket support for that assym 4 bolt BCD on the XTR. I would also want a bigger big ring.

Thanks for the suggestions though, those 9000 cranks are nice.

What a pain.

Yeah, sorry. I thought you were good with the Shimano bcd but I misread your original post.

I can’t think of any crank that fits all criteria.

I really think a unique bike like that would look best with something like a WI VBC cranks! But I can see ST BB not being the best for a travel bike if you’re taking off cranks every time.

What about a Sram GX1000? Not sure on q factor. 49mm chainline and 104/64 Standard rings.

https://www.sram.com/en/sram/models/fc-gx-1012-a1

Good luck.

[bicycletricycle]

The WI cranks are nice. I have not used them and I don't know how well that spindle would hold up to repeated disassembly. I guess WI will support that VBC chainring set up for a while. They are also a little wide @ 176 but they have the gravel available @ 171

I was looking at the 9100 xtr cranks, maybe I could make a spider for it so that it can take normal rings.

Yeah, sorry. I thought you were good with the Shimano bcd but I misread your original post.

I can’t think of any crank that fits all criteria.

I really think a unique bike like that would look best with something like a WI VBC cranks! But I can see ST BB not being the best for a travel bike if you’re taking off cranks every time.

What about a Sram GX1000? Not sure on q factor. 49mm chainline and 104/64 Standard rings.

https://www.sram.com/en/sram/models/fc-gx-1012-a1

Good luck.

[Bentley]

The WI cranks are nice. I have not used them and I don't know how well that spindle would hold up to repeated disassembly. I guess WI will support that VBC chainring set up for a while. They are also a little wide @ 176 but they have the gravel available @ 171

I was looking at the 9100 xtr cranks, maybe I could make a spider for it so that it can take normal rings.

If you make a new spider my guess is you could sell a bunch to adapt to either a 110 or 130 BCD Shimano compatible chainring ������

[ColonelJLloyd]

I would suggest older SRAM/Truvativ XO arms (166mm Q) which use the removable spider, but I recall you have a beef with GXP.

You don't mention what rings you'd be after, but 42/28 and 39/26 are available with the native XO 120/80 spider.

[JAGI410]

You mention "repeated disassembly".

Why? Are you burning through chainrings weekly?

[p nut]

You mention "repeated disassembly".

Why? Are you burning through chainrings weekly?

He’s using it as a travel bike.

[truth]

Could you run an XTR M970 with just the two outer rings? TA makes replacements rings for these: TA Chinook (https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/ta-chainrings.php#chinook9)

[charliedid]

He’s using it as a travel bike.

I'm still curious why the cranks get removed.

[p nut]

I'm still curious why the cranks get removed.

https://youtu.be/Ml5ZsuEdqOY

[AngryScientist]

i guess BT's bike is a lot bigger than mine, and the 142 rear certainly complicates things, but i've traveled with my S&S bike extensively and never even considered pulling the crank to pack the bike.

Are you sure you will need to remove it all the time?

[buddybikes]

In case you are interested (and believe live "down the road" from you in RI) I have XTR 960 (think) triple in 177.5 that will gladly get out of the shed cheaply so I don't have to box them up. Live just south of Providence

[charliedid]

https://youtu.be/Ml5ZsuEdqOY

Ah yes thanks.

Looks like a huge PITA :)

[TheseGoTo11]

The XTR M985 has 44 or 42 big ring options mated to a 30 inner. You might also make do with an M980 using just the outer and middle. Blackspire makes a range of aftermarket rings specifically for the crankset that I’ve had good experience with. They come in a wider range of tooth counts than the Shimano rings, too. I don’t recall the Q factor on these, put pretty sure it’s narrower than the XT and lower MTB range cranks from the same generation.

I’ve long fancied an M980 for my monster cross, but haven’t come across one at the right price/condition.

[p nut]

Ah yes thanks.

Looks like a huge PITA :)

Definitely. It’s no wonder why bicycletricycle is looking for a crankset that will remove easier to make the process a little less painful.

Either way, I’d not want to do this personally. Rather get a brompton. Although that has its own issues.

[rccardr]

IRD Lobo. 110/74 BCD, fits 68 or 73mm BB's. External bearing, pinch bolts on NDS. Pretty sure the Q is in your ballpark.

[JAGI410]

https://youtu.be/Ml5ZsuEdqOY

*hugs Brompton*

[bicycletricycle]

The bike is on the big side and the wide rear triangle makes packing it a tight fit. I also use a soft bag a lot and like to take the drive crank off to keep the chainrings from stabbing the bag.


i guess BT's bike is a lot bigger than mine, and the 142 rear certainly complicates things, but i've traveled with my S&S bike extensively and never even considered pulling the crank to pack the bike.

Are you sure you will need to remove it all the time?

[bicycletricycle]

I purchased a brompton and found it annoying and slow, fun for riding around the city but that was about it. I have a bike friday world tourist that I like better for that.

Definitely. It’s no wonder why bicycletricycle is looking for a crankset that will remove easier to make the process a little less painful.

Either way, I’d not want to do this personally. Rather get a brompton. Although that has its own issues.

[bicycletricycle]

I wonder how well that would do. I have no idea why they havn't made one. I would make a rener herse 3 bolt or maybe a 96mm 5 bolt. A 110mm one would be nice.

If you make a new spider my guess is you could sell a bunch to adapt to either a 110 or 130 BCD Shimano compatible chainring ������

[verbs4us]

Have you looked at the range of TA cranks? They have a wide diversity of set-ups, and rings in one-tooth increments. Peter White (https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/carmina.php) in new Hampshire is an importer, and I think Steve Bilenky (https://www.bilenky.com) in Philly can get you anything TA builds. Ain't cheap, but well made.

[bicycletricycle]

I have a variety of TA cranks. They are all square taper right?

Have you looked at the range of TA cranks? They have a wide diversity of set-ups, and rings in one-tooth increments. Peter White (https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/carmina.php) in new Hampshire is an importer, and I think Steve Bilenky (https://www.bilenky.com) in Philly can get you anything TA builds. Ain't cheap, but well made.

[donevwil]

I have a variety of TA cranks. They are all square taper right?

There is the TA Horizon (https://specialites-ta.com/recherche?controller=search&s=horizon), either direct mount rings or a spider. No idea where one would source it domestically, but it's on my radar since it comes in 180 and appears travel bike friendly.

[d_douglas]

We need a photo of this Sycip!

[bicycletricycle]

There is the TA Horizon (https://specialites-ta.com/recherche?controller=search&s=horizon), either direct mount rings or a spider. No idea where one would source it domestically, but it's on my radar since it comes in 180 and appears travel bike friendly.

those look interesting. I wonder if Peter White will import them.

[donevwil]

those look interesting. I wonder if Peter White will import them.

Worth asking.

Check out the instruction sheet (https://specialites-ta.com/index.php?controller=attachment&id_attachment=88).

[bicycletricycle]

I hope that drive side interface is tapered. I don't think it is though. I guess you just bottom out the splines and hope they were cut precisely.

Worth asking.

Check out the instruction sheet (https://specialites-ta.com/index.php?controller=attachment&id_attachment=88).

[bicycletricycle]

It is a mess right now.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49949042946_240c8c594c_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2j6PUgC)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2j6PUgC) by bicycletricycle666 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/24583601@N08/), on Flickr

We need a photo of this Sycip!

[TheseGoTo11]

I like the possibilities of that rig! Looks like a fun project.