View Full Version : Carbon Crank Longevity
rollsroyce
06-02-2009, 08:03 AM
I can't imagine this hasn't been discussed to great lengths here or elsewhere, and I've tried searching for old threads but maybe "longevity" isn't such a great search term so I'm finding nothing.
Pointing me to any past discussions would be appreciated, but...
Maybe I'm a a bit of a late adapter/skeptic, but I'm now getting around to thinking about buying a groupset with a carbon crank, in particular a Campy Chorus ultra torque set. Whats the word regarding the longetivity of these cranks? Do they have a significantly shorter life span (that I will experience during my time with this bike) than their alloy counter parts?
thanks in advance.
false_Aest
06-02-2009, 08:26 AM
Carbon-14 has a half life of 5730 years.
According to their website Campagnonononologognognogo® uses "full-carbon unidirectional-multidirectional" in their cranks.
IIRC*
Full-carbon = x
unidirectional = 2
multidirectional = y+1
So the longevity of your cranks is something like (5730/x) +2 (y+1)
Which, when you substitute random (logical) numbers, is like anywhere from 2 years to 50 bajillion-trillion-million.
Campagnonononologognognogo has summed this up nicely in their tagline, "Campagnonononologognognogo® components are designed to last."**
:beer:
TizzleT
*I failed Algebra 1 in 1995. Don't fault me for faulty faults.
** Campagnonononologonognogno® forgot to add the following "...designed to last--provided there's not a defekt. If there is, we'll probably replace the part for you. If we don't that's cause we don't like you--or you're French.
rollsroyce
06-02-2009, 08:53 AM
HA! Best unhelpful reply ever!
Carbon-14 has a half life of 5730 years.
According to their website Campagnonononologognognogo® uses "full-carbon unidirectional-multidirectional" in their cranks.
IIRC*
Full-carbon = x
unidirectional = 2
multidirectional = y+1
So the longevity of your cranks is something like (5730/x) +2 (y+1)
Which, when you substitute random (logical) numbers, is like anywhere from 2 years to 50 bajillion-trillion-million.
Campagnonononologognognogo has summed this up nicely in their tagline, "Campagnonononologognognogo® components are designed to last."**
:beer:
TizzleT
*I failed Algebra 1 in 1995. Don't fault me for faulty faults.
** Campagnonononologonognogno® forgot to add the following "...designed to last--provided there's not a defekt. If there is, we'll probably replace the part for you. If we don't that's cause we don't like you--or you're French.
Carbon-14 has a half life of 5730 years.
According to their website Campagnonononologognognogo® uses "full-carbon unidirectional-multidirectional" in their cranks.
IIRC*
Full-carbon = x
unidirectional = 2
multidirectional = y+1
So the longevity of your cranks is something like (5730/x) +2 (y+1)
Which, when you substitute random (logical) numbers, is like anywhere from 2 years to 50 bajillion-trillion-million.
Campagnonononologognognogo has summed this up nicely in their tagline, "Campagnonononologognognogo® components are designed to last."**
:beer:
TizzleT
*I failed Algebra 1 in 1995. Don't fault me for faulty faults.
** Campagnonononologonognogno® forgot to add the following "...designed to last--provided there's not a defekt. If there is, we'll probably replace the part for you. If we don't that's cause we don't like you--or you're French.
Classic!!! :D
The real answer is (a) nobody knows, but (b) campagnolo carbon cranks preceeded the UT design so it's at least clear that there are plenty of 4-5 year old cranksets out there that haven't fallen apart just because they acquired some scuffing on the bottom of the crank arm from the occasional tight corner or what have you. I've got two years on a pre-UT chorus carbon crank on my main road bike -- still looks nearly new and, importantly, the crank arm logos are holding up really well.
The real answer is (a) nobody knows, ......That would be my vote. I’m not sure that the service life of carbon cranks can be estimated with any accuracy.
In March I saw a rider go down due to a carbon crank failure – fortunately he wasn’t seriously hurt. He isn’t that big and the equipment was fairly new. I’m not sure why it would fail so quickly unless he over tightened the pedal or hit the pedal on something solid to over stress the crank.
That would be my vote. I’m not sure that the service life of carbon cranks can be estimated with any accuracy.
In March I saw a rider go down due to a carbon crank failure – fortunately he wasn’t seriously hurt. He isn’t that big and the equipment was fairly new. I’m not sure why it would fail so quickly unless he over tightened the pedal or hit the pedal on something solid to over stress the crank.
This is interesting. Could you describe exactly what you saw? How did the rider go down? Did the carbon crank break? if so, where? near the pedal? along the crankarm? One of the spiders break? more details are needed to get a better understanding as to what caused the "failure." Thanks!
This is interesting. Could you describe exactly what you saw? How did the rider go down? Did the carbon crank break? if so, where? near the pedal? along the crankarm? One of the spiders break? more details are needed to get a better understanding as to what caused the "failure." Thanks!The metal insert broke in half. Part remained in the carbon arm and the rest remained on the pedal axle.
How did the rider go down? Hard; but could have been worse. He was going relatively slow up a hill at the time.
I had a first generation SRM FSA carbon crank that failed after a little less then 2 years.
The left crank arm developed play in the area where it connects to the bottom bracket.
SRM's stands behind their product. Under warranty they replace the complete crank for current style which is reinforced in the area where mine failed.
Prior to SRM, rode Campi Record for a few years, sold it to a friend about 4 years ago,and he still rides it 5 times per week with no issues.
Gal
false_Aest
06-03-2009, 10:02 AM
I think there's probably enough history of carbon cranks to get rid of a lot of the design eff-ups. Now we're probably just subject to things like "a bad batch" or the occasional lemon.
Part of your answer lies in how you're gonna ride these things. Are you just gonna stare at them or is this one of 15 bikes that you ride? If so, the cranks might last forever. Are they on your one and only bike--the one that you race and crash on, the one that you take into the shower with you, the one that you sleep with, the one that you tell your darkest dirtiest secrets to? If so your cranks might just divorce you.
Then, you might get a bitchin pair of cranks ones made to withstand the abuse seen in prison yards and cock fights. Or you might accidentally get the more sensitive artist type cranks that need to be coddled and wooed and would cry at the sight of a 8% grade or a squirrel decapitated by a ksyrium spoke.
----
Karin Kirk
06-03-2009, 02:38 PM
Then, you might get a bitchin pair of cranks ones made to withstand the abuse seen in prison yards and cock fights. Or you might accidentally get the more sensitive artist type cranks that need to be coddled and wooed and would cry at the sight of a 8% grade or a squirrel decapitated by a ksyrium spoke.
----
that's fabulous!
Just the kind of humor and wittiness I came looking for here today, thanks :)
I've seen alloy cranks fail. all cheap ones but they failed.
that said, I don't have carbon cranks on my bike. I think they, coupled with the ti spindles on my speedplays would be asking for it.
false_Aest
06-03-2009, 05:40 PM
that's fabulous!
Just the kind of humor and wittiness I came looking for here today, thanks :)
I'm single!
Karin Kirk
06-03-2009, 07:47 PM
I'm single!
I'll tell all my single girlfriends!
"there's this witty guy on the internet, I think you'll really like him..."
false_Aest
06-04-2009, 07:30 AM
You're the best K.K
dannyg1
06-07-2009, 10:37 PM
So what's the half-life of epoxy? Anyone from Boston care to chime in.......?
Carbon-14 has a half life of 5730 years.
According to their website Campagnonononologognognogo® uses "full-carbon unidirectional-multidirectional" in their cranks.
IIRC*
Full-carbon = x
unidirectional = 2
multidirectional = y+1
So the longevity of your cranks is something like (5730/x) +2 (y+1)
Which, when you substitute random (logical) numbers, is like anywhere from 2 years to 50 bajillion-trillion-million.
Campagnonononologognognogo has summed this up nicely in their tagline, "Campagnonononologognognogo® components are designed to last."**
:beer:
TizzleT
*I failed Algebra 1 in 1995. Don't fault me for faulty faults.
** Campagnonononologonognogno® forgot to add the following "...designed to last--provided there's not a defekt. If there is, we'll probably replace the part for you. If we don't that's cause we don't like you--or you're French.
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