Quest for the perfect cranks

Submitted by kino on Aug 7 2010 5:39pm

Drivetrain

So, here I am, thinking on my next cranks for polo.

I'd say there are two kinds of drivetrain setup, mtb or road/track spaced bikes.

mtb has more options on single ring setups with small chainrings, 170mm being common, strong cranks, on the heavy side, big q factor, difficult to get in 165.

120/126 spaced bikes with a chainline of 42, sugino xd come in 165 or 170, 110 spaced so 34 the smallest, strange hole under the crank arm which makes a difficult job to tighten a jumpy bolt.

So we come to the point.... the 3 32 chainrings, 110 bcd do not stand the hits polo can give, neither the suginos, i have the impression my crank is slightly bent.

Bashguard may be an option, we have also the pologuard, but that does not solve the crank problem. For me something similar to the suginos but stronger, not much heavier if possible would be the best, 170 mm.

Any recomendation?

white industries makes a killer crank, but on 200$ it's on the expensive side. And i don't know how the chainline would be with a 42.5 hub.

68mm

34-20 or 37 - 22 gear.

thank you and i hope this thread is usefull for more people

jonny

Madison

this answer is easy. Profile racing, it isn't even a competition for what cranks work best. These cranks are bomb proof and work perfect for polo.

kino

but...expensive right? Race cranks seems to be bolt, and those bolts give problems, then if you want a 3 32 drive, you need this outer bearing 110 bcd...

the spindle and the cranks only go for... let's say all together you dont spend less than 200$

Are there really no other strong, lighter, cheaper option?

I mean, nobody made special cranks for polo, strong, durable, decent q factor and with 42-44 mm chainline...

I am really looking into this profile cranks ... if they werent so expensive....

EDIT: 285.90 No boss crank, outboard bearing with 110 spline drive. That's a expensive piece of meat!

jonny

Madison

you can find them cheaper on ebay or craigslist. I would say that the spindle on the profile cranks are the main advantage. You just don't get that anywhere else. Square taper cranks will always be a problem with polo.

jason f-off

Seattle

a little pricey...but you will not be let down by profile! stuff is bombproof...and oh so pretty. spline drive + no boss cranks + outboard bearing is THE legit polo crank...couple that with a white industries trials freewhweel and an izumi super toughness chain and you are ready for the polo apocalypse.

drizz

Seattle

I know their product is relatively new, but does anyone have experience with eighth inch splined cranks? I saw them at their tent in madison and am considering the upgrade.

---------------------------
carve. smash. eat shit.

teflonsean

NYC

I've heard they are the production profiles that come on complete bikes, made in taiwan, and just re branded. I have friends that ride them and have ridden them briefly and they feel just like profiles.

SKID ROW // ACT LIKE YOU
http://www.skidphoto.com

plowdozer

Minneapolis Hardcourt Bike Polo

I just ordered some of these, cant wait to try them out!
Ill do a write up when they arrive.

Mom was a plow; dad, a bulldozer... duh.

MinneaPOLOgasm -----------[] ((((O

teflonsean

NYC

Demolition medials all the way! I like these over the profiles because nicer to the inside of your ankles.

SKID ROW // ACT LIKE YOU
http://www.skidphoto.com

matx2

Olympia Hardcourt

Soooo. I'm looking to get out of the square taper league but am having trouble finding splined cranks and BB for track spaced bikes. Currently have a 107 BB and the chain lines next to perfect. Anyone know of splined cranks for around 43mm chainline that can take low ratio polo??

My current gear is 38 up front, 23 back, and it works nice. So anything 130BCD and down would work.

Thanks y'alls.
-mat

#10

beezleboss

Profile Cranks are good but the center spline on the spider always wears out and you end up with play in the drive train. The Demolition cranks are better but the spindle bolts always come loose even with locktite.
Also if you need to make a quick gear change or any other crank removal action you need the tool to get the arms off (pain in the ass for all the money spent)

So with that info I went with the Primo Pro 165's with the stock spindle (No Ti on the polo rig) so I don't need a tool to remove the crank, They never come loose as they have pinch bolts, The spindle is a larger diameter for strength.
The stock bottom bracket is just as smooth as the mentions above. and and the whole set up is a bit cheaper which is a plus for me. Also they are lighter then the others.

The only draw back is they can and will chew up the ankles a bit if not paying attention.

my 2 cents

#11

ilikegum

I'm curious about the ankle thing. What do you mean?

#12

teflonsean

NYC

bmx cranks tend hit the medial bone in your ankle, thats why i like the demolitions over the profiles. the demos chew you up less.

SKID ROW // ACT LIKE YOU
http://www.skidphoto.com

#13

youknowwhat4q

http://www.amazon.com/16-Pedal-Extenders-Pair-Black/dp/B000QDGJVU
+BMX cranks=No busted ankles.

#14

jason f-off

Seattle

profile all day long...get the no-boss arms, spline drive crank (no play, no bolts, full power transfer) with the outboard bearing kit...I don't think there's a better polo drivetrain...

#15

matx2

Olympia Hardcourt

but over $250 to get it going!? what. the. fuck.

#16

kino

medials only come on 175? still using a bolt which tends to unscrew?

really profiles are sooooooo expensive. And thinking of my customs....

#17

teflonsean

NYC

they come in 165s but they are harder to find

SKID ROW // ACT LIKE YOU
http://www.skidphoto.com

#18

polojoel

Twisting the spider off a set of Truvativs sold used to me by Doug circa 2008. This mechanical mishap occurred while playing on the grass, the second time playing following Germany.

Thusly I splurged on a fine set of pedal levers. I told myself they were the only 170s Freewheel had in stock and I needed to play on Thursday.

Hollow bottom bracket spline situation is a good one. If only I could manage to drop that much weight from my ass.

#19

kino

what about DMR Crisis, ISIS bb, but appart from that... http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=6237
or little bit cheaper http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=15362 ISIS bb again.

they look good don't they?

#20

Chillstar

COMOPOLO

this leads to the inevitable question: why doesn't MKE make a 104 4-bolt pologuard?

its all academic for me, but a worthy question nonetheless.

#21

Chillstar

COMOPOLO

ok i'm sold on the 2 piece ext. bb version of the dmr crank... anyone know where i can buy them in the states? BTI does not have them...

#22

kino

yeah, sounds right to me!

#23

timtim

Portland Bike Polo

you should get the gravity mega exo light, retails for $290, then you can run a double chain line, one for polo one for street!

Yo Dawg I heard you like redundancies so we got a PIN number for your PIN

#24

Tucker

Chicago

Before my Hammerschmidts, I was running Stylo 1.1 that came with a bashguard. I think they go for $153.00 retail with GXP Out Board bearings, power spline (no ISIS), self extracting bolt (so you can switch them out with other GXP's). At this point, most kids in Chicago have them, and they are all pretty happy with the performance. You need the GXP bb tool for the bearings, which isn't too pricey, but pays off when you don't have to deal with the shimano bb tool on a rusty bb bearing. The crank arm bolts themselves are 8mm.

MKE 05-06
CHI 07-Pres.

#25

Matt-Hewitt

Milwaukee

definitely not these.

www.mkebikepolo.com/wordpress

#26

timtim

Portland Bike Polo

So, I take it that you are not a fan of eighth(cheaply produced Chinese pot metal re brands) inch products? that seems kinda bikesnobish If you ask me! woot!

Yo Dawg I heard you like redundancies so we got a PIN number for your PIN

#27

plowdozer

Minneapolis Hardcourt Bike Polo

Just got my new eighthinch 170 mm splined cranks and 35T cog in the post yesterday. ($95 on eBay right now, incl BB)
http://www.eighthinch.com/splined_cranks.html
Forgot to order the tool, so instal will have to wait, but damn, they are burley.
I havnt held them up to compare to Profiles, but Im going to bet I couldnt break them if I tried.
At least not riding them with my 190 pounds.
So far, I give them a thumbs up. Good value/buck ratio.
Ill be running them on my All City Dropout, fixed 35/20, dual brakes
prob pick up a nice freewheel someday...

UPDATE:
These cranks are the shit! super firm feeling. An inexpensive alternative to Profiles. Fucking bombproof!

Mom was a plow; dad, a bulldozer... duh.

MinneaPOLOgasm -----------[] ((((O

#28

popluhv

Syracuse, NY

Those of you using the splined BMX cranks: are you riding fixed or free? I'm worried about developing play if I ride fixed with 'em.

#29

notquitealibrarian

Memphis

Fixed here on the eighth inch splined. They're holding up, but yeah, I've developed just a tad bit of play. Haven't had time to take 'em apart and re-do 'em. A friend of mine does fgfs stuff on 'em though, and theirs are holding up fine.

-Brett

#30

popluhv

Syracuse, NY

Hmm, "I've developed just a tad bit of play" ...scares me.

thanks

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