Confessions of the Cranks

[buyagain]

I must confess that I a gave up trying remove the cranks. I brought the frame down to the LBS and asked them to do it. I'm so ashamed. Somebody please, someone, tell me I'm not the only one. Now I have to wait 2 or three days to get it back, whaaianiaaiaaaah!!!! This is so frustrating and embarrassing. They will be transferring said cranks and barrings to the TFT telescoping front tube for me too. The estimate is $30 to do it there.
Wonder what all the tools would have cost to do it myself. I thought a 14 mm socket wrench was really all that was required. Of course being very careful not to drop the berrings.

Regards

Bob C

 

[Doug Burton]

Bob,

Actually... you usually need a crank puller to remove the cranks and frequently a bottom bracket tool to remove the bottom bracket. At $30, it was a wash...

 

[buyagain]

So I'm not the only one who broke ranks and ran to the LBS for help. I must doubt how many folks out there have the tools you mentioned, Don. I have no idea what a "Crank Puller" or a "Bottom Bracket Tool" is. So I don't feel so bad after all. Maybe this will be the only time I'll have to resort to the Bike shop. As soon as I get finished I will try to document the "Avalon" conversion. Because I don't see any other account of the Avalon being used as a donor. As far as I can see its quite a good specimen to convert.

Regards.

Bob

 

[buyagain]

So I'm not the only one who broke ranks and ran to the LBS for help. I must doubt how many folks out there have the tools you mentioned, Don. I have no idea what a "Crank Puller" or a "Bottom Bracket Tool" is. So I don't feel so bad after all. Maybe this will be the only time I'll have to resort to the Bike shop. As soon as I get finished I will try to document the "Avalon" conversion. Because I don't see any other account of the Avalon being used as a donor. As far as I can see its quite a good specimen to convert.

Regards.

Bob
PS Progress report;
The wheels are on, both front and back and torqued.

 

[trapdoor2]

LOL

When I did my first conversion, I had the tools and still couldn't get the original BB completely apart. I took the bike to my LBS and left it overnight...they couldn't get it apart either~! Fortunately, it was just one of the BB cups, so it didn't interfere with my build or the ride.

Thankfully, you don't have to turn in your secret decoder ring if you ask for LBS support!

 

[defjack]

Get a good bicycle repair book a basic tool kit and cable cutter. Nash bar has a basic took kit for 49$ with a 20% cupon its only 40$. Do as much of your own work as you can.Also see if there is a bike Co-op they have all the tools and can teach you to do your own work. Jack

 

[PeterF]

Hi Bob,

I've just started my first conversion and I ran into the problem of removing the RHS botom bracket cup (got the rest out with no problem) and so resorted to my LBS.

They said it could take several hours and a special frame and tool to get it off as it was deliberately very tight and usually rattled on. I felt a bit better knowing that, although I don't understand why the bike manual just says "remove it counter clockwise" with no other hints about how difficult it really is!

So I have just left mine in place and bought a brand new one for the new installation for $3 and will find appropriate plugs for the old Bottom bracket hole.

Peter Fragar

 

[Atul]

Other confessions of the Cranks from Italy

Hi Bob ...

a couple of weeks ago I spill from the bike and bent chain ring and crank

Since the 160mm are difficult to fetch ( and expensive ) I tough to remove the 170 mm cranks from my old bike ( which I accompanied twice to the last trip to the scrap bin but never had the nerve to throw it in ) just to realise that I had already tried to disassembly them already once and unsuccessfully 10 years ago when I had my first love affair with recumbent ;

but 10 years do not pass by for nothing
This time I invested 8,5 E to buy the extractor tool to loose the cranks from the square axle of the bottom bracket which I did at no practical use for I find and ordered a spare from UK ;
the exercise was good anyway for I had chance to get my hand at it on the old bike and do a neat job on the crutz

Sadly enough I discovered today that the alleged air mail shipment from UK can take for delivery up to 25 working day :lol:

Anyway .... I do not complain for it is snowing, crutz is parked in the basement of the condo and I can commute with my citybike which I still prefer when the whether is challenging for is easier for me to protect myself from rain or snow with a poncho which is somewhat no so practical to wear pedalling a recumbent.

As far as removing the bottom bracket ... It can still take me 10 other years before I reach that point.
Despite 30 US$ was an honest price to have the job done I still prefer to buy tools and learn something for myself ... I am of the school " I am old enough to make a mess out of a mechanical job , I do no tneed a professional " and the spare will land in my hands sooner or later ( hopefully since I have already separated from 100 E on ordering )

Keep on pedalling and be curious and inquisitive, it is good enough medicine to counter the old german Althzaimer

All the best , waiting springtime

Atul Franco from snowy northern Italy