Sometimes you need to install a new bicycle crank, and it is not something you can necessarily do immediately or even quickly. Often you do not have the correct crank tool at hand. Different people would approach this in different ways. Some people would whack away at the crank with whatever is at hand – a brick, a claw hammer, a rock – until they manage to remove it – likely in pieces. A person like this – I will call her Impatient Imogene - would likely stick in any old crank she could find, just so she could get the bike out there quickly. There is risk of injury or damage with this approach; in fact the frame might be so damaged that even a professional could not properly repair it. If other people become aware of this, they are not going to be likely to trust Imogene to look at their bikes. Other people are conscious of these risks so would approach this circumstance with more caution. A more cautious person might spend a lot of time considering the sources for purchasing a crank tool, eventually making a purchase decision. Even after procuring a tool, this more deliberate person might continue to assess other available tools. If she bought a Park ® brand tool, she might replacing that crank tool with a Pedros ® tool instead because those usually have yellow handles (instead of the blue used by Park ®). Once the tool decision is deemed final, this person might launch a more thorough investigation of replacement cranks. After all, there are one, two, or three-ring options and a variety of chainring tooth combinations exist. Assuming the frame is not proprietary, there are several types of bottom brackets to consider, too, assuming this is being replaced along with the crank. (And whether or not to replace the bottom bracket might be another thing to assess.) This person – I will call her Deliberate Dana - unlike Impatient Imogene above, is less likely to have injury or damage. Dana is also unlikely to get her bike in working order during the same calender year she began the repair. I have a one advantage over both Dana and Imogene – I would have already picked out a replacement crank before I even thought about removing the current one. I would usually chose from among a limited number of alternatives but I do stay aware of the newer options – like compact (50 tooth) big rings when they first came out and the Sram ® single ring with huge cassette option. For the most part, however, I tend to use double cranks – over the years in different terrain, these have served me well, and there is flexibility through changing the cassette. I would pick the chainring teeth, again from a limited number of preferred options, based on the riding I plan to do on the bike in question. I probably have the correct tool at hand now since I have about 5 different ones from going through this. But, in the past, when this was not the case, and when I lived in small towns without large bicycle shops, I knew where I could order a tool online for priority mail delivery – same day shipping if ordered by 3 central time – so I paid a minimum for shipping and had the tool within about 2 days. I have used both Park ® and Pedros ® tools and even other brands so I would probably simply buy the one that cost the least (or would be sent the soonest, if this was an issue). I can usually tell by the photograph if the tool looks sturdy enough and I have had almost no tools break during use in about 12 years of working on bikes other than plastic tire levers. While I waited for my mail order tool, I would do everything else I could on the bike to get it ready. Once I had the tool, even assuming that nothing ever goes as fast as you want it to, I would make the crank replacement. Most likely, I would be riding the bike within 3-4 days, no more than a week, of starting the repair. Before I took the bike out, I would double check all of the bolts and use one of two torque wrenches I obtained for quality control/safety to make certain the job was done correctly. I might find that I needed to do a little fine-tuning – but I would be satisfied, and the bike would be essentially functional, safe, and do the job of getting me out there.
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7/26/2022 07:02:37 am
The design, inspired by the racing world, gives the roller cabinet a unique style. The RSC24/6 is also available in 7 different colours and can be customised thanks to the wide range of accessories available.
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AuthorI am Sheryl L. Chatfield, Ph.D, C.T.R.S. I am a member of the faculty in the College of Public Health at Kent State University. I also Co-coordinate the Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research and I am a member of the Design Innovation Team at Kent State. Archives
February 2024
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