fastpedaller
Dirt Disciple
Can I ask... What was disappointing about the 160mm chainset from Spa?
I need shorter cranks, but by how much?? (155mm vs 160mm)
- Thread starter Ugo51
- Start date
Ugo51
Retro Guru
To be honest, the main disappointment was Spa itself, I spoke with them over the phone a couple of times and they have been quite rude to me.
About the crank itself, the quality was quite low, but so was the price, so no problem with that.
The real issue was that removing the inner chainring bolts caused the thread to strip off!
The bolts were extrenely tight, and something felt wrong when, after the first finally loosened, friction didn't decrease much, as if there was a very strong thread locker applied (which was not).
I called Spa to make sure they were happy with me going ahead and fully removing the bolts, even if I warned them I would probably end up stripping them, and they were. They told me some of those pre-assembled cranks are assembled with the bolts way too tight, and to just go ahead.
I did, and it was a murder. 5 out of 5 threads stripped. The alluminium of the body just came off together with the bolts.
I don't think they were just too tight, it's as if the bolts with the wrong thread pitch were screwed into the crank. It was a real shame seeing a new crank ruined like that...
Given it was so cheap, not to mention the only 160mm on the market, I thought to keep it just to try what a 160mm feels like, but then, to what avail? I wouldn't have been able to fit a new chainring. So, the chainset is on its way back.
About the crank itself, the quality was quite low, but so was the price, so no problem with that.
The real issue was that removing the inner chainring bolts caused the thread to strip off!
The bolts were extrenely tight, and something felt wrong when, after the first finally loosened, friction didn't decrease much, as if there was a very strong thread locker applied (which was not).
I called Spa to make sure they were happy with me going ahead and fully removing the bolts, even if I warned them I would probably end up stripping them, and they were. They told me some of those pre-assembled cranks are assembled with the bolts way too tight, and to just go ahead.
I did, and it was a murder. 5 out of 5 threads stripped. The alluminium of the body just came off together with the bolts.
I don't think they were just too tight, it's as if the bolts with the wrong thread pitch were screwed into the crank. It was a real shame seeing a new crank ruined like that...
Given it was so cheap, not to mention the only 160mm on the market, I thought to keep it just to try what a 160mm feels like, but then, to what avail? I wouldn't have been able to fit a new chainring. So, the chainset is on its way back.
fastpedaller
Dirt Disciple
Ha Ha, you must have spoken with the owner John - He's 'old school' and Yorkshire, known for his lack of bedside manner, but just give as good as you get and he's ok - treat it as fun 
TBF most shops would invalidate the warranty if parts were removed, so fair play to Spa. Mine seemed good quality (bought 7 years ago), things may have changed? I did take my chainrings off, as I always grease threads, as indeed they were VERY tight, even the middle and outer ring. I'm glad I took them off when new, otherwise they'd have probably never come off in the future. I think it's the dry threads and 'overuse' of 'speed wrenches' these days. If I want new tyres on my car I take the wheel of and get it to the tyre place in another car, otherwise, the 'tyre fitting experts' destroy the threads on my wheel studs - 2 different places did it twice, so never again! getting back to Spa cranks the three sets I use have been great.
TBF most shops would invalidate the warranty if parts were removed, so fair play to Spa. Mine seemed good quality (bought 7 years ago), things may have changed? I did take my chainrings off, as I always grease threads, as indeed they were VERY tight, even the middle and outer ring. I'm glad I took them off when new, otherwise they'd have probably never come off in the future. I think it's the dry threads and 'overuse' of 'speed wrenches' these days. If I want new tyres on my car I take the wheel of and get it to the tyre place in another car, otherwise, the 'tyre fitting experts' destroy the threads on my wheel studs - 2 different places did it twice, so never again! getting back to Spa cranks the three sets I use have been great.
Ugo51
Retro Guru
hehe, yes, I did speak with John.
I understand he's a northener, and I didn't let it get to me at first, but during our last call he literelly hung up on me as we were speaking. Not cool.
Anyway, we can all have a bad day - it's all good.
Yes, fair play on them to take the crank back, although it was clearly faulty, so I wouldn't have expected anything less from them. And then I had called them just to make sure, so they had been warned
I hear nothing but good things about Spa, so I am sure it's just me having had a less than optimal experience. I'll see what they say about the crankset and take it from there
I understand he's a northener, and I didn't let it get to me at first, but during our last call he literelly hung up on me as we were speaking. Not cool.
Anyway, we can all have a bad day - it's all good.
Yes, fair play on them to take the crank back, although it was clearly faulty, so I wouldn't have expected anything less from them. And then I had called them just to make sure, so they had been warned
I hear nothing but good things about Spa, so I am sure it's just me having had a less than optimal experience. I'll see what they say about the crankset and take it from there
