Just Ridin’ Along…

[Corduroyboy]

Went out for a quick spin this evening.
Lights - check. Hi-viz - check. Longs, winter jacket, snood (thanks @raidan73 ) - check.
Get to the bottom of a slight hill and stand on the pedals to power up to the top. A few turns and it feels suddenly like my left foot has slipped off the pedal. Try to re-engage but can’t. Look down to find there is no pedal:

 

[BerthaPog]

Ouch. I’ve only had cranks fail at the ends, not midway.

 

[mk one]

Went out for a quick spin this evening.
Lights - check. Hi-viz - check. Longs, winter jacket, snood (thanks @raidan) - check.
Get to the bottom of a slight hill and stand on the pedals to power up to the top. A few turns and it feels suddenly like my left foot has slipped off the pedal. Try to re-engage but can’t. Look down to find there is no pedal:

Too strong

Going to check mine now for cracks

 

[Corduroyboy]

Ouch. I’ve only had cranks fail at the ends, not midway.

Could have been! Thankfully I stayed on the bike and there was no traffic around. Didn’t slice my calf muscle off either, so can’t feel too sorry for myself. First crank failure . Too much Baileys and too many mince pies, I suppose.

 

[KermitGKona88]

I had EXACTLY the same thing happen to mine.

 

[magas]

good to know that my Syncros anni cranks are sitting in the vitrine

lucky you that this does not happen while riding and pedalling hard.

 

[vtwinvince]

Hmmm, that's disturbing. I haven't had any failures yet. Are those Crank-O-Matics?

 

[Lucidone]

Super scary, glad it wasn't more serious.
Can't see too clearly but it looks like fatigue failure striations with the engraving for the 'o' creating a stress raiser?
Nice example photo: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatigue_(material)

 

[Imlach]

I find that just about every Syncros component fails quite dramatically. The Cattlehead is particularly prone to that, wasn't sure of cranks, as I've never had any Syncros ones. I don't really consider old Syncros proper ride worthy anymore, great for show bikes but I'd pick a retro Shimano/Sugino crank over Syncros anytime

 

[narcotitlan]

Glad you didn’t get hurt, not nice.

I had that happen to me about 15 years ago riding an old road bike in east London, was crossing Dalston junction and SNAP! Lost control and skidded along the tarmac on my hip, narrowly missed by a car. The cranks were Ofmega, and a friend had the same thing happen with the same brand. I guess they were 30 year old aluminium but even so.

Edit: I still ride retro Suntour and Shimano cranks on my daily commuter and other bikes, no probs yet, touch wood - eek!