Left side tandem crankset on a bike. Bad idea?

[Ugo51]

Ah, that's good to know.
Do you really need the specific tool?

 

[Holiocornolio]

I think you do. The tool is quite cheap though If you look at the chainring bolt, the 'female' side is slotted, and the chainring tool is just designed to hold the slotted side of the bolt in position whilst you screw in the hex head. I don't know if you're allowed to post link but Spa call it a SHIMANO-Chainwheel-Peg-Spanner and it's a fiver. You could probably do the job of holding the bolt still with a screwdriver, but the proper tool has a 'tongue' which pushes into the back side of the bolt and stops it slipping out of the slot. Blimey that's a lot of inuendo for one post.

 

[hamster]

I've generally managed without the tool, but bought one when I came acoss a normal chainring bolt that had seized. Normally I stuff a 5.5mm allen key into the gap to hold things tight until friction kicks in.
The hidden bolt saves that all-important 20g of weight.

 

[Ugo51]

I think you do. The tool is quite cheap though If you look at the chainring bolt, the 'female' side is slotted, and the chainring tool is just designed to hold the slotted side of the bolt in position whilst you screw in the hex head. I don't know if you're allowed to post link but Spa call it a SHIMANO-Chainwheel-Peg-Spanner and it's a fiver. You could probably do the job of holding the bolt still with a screwdriver, but the proper tool has a 'tongue' which pushes into the back side of the bolt and stops it slipping out of the slot. Blimey that's a lot of inuendo for one post.

Haha, loved it!
Yes, £5 is not much. It's the concept I don't like nor get. Seems to me that having one of the bolts behind the crank arm is just an unnecessary complication....

 

[Ugo51]

The hidden bolt saves that all-important 20g of weight.

How?
I thought it was exclusively a stylistic choice.

 

[hamster]

One less chainring support arm.

 

[Ugo51]

But the arm is still there, just behind the crank arm, or is the bolt directly bolted onto the crankarm?

 

[Holiocornolio]

How?
I thought it was exclusively a stylistic choice.

One fewer chainring arms. Probably makes it

But the arm is still there, just behind the crank arm, or is the bolt directly bolted onto the crankarm?

There is a tab behind the crankarm, but it's just a tab. On a normal chainset you have th 5 chainring spider legs AND crankarm. On the other design you have 4 chainring spider legs and the 5th tab is connected to the back of the crankarm saving abou 20g of aluminium casting.

 

[Ugo51]

I'm definitely getting that crankset, then.
I'm going to be so much faster without those 20g!

 

[Holiocornolio]

yes you will - no doubt about.