Syncros Revolution Cranks - Generational Differences?

[MuchAlohaNui]

Are there generational differences in aesthetics, manufacturing, material, measurements or otherwise with Syncros Revolution crank sets through the years? If there are generations can this be determined by the engraved serial number on the back side of the spider? Any official color variants that are year specific?

Thanks for the help!

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Found on website MTBR , an owner of Revolution cranks (with me not sure the generation), had the drive-side crank arm fail on him. He then proceeded to run parts of the cranks and spider through a band saw to investigate construction methods via sectional cuts. I originally thought these cranks were completely aluminum, but there is steel present in whatever generation that guy had at the time.

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

1992 Catalog - Crank-o-Matic bolts & Revolution crank arms/spider:



1993 Catalog: Exact same print, color and layout as 1992?


1994 Catalog - the crank arms at the pedal end look wider, to the point there is smooth transition along the running edge of the crank arm to the OD of the eye bung for the pedal threads... Spider looks the same.


1995 Catalog - Cannot find an example to reference

1996 Catalog - Crank arms look the same as 1994, but not 1992/1993. First mention of Syncros chainrings.



1997 Catalog - Looks like 1994/1996 crank arms. Also new aluminum and steel crank sets, new chainrings



1998 - No Catalog. Syncros (and GT bikes) bought out by Questor Group and goes dormant for some years.

My untrained eye looks like there are only two generations and these only came in black. Crank-o-matic titanium bolts were available throughout both generations spanning 1992 to 1997.

 

[Hotwheels.]

All Revo's were made of tubular steel and as far as I'm aware the design didn't alter.

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Thanks for chiming in. Have you seen cranks from 1992 and from 1997 by chance? Maybe the angle and how they were photographed back then in the catalogs, but looks like there is a difference at the peddle bung regarding the width of the arm at that arm/bung weld? I've never seen any in the wild so I really don't know anything.

 

[Star12]

They were definitely always all steel but there were different generations and subtle differences between them. @Steelfriend2001 has a very good knowledge of these cranks and can probably assist you with any questions.

Star12

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Thanks for the input! If anyone can post pictures of their cranks and “year”, I would really appreciate the effort!

Also seems like sale prices are all over the place too with everyone searching for the titanium Crank-o-matic bolts. Is this an accurate observation?

 

[FluffyChicken]

Thanks for the input! If anyone can post pictures of their cranks and “year”, I would really appreciate the effort!

Also seems like sale prices are all over the place too with everyone searching for the titanium Crank-o-matic bolts. Is this an accurate observation?

Nothing really special about the crank o matics, other than they are easy to damage the two outer ring holes and the ti bolt hex is too small so itself get damaged in use.
That and they are 'glued in' place and people seem to forget that when trying to remove the outer ring (of the crank-o-matic)...

Well that and they have Syncros embossed in them ;-)

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Thank you very much for chiming in! Good info. These crank bolts were advertised as titanium. If you say they damaged easily then the allen-key portion was Ti and the embossed, two hole part was aluminum? They advertised those as just ‘titanium’.

 

[vtwinvince]

I have a set of Crank-o-Matics, they are indeed ti and I find them easy to use.