[Fignon's ghost]

Hello.

I’m surprisingly proud of this cycling achievement. Was out the weekend and took a short, sharp, steep hill with a fast climb. To my astonishment, I’ve managed to tear my Ultegra 6800 (53) crank arm away from the chainset. There’s a great big tear in the aluminium casing from the base of the arm across the first fixing. Which has warped the arm and rendered the set useless.
So…
Can anyone shed light on how common an occurrence this is ? In my 30 years of road cycling. I’ve never managed to get anywhere close to this achievement.
Normally, I’d be miffed at the extra cost to replace the set but given the held opinion that these cranksets are meant to be infallible. I wear it as a badge of honour.

Any thoughts welcome.

Topic

[Anonymous]

Watching the Hambini video
Watching the Hambini video posted above, I’ve thought more about modern road bikes in the last 15 minutes than in the last 15 years…
I’d always wondered how Shimano and now even Campa ended up designing such eyesores.
But now I see it’s (albeit perversely) logical: huge ugly carbon frame -> huge ugly crank…
So function follows form instead of the other way round.
And thus you are in trouble…

[Anonymous]

Weight Dura Ace Crankset
Weight Dura Ace Crankset (according to the first google search result) 615g (50/34)
Weight TA Pro 5 vis (according to velobase) 611g in 52/42. (Mine’s a 44/26, but not going to take it off to weigh).

[McVittees]

For what it’s worth,

For what it’s worth, virtually all the weight difference between Ultegra and Shimano cranks is in the chainrings. The arms themselves have only a very minor weight difference, something like 20g when I weighed mine.

Here you go, look: Ultegra vs 105 

 

[Daveyraveygravey]

I’m not sure it is weight or

I’m not sure it is weight or power related.  Both mine lasted around 4 years, I’ll have a look at Strava and Veloviewer to see if I can get an approx mileage.

The parts are bonded together, I think the glue gets eaten away by crap weather.  My bike gets ridden year round, no mudguards and I’m not the best at maintenance and post-ride cleaning.

[levestane]

https://www.youtube.com/watch

explains

[wycombewheeler]

Obviously this is a known

Obviously this is a known problem. Does anyone know what the failure rate is? I’m not the gentlist on my cranks, being overweight, and often turnng a bigger gear than I should.

Have I been unusually lucky, or would I be unlucky if this happened to me?

[hawkinspeter]

Fignon's ghost wrote:

Fignon's ghost wrote:

Thanks. I’m pretty sure 105 will do for me. However, I’m on a mission to test out your 105 conclusion.

Go for it – I haven’t seen any reports of 105 cranks breaking

[Fignon's ghost]

Thanks. I’m pretty sure 105
Thanks. I’m pretty sure 105 will do for me. However, I’m on a mission to test out your 105 conclusion.

[Jimnm]

Fignon’s ghost wrote:

Fignon’s ghost wrote:

I never knew this and won’t buy another one. It’s never been hammered. Is the r8000 as bad? If so, FSA light as recd by shiny.

Go for Shimano 105 cheaper and does the job. I did and bought with shorter cranks 172.5 are too long. I bought 170mm but should have considered 165mm. Maybe next time. 

[Daveyraveygravey]

Fignon’s ghost wrote:

Fignon’s ghost wrote:

Davey. Thanks for deflating my balloon! FWIW. I did it on 172.5. My other is a 105. As Chris pointed out. There are two sections to the ultegra 6800 composition. Compared with the 105, which looks a solid, single cast unit. Presumably it’s slightly heavier. 105 is good enough for me.

Both mine were 6800.  I got the 105 off Ebay, lightly used for under 50 quid, so even if it DOES go the same way, I don’t feel like it has cost me a huge amount. 

I was furious the first time as I hadn’t heard about it before.  I was on my way to Rosedale Chimney in N Yorks, and if it had failed going up there it could have been nasty   I would think long and hard about a bike with Ultegra ever again, which is a shame, because it has been great apart from that.

[hawkinspeter]

Fignon's ghost wrote:

Fignon's ghost wrote:

Thanks. Oh well. Will have to chalk it up as a product failure and not Hulkamania.

I’ve never used anything other than Ultegra or 105. Any alternative suggestions ?

105 should be fine – it’s only Ultegra and Dura-Ace that have the problem as they’re hollow bonded.

[Fignon's ghost]

I never knew this and won’t
I never knew this and won’t buy another one. It’s never been hammered.

Is the r8000 as bad? If so, FSA light as recd by shiny.

[Fignon's ghost]

No. Not Philly. Although I
No. Not Philly. Although I did manage to piss off a host of motorists queuing up on the single lane. I literally got stranded on the climb out and it was obviously a technical. My gesticulating fell on unsympathetic eyes n ears. The muppets had to beep, scowl and moan.

I could’ve happily dechained and “gone to town”!

No. Typical cyclist. Too polite. I just pulled the bike into the hedge and let them pass.

[Spangly Shiny]

FSA SLK Light, solid carbon;

FSA SLK Light, solid carbon; light, strong and not too expensive (despite Keith Bontrager’s assertions).

[Fignon's ghost]

Thanks. Oh well. Will have
Thanks. Oh well. Will have to chalk it up as a product failure and not Hulkamania.

I’ve never used anything other than Ultegra or 105. Any alternative suggestions ?

[Author]

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