# friendly reminder to tighten crank bolts



## jh_on_the_cape (Apr 14, 2004)

Hi fellow commuters. Just a friendly reminder to check the tightness of your crankbolts. My left crank was creaking on the way home yesterday and I realized that it was probably loose. My little multi tool is just too small to tighten this. I have ruined some cranks before my riding them loose, so I rode home with just my right leg. It's 8 miles, and was less fun than riding with both legs.

So get out that 8 mm allen wrench and a pipe for leverage and tighten up!

on a separate note: as I was leaving the building yesterday with my bike, a woman says 'oh that's smart to ride with the high gas prices' 
I reply, 'well, there are a lot more reasons than that to bike' (the woman is overweight, and i almost bit my tongue on that one)
she replies ' but it's so dangerous'
and i reply, 'so is driving'
and she says 'but all the cars'
and i say as a i ride off... 'you are not safe in your car'

we are planning bike to work day 2005 on may 18... we are getting local sponsors.
i am looking forward to getting people like this woman to ride to work at least one day, and perhaps one more person will see the light.


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## KeeponTrekkin (Aug 29, 2002)

*Thanks for the crank bolt reminder...*

and good luck on the Bike to Work day. Maybe I'll start working on a car-driving colleague; I like a challenge. However, I have the realistic expectation of zero, yes, zero recruits.... People seem to be too much in love with their lard.


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## khill (Mar 4, 2004)

*Although I agree with the reminder*

I cringe at your suggested method.

Spend the $20 for a decent torque wrench at Sears and save yourself a world of hassle. 

I just know too many people who's method of "proper torque" is to tighten a bolt until the head strips and then back it out a little.

- khill


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## pinerider (Aug 12, 2004)

I did a scientific study last year and found that it takes about 3 kilometres of riding for an unbolted crank arm to fall off. I wasted half of the walk back home looking for the crank bolt in the gutter, found it on top of the toolbox in the garage where I had left it. I had been investigating a crank bolty type of noise, took the bolt off, discovered it was a loose bolt on the chainwheel, tightened it and must have been called away before I could replace the crank bolt. Next morning it was jump on the bike, ride to work, walk back.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

khill said:


> I cringe at your suggested method.
> 
> Spend the $20 for a decent torque wrench at Sears and save yourself a world of hassle.
> 
> ...


yeah me too..I have lost a crank bolt before though and I not check em pretty religiously. Campy crank bolts are expensive! By the way...make sure you replace with the correct bolt. I mistakenly put a Record bolt onto my Chorus crank and it kept squeaking. Couldn't figure it out until a wrench told me that I should replace with a steel Campy bolt instead of the AL Record one. Not a problem since.


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

*Ahhh, but it's so amusing for the onlookers...*

...when the crankarm finally slides off the spindle, with your shoe still firmly clipped into the pedal, and you realize you're just not sure _how_ to stop and dismount now without twisting an ankle and/or falling over...don't ask me how I know this.


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