Weight Weenies

Hello, newbie to the forum!

I have a 2011 Cervelo RS, and I'm considering upgrading the crank this spring. It's currently wearing the stock FSA Gossamer Pro (50/34), 172.5mm crank with FSA MegaEXO BB.

I've read that the FSA SL-K Light Compact MegaEXO or K-Force Light Compact MegaEXO may be good options. And, I have to admit, I like the look of the SL-K. I don't know if I need (or should) get a new BB for these also? These are the details that I don't quite understand.

Also, since I have a SRAM Rival drivetrain, it seems like a compact Force or 2011 Red crank may also be a good option? In this case, I definitely need to change BB to GXP, correct?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Scott

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First off, you're smart to replace that Gossamer crank as they are incredibly heavy. Your BB assumptions are correct; if you stay with FSA you can just slip the new crank through the existing BB. If you go with SRAM you will need a GXP BB as they use a system where the non-drive side bearing is essentially sandwiched between a shoulder on the spindle and the crank arm. The FSA system is full floating and the lateral movement is controlled by the preload bolt on the non-drive side arm. Most posters here seem to prefer the SRAM cranks over FSA due to quality issues, esp. now that old Red cranks can be had for less than $300 on closeout. I have Red BB30 compact and they have performed perfectly.

Thank you, it's good to know that people may prefer SRAM. And like you said, I've seen may Red/Force cranks on closeout!

It looks like there are many GXP BB options (via SRAM, Chris King). Any recommendations for the BB also?

Scott

You can never go wrong with Chris King or Phil Wood http://philwood.com/products/bbpages/outboard.php.
There are also some Taiwanese BB's out there like Hawk http://hawk-racing.com/accessories/bb2009.htm and a zillion generics on ebay.

Cervelo needs a Rotor Crank.....but this comes from a guy who doesn't have a Hollowgram on his CAAD10.

btompkins0112 wrote:Cervelo needs a Rotor Crank.....but this comes from a guy who doesn't have a Hollowgram on his CAAD10.

The Rotor cranks look awesome, but I don't think I can afford!

A closeout 2011 SRAM crankset for ~$300 plus a new BB is probably about right for my current budget (in other words, what I can squeeze by my wife).

Scott

you may be able to find a rotor on ebay for 300, definitely for 400 if you're willing to stretch your budget a bit

I'm a noob but i'm going to chime in as I'm in the same boat with wanting to replace a gossamer.

What about KCNC K-type? There doesn't seem to be a ton of info on them here. Seems light and relatively inexpensive. Any opinions?

I know a few people riding the FSA crank on Cervélos and are not happy with it. As someone mentioned earlier, there were some quality issues.

I'll put in a vote for Rotor if you can find one at the right price. However, you need to buy the chainrings separate so that'll probably push you over your budget. Otherwise, go for a SRAM unit. You'll be fine with either Force or Red, but you might be able to score Red for a good price because of the closeouts. Good luck

ceasterday wrote:I'm a noob but i'm going to chime in as I'm in the same boat with wanting to replace a gossamer.

What about KCNC K-type? There doesn't seem to be a ton of info on them here. Seems light and relatively inexpensive. Any opinions?

They were in the Fairwheel crank test and did well, esp. for the price. http://fairwheelbikes.com/cycling-blog/ ... est-4.html

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