[BigGK]

Hey all,

As you can tell I'm new to this forum and also MTB in general. I bought a specialized "hardrock" bike a few years back never used it. Finally this summer I've taken it out and I have encountered my first issue. Because of my newb way of shifting gears I've broke several teeth off the crank set (non replaceable teeth on my crank) so I have to replace the entire unit.

At my local shop they told me to upgrade to one that has replaceable teeth in case it happens again. Can anyone recommend a good replacement. I'm not an expert so I dont need the top of the line stuff but I do want a strong/quality product.

I'm assuming more info is needed to find out what other parts I have to determine the right crank set to buy, all I know is I have some type of shimano gears.

Any info will help, thanks

 

[rlouder]

Cranksets come in a different varieties to fit the matching bottom bracket. I'm guessing your bike has a square taper crankest, but you need to confirm it. Check the spec. site for your model or ask.

You also need to know the length of the bb (bottom bracket) spindle because some cranks require a different length than others. This may also be on their website. What size is your bike? Most use 175mm, but smaller bikes have 170mm arms.

Prices start at around 40 and top out around 600. An alivio might work for you. Look at deore or lx if you want a little nicer setup.

 

[Cormac]

well...at least you didn't break several teeth in your face...

 

[AndrwSwitch]

Here's one that'll drop into your existing drivetrain and have easily replaceable, nice, readily available chainrings.
Shimano LX FC-M582 Crankset > Components > Drivetrain > Cranksets | Jenson USA Online Bike Shop

 

[Sickmak90]

Did you break teeth on the large gear? I never use mine so I wouldnt even worry about it. I actually plan on converting mine to a 2x9 since I never use that gear anyways. It also gives your more ground clearance.

 

[hOlykamOtie*]

You can check this website also, they have cheap cranks for sale and if your in LA area you can pick them up too.
Mountain Bike Cranks, Road Bike Cranks, Cranksets, Bike Cranks

 

[vk45de]

Wow that's a pretty awesome deal - comes w/ BB too. Thumbs up.

 

[BigGK]

I broke the teeth on the first and second gears, the only one thats ok is the third which I never really use.

I've gone to a few local shops, my only problem now is that its gonna take the shops two weeks till they can service my bike.

Is replacing the entire crank unit difficult? I feel like I could do it myself, especially over a two week time period. Thoughts?

 

[AndrwSwitch]

Is replacing the entire crank unit difficult? I feel like I could do it myself, especially over a two week time period. Thoughts?

It's not that hard. You do need some specialized tools, though.

Depending on what you've got, you're going to need a crank puller to take the arms off the bottom bracket. You'll need a specialized tool to remove the bottom bracket, if you're getting a crank that goes on a different one. Then, depending on the new crank, you may need a different special tool to install that bottom bracket. For some types of crank, the torque on some of the bolts can be extremely high.

Which Hardrock do you have, exactly? Model year and trim level. Post a picture of your current crank. And, decide what you want to replace it with, let us know what you choose.

Here's a Park Tool entry describing the removal and installation of one type of three-piece crank. Splined cranks are similar but easier. Two-piece cranks, which is most of the nice new ones, including the one in my link, are totally different but I think they're easier to work on.