3 Piece Crank
- Thread starter Jay Driggars
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
Yes, just make sure you get the appropriate bottom bracket. I believe a Worksman will be a large.
Yeah! I get to beat Rob for a comment... in his defense he pretty much spoon fed me through my conversion (No not to Scientology!
) to a 3 pc.
Yes you can, and it was surprisingly simple...
For the bottom bracket you'll need an American sized, which will replace the existing bearing cups. I stayed with the 19mm spindle (seems to be the norm). I'm about to order another one from Niagara Cycle:
http://www.niagaracycle.com/categories/redline-bb-set-for-3-piece-cranks-19mm-American
It was a relatively straight forward install, the spacer tube was right on, the bearings went in with just a little bit of effort.
I went with a set of Redline 175mm Monster cranks and a Nexus 3 speed on the rear. The chain line was spot on so I didn't need any of the crank arm spacers... which in my vast experience of one conversion, seems like it would be the only bumpy patch and I don't think it'd be too bad.
Hope this helps... I am so into these things now, it's just so smooth! And it's almost tard proof if I can do it!
) to a 3 pc.Yes you can, and it was surprisingly simple...
For the bottom bracket you'll need an American sized, which will replace the existing bearing cups. I stayed with the 19mm spindle (seems to be the norm). I'm about to order another one from Niagara Cycle:
http://www.niagaracycle.com/categories/redline-bb-set-for-3-piece-cranks-19mm-American
It was a relatively straight forward install, the spacer tube was right on, the bearings went in with just a little bit of effort.
I went with a set of Redline 175mm Monster cranks and a Nexus 3 speed on the rear. The chain line was spot on so I didn't need any of the crank arm spacers... which in my vast experience of one conversion, seems like it would be the only bumpy patch and I don't think it'd be too bad.
Hope this helps... I am so into these things now, it's just so smooth! And it's almost tard proof
if I can do it!
This thread will/should answer all your questions, Rob did a heck of a job talking me through the whole process:
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/3-piece-crankset-on-cruiser-frame.86047/
The cruiser frame in question was also a Worksman INB.
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/3-piece-crankset-on-cruiser-frame.86047/
The cruiser frame in question was also a Worksman INB.
Thanks for putting up the link to the other thread, Mike! I didn't wanna have to type all of that again! 
To the OP, and anyone else wondering: I have a couple of Worksman bikes, and a few other Industrial-style bikes. I love 1piece cranks to death, but I gotta say, putting a decent BMX-style 3 piece is an awesome upgrade. So stiff, and so smooth if you go with sealed bearings....and it just looks mean. I just picked um some breakfast sam'itches on my Worksman with the Redline Flight 401s, and was admiring the overall rock-solid sporting feel they've brought to the bike, and I found this thread when i got back. Great minds think alike, they say.
I'm going to look into the compromise of a true sealed cartridge bearing OPC BB in the near future, though. I ride my daily-driver INB all year, and it got tedious, repacking that BB whenever it snowed.... NJ dumps tons of salt on the road every time it snows, and it eats up paint and components....
To the OP, and anyone else wondering: I have a couple of Worksman bikes, and a few other Industrial-style bikes. I love 1piece cranks to death, but I gotta say, putting a decent BMX-style 3 piece is an awesome upgrade. So stiff, and so smooth if you go with sealed bearings....and it just looks mean. I just picked um some breakfast sam'itches on my Worksman with the Redline Flight 401s, and was admiring the overall rock-solid sporting feel they've brought to the bike, and I found this thread when i got back. Great minds think alike, they say.
I'm going to look into the compromise of a true sealed cartridge bearing OPC BB in the near future, though. I ride my daily-driver INB all year, and it got tedious, repacking that BB whenever it snowed.... NJ dumps tons of salt on the road every time it snows, and it eats up paint and components....
If it's a typical American bottom bracket you can buy a truvativ American to Euro adapter for about 20 bucks. This will allow your frame to use english threaded square tapers and pretty much any singlespeed crank you want. I emailed Truvativ asking if it would work with outboard bottom brackets and their rep said it should. Lots of options.
"Thanks for putting up the link to the other thread, Mike! I didn't wanna have to type all of that again!"
Well I figured everything was already thoroughly covered over on that thread... I wasn't about to type it all again either!
Well I figured everything was already thoroughly covered over on that thread... I wasn't about to type it all again either!
True dat, but Jay Driggars is lookin' at installing BMX-style cranks. And,. while there are BSC-threaded BMX racing cranks, many of these are for racing, and alot of them have pretty low rider weight limits. Most BMX bikes are running tubular cranks with either 19 or 22mm spindles; the good news about these is, you can run them in an American-size shell without any adaptors; you just need to buy the right bb set....
Last edited:
Hey guys thanks for all the great info.
Are the splines on the 19mm spindles tapered slightly?
What type of crank puller do you need?
Does a Shimano CB-E110 hub/sprocket use the same type chain as the 3 piece BMX cranks?
Are the splines on the 19mm spindles tapered slightly?
What type of crank puller do you need?
Does a Shimano CB-E110 hub/sprocket use the same type chain as the 3 piece BMX cranks?
Last edited:
I think the spine/taper scenario pretty much is determined by the crank set you get, the Redline Monster crank set I got was a 19mm/8 spine I believe.
I've had the drive side crank arm off like three times to change sprockets with no special tools. As I understand it some of the crank sets actually come with the crank arm puller.
I couldn't give you an answer on the chain/hub deal though, not familiar with that particular hub. I'd be inclined to say probably yes though, but I'm using a Nexus IGH 3 speed with mine.
I've had the drive side crank arm off like three times to change sprockets with no special tools. As I understand it some of the crank sets actually come with the crank arm puller.
I couldn't give you an answer on the chain/hub deal though, not familiar with that particular hub. I'd be inclined to say probably yes though, but I'm using a Nexus IGH 3 speed with mine.
The Cranks tend to come with the spindle when you buy the crankset. Some come with tools; others don't. Like Mike G said, some won't need a puller. Wait til you choose a specific crank and ask again.
The front sprockets for most cranks, as well as the 3-tab rear sprockets for modern coaster hubs, come in both the 3/32" and the slightly fatter 1/8" varieties. You can run 1/8" chain on either size sprockets, but you can't run 3/32" chain on the 1/8" sprockets. Shimano offers 3/32" sprockets with their trim kit, and all the current-production Shimano 3-tab sprockets are 3/32". Sturmey-Archer makes compatible units, and offers them in black or chrome, 3/32" or 1/8" pitch.
(Just get the Sturmey-Archer sprocket for 3/5 speeds. The 8speed ones are huge and won't work; the splined ones for the S3X are just hyperglide-pattern, and won't work, either.)
(Mike G, FYI, the Nexus uses the same types of sprockets as the CB-e110, but they sell nicely-finished Nexus "cogs" and crudely-finished CB "cogs"... you can run either, or either hub. I tend to run the Sturmey-Archer sprockets, as they come in a wider pitch.)
Basically, you can run 3/32" OR 1/8" chain if both front and rear sprockets are 3/32", but if either or both of the sprockets are 1/8", you'll have to run the wider chain....
Worksman and some mid-school bmx bikes run even wider 3/16" chain. It looks cool, but ease/cost of replacement has led me to avoid it in favor of 1/8" chain. My favorite is the extra old-school KMC 410H, which runs bushings! (interestingly enough, KMC makes a nearly identical chain, the 415h, in 3/16" size...)
HTH
-Rob
PS- there's a lot going on with crank/frame/rear end compatibility. Hopefully, this gave you an idea of what to look for and how to plan, but you might want to ask on here about the specific components you're looking out, before you actually buy anything. For me, if I buy just one incompatible part, it'll drive me to fits of frustration, and then I'll end up building an entire bike around that part. So, it pays to ask before you buy....
The front sprockets for most cranks, as well as the 3-tab rear sprockets for modern coaster hubs, come in both the 3/32" and the slightly fatter 1/8" varieties. You can run 1/8" chain on either size sprockets, but you can't run 3/32" chain on the 1/8" sprockets. Shimano offers 3/32" sprockets with their trim kit, and all the current-production Shimano 3-tab sprockets are 3/32". Sturmey-Archer makes compatible units, and offers them in black or chrome, 3/32" or 1/8" pitch.
(Just get the Sturmey-Archer sprocket for 3/5 speeds. The 8speed ones are huge and won't work; the splined ones for the S3X are just hyperglide-pattern, and won't work, either.)
(Mike G, FYI, the Nexus uses the same types of sprockets as the CB-e110, but they sell nicely-finished Nexus "cogs" and crudely-finished CB "cogs"... you can run either, or either hub. I tend to run the Sturmey-Archer sprockets, as they come in a wider pitch.)
Basically, you can run 3/32" OR 1/8" chain if both front and rear sprockets are 3/32", but if either or both of the sprockets are 1/8", you'll have to run the wider chain....
Worksman and some mid-school bmx bikes run even wider 3/16" chain. It looks cool, but ease/cost of replacement has led me to avoid it in favor of 1/8" chain. My favorite is the extra old-school KMC 410H, which runs bushings! (interestingly enough, KMC makes a nearly identical chain, the 415h, in 3/16" size...)
HTH
-Rob
PS- there's a lot going on with crank/frame/rear end compatibility. Hopefully, this gave you an idea of what to look for and how to plan, but you might want to ask on here about the specific components you're looking out, before you actually buy anything. For me, if I buy just one incompatible part, it'll drive me to fits of frustration, and then I'll end up building an entire bike around that part. So, it pays to ask before you buy....
I usually use a ball joint pickle for removing crank arms (if even neccessary). Just put the pickle in behind the crank arm and tap lightly til it comes loose. Plus most parts shops will let you borrow one if you leave a deposit. Or you might have one already or know a guy with one.
