General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Crank and chain rings wiggle Rss Feed  
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2011-07-06 7:54 AM

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Subject: Crank and chain rings wiggle
While cleaning my chain this morning I noticed that the crank set and chain rings wiggle side to side. I'm assuming this shouldn't happen. Does anyone know what the issue may be? I'm hoping I just need to tighten the crank and/or the bottom bracket. Any help is appreciated.


2011-07-06 8:05 AM
in reply to: #3582574

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Elite
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Subject: RE: Crank and chain rings wiggle
I would check to make sure the crank is properly tightened and secured.  How this is done varies depending on the brand of crank that you have.  The same thing happened to my wife's crank/chainrings this weekend and it was just a matter of finding the right allen wrench and tightening the proper bolts. 
2011-07-06 8:44 AM
in reply to: #3582574

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Champion
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Subject: RE: Crank and chain rings wiggle
Hopefully this isn't a square-taper BB type system... Riding those loose can destroy the crankarm tapers pretty quickly.
2011-07-06 9:11 AM
in reply to: #3582574

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Subject: RE: Crank and chain rings wiggle

TriMDC - 2011-07-06 7:54 AM While cleaning my chain this morning I noticed that the crank set and chain rings wiggle side to side. I'm assuming this shouldn't happen. Does anyone know what the issue may be? I'm hoping I just need to tighten the crank and/or the bottom bracket. Any help is appreciated.

I doubt that you are seeing your crank or bottom bracket getting loose, although it is possible. And it would be smart to check that each of your chainring fixing bolts is indeed tight. I think more likely you are seeing a slight warp in your chainrings. That could be caused by a manufacturing defect (or just poor quality control), an accident or small impact, or it is possible that the chainring bolts are tight but have been tightened highly unevenly, with differing torques (which can be corrected by loosening all of them and re-tightening in increments with a good torque wrench).

What brand of crank and chainrings do you have?

2011-07-06 9:29 AM
in reply to: #3582574

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Subject: RE: Crank and chain rings wiggle

Is there any odd noise coming from your crank when you put a considerable amount of force on the pedals?  My work bike, less than 1 year old Trek, started making noise and I hadd some wiggle the bottom bracket had loosened took the trek store 5 minutes to fix...  Otherwise try to tighten everything or like the last poster said could be warped...  How many miles do you have on them?

2011-07-06 1:45 PM
in reply to: #3582574

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Subject: RE: Crank and chain rings wiggle
It's not a warped chain ring. Maybe I didn't explain it well. If you push on the crank (non drive side) the non-drive and drive side shifts side to side a few cm's. Vice-versa if you push on the other side. So it's more of a shift than a wiggle.
It's a FSA KForce with about 1,500-2K miles on it. I will try to tighten it first and go from there.


2011-07-06 1:53 PM
in reply to: #3583402

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Elite
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Subject: RE: Crank and chain rings wiggle
TriMDC - 2011-07-06 1:45 PM

It's not a warped chain ring. Maybe I didn't explain it well. If you push on the crank (non drive side) the non-drive and drive side shifts side to side a few cm's. Vice-versa if you push on the other side. So it's more of a shift than a wiggle.
It's a FSA KForce with about 1,500-2K miles on it. I will try to tighten it first and go from there.


sounds like your crank arm came loose or the bottom bracket wasn't spaced properly. If you have a 68mm bb shell there should be a spacer on the non drive side and 2 on the drive side.
2011-07-06 1:55 PM
in reply to: #3583402

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Subject: RE: Crank and chain rings wiggle
You cranks and/or bottom bracket are loose.  It happens, just tighten stuff back up.
2011-07-06 2:20 PM
in reply to: #3583418

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Subject: RE: Crank and chain rings wiggle
That's what I thought. Thanks everyone!
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