New take on BMX 3 piece cranks

[jon_norstog]

Profiles are the standard by which BMX cranksets are measured. So last couple years BTI has been offering these crankarms from Gusset - made of 853 and allegedly lighter than the "other brand."

BTI | Mountain & BMX Cranksets from Gusset

I finally bit and ordered a set of 180s. They are pretty nice. The pair of arms weigh 418 grams vs 590 grams for a pair of 180mm Profile arms. I tried them on a profile Ti spindle. They are a perfect fit. They come in a black chrome finish that unfortunately gets scuffed by the box in shipment. I expect that Gussett will probably improve the packing, 'cause I raised a fuss with BTI over it.

One thing, the Gussett arms lack a chainwheel boss, so you have to use a spline drive spider or chainwheel. Let's see how they hold up racing.

jn


"Thursday"

[treadonme]

I've been using iterations of 180 Flights, like forever.
Big difference w/the new Gussets?
Interesting post, JN, thanks. Have a great weekend @ the gate.

[steve garro]

Let's bring back American BB's.
I'm all for it.
- Garro.

[edoz]

I ran a set of Profiles on my single speed for several years. They're great and when I build another ss, those cranks are going back on. Maybe Flights for my new fat bike.

[steve garro]

I ran a set of Profiles on my single speed for several years. They're great and when I build another ss, those cranks are going back on. Maybe Flights for my new fat bike.

I bet nobody knows what the hell we are talking about.
- Garro.

[Chad]

I bet nobody knows what the hell we are talking about.
- Garro.

Some of us do and Stu Thompson would be proud.

[edoz]

Let's bring back American BB's.
I'm all for it.
- Garro.

I will admit I ran mine with Profile's outboard bearing bb.

[steve garro]

Some of us do and Stu Thompson would be proud.

PF-USA Profile Racing E-Store
Anyone have any experience with the MTB cassette hub?
I have a client who asked about them - "I've never had a bike without a Profile part" he said.
- Garro.

[Will Neide]

PF-USA Profile Racing E-Store
Anyone have any experience with the MTB cassette hub?
I have a client who asked about them - "I've never had a bike without a Profile part" he said.
- Garro.

Last time I looked into these hubs I couldn't really find anything that would prevent me from running them other than cost (for the Elites). You thinking Elites or Classic? The 204 POE on the elites is enticing. The design on the elites looks very very similar to my Hope SS hub, except Profile took it a step further and added an extra pair of offset pawls. If your customer has weight weenie tendancies than the classic is on the heavier side.

OP, glad to hear those gussets are working out and no problems with the Profile BB.

[Mike Mcdermid]

Let's bring back American BB's.
I'm all for it.
- Garro.

whats an american BB??

Is it the type with big bearings that makes sense or something else?

[steve garro]

whats an american BB??

Is it the type with big bearings that makes sense

Yep - check link above.
The fasterforwards backwards BB:30 of the past and present......
- Garro.

[Jonathan]

I bet nobody knows what the hell we are talking about.
- Garro.

I lusted after flights when they first came out. I am going to race the old man race cruiser class at least once before I die. I started with a gate and should end it that way too.

[John Winston]

This talk brings back good bike memories. Toss in some Peregrine Super Pro 48s and we'd be flying 8 feet out :o

[shiggy]

I ran a set of Profiles on my single speed for several years. They're great and when I build another ss, those cranks are going back on. Maybe Flights for my new fat bike.

I have been running Profile cranks on all of my bikes for more than 10 years, mostly so I can use 185 or 182mm arms, and for the totally adjustable chainline.

Tried a Rival 175mm crankset on one bike. Was 1.7 POUNDS lighter with the same size rings. Went back to the Profiles after a couple of months because the short arms were causing knee and leg problems.

Looked at the Gussets. Too short.

[C D]

The hubs are bonkers. Really durable, very nicely made, sound like a chain gun, lots of colours.

[jon_norstog]

Well, when SE Racing quit making steel bikes, I bought all their "American" BB shells. I still have at least a hundred of them. They are chrome moly and weld up really nicely. Actually, if I had the tooling, I'd go to the "mid" size which is kind of like BB30. Same as american, but no cups. Since there are no cups, the mid shell has to fit the outer bearing race just right - means post-weld machining.

If you don't have the tooling, then stick with American!

jn

[Rosko]

Let's bring back American BB's.
I'm all for it.
- Garro.

Steve, do yourself a favor and call up the fine folks over at Solid BMX. You can get a "mid" bb for less than it would cost for you to cut an old amercian BB from some straight gauge. Think of it as the old amercican without the alu cup. Very nice system. Crazy that the BMX guys bush engineered a press fit bb that worked 10 years before the other niches could sort it out.

For what it's worth I have a grudge against american BB's- my first job in bicycle building was prepping bmx frames. Too many hot summer days reaming frame after frame... surely one of the deeper levels of FB hell.

[steve garro]

Steve, do yourself a favor and call up the fine folks over at Solid BMX. You can get a "mid" bb for less than it would cost for you to cut an old amercian BB from some straight gauge. Think of it as the old amercican without the alu cup. Very nice system..

Thanks!
I never knew what "Mid" was about.
What is "Spanish?"
- Garro.

[treadonme]

Bb Diagram at Danscomp
'splains 'em.

[jon_norstog]

"Spanish" is pretty much the same as "mid.". Maybe they use a smaller bearing race in Spanish or somethin'.

Main thing, when "Euro" BBs hit the BMX market everyone jumped on ... I even made a few! Problem is a strong rider will be lucky to get one season out of a set of Euro bearings.

Someone selling the mid shells now? I might pick up a few, see if I can keep them straight when I weld them up.

jn


"Thursday"