crankset upgrade????

[kermit]

So I am moving in July... retiring from this madness and finally moving to our house in GA. The LBS shops are limited so I plan to take advantage of my LBS here for final upgrades. I have an 09 Specialized roubaix (frame upgrade) with the original 05 FSA 53 x 42 crankset. I am thinking this is the upgrade I need, derailleurs have been done to all DA, carbon bars and better wheel set, it is a true (not stock) bike... it's my carbon hotness. I have more hills in GA and although I want to stay with a double think I need something different. Any suggestions, I want to go in and hopefully know what I need other than a great tune up. Maybe something in the 53 x 39 range? Am I being picky...the bike runs great I just think things may be a little worn out, how long does a crankset last with about 2,000 a year?

[indysteel]

Like a lot of things, it depends. On the rider, the conditions, how much time you spend in each chainring.

But there's really no reason to go off some arbitrary average. Just look at the condition of the chain rings themselves. Worn teeth will be thinner and somewhat sharper. Also pay attention to how smooth/quiet your drivetrain is after you replace the chain and/or cassette. Both of those items will need replacing more often than the chain rings. If both the cassette and chain are relatively new and the bike is well tuned, but your drivetrain still isn't running and shifting smoothly, then it might be time. But I'd still contend that a simple visual inspection will tell you what you need to know.

In any, event, with 2k a year on a 2009 bike, you should have a number of good years left on that crank.

[OakLeaf]

From Miami? How much experience do you have on the north Georgia hills??? I don't know that you'll want to make that move without a 34 in front.

(IAE, Indy is right ... chainrings are easily replaceable, BB bearings will eventually wear out (tens of thousands of miles), but cranks will last literally forever if they're not crashed. (Alloy cranks will survive most crashes, too...)

[indysteel]

From Miami? How much experience do you have on the north Georgia hills??? I don't know that you'll want to make that move without a 34 in front.

Good point. Have you done much riding in GA? You may find yourself wanting some generous gearing. I wouldn't do anything until you give your current set up a whir in GA.

[kermit]

Thanks, our house is 4 years old and we are there every couple of months. I have had alot of riding time up there. I'm happy with the grouping I have just wondered about I guess the BB and internal parts more than chainring itself. That component is from my original 05 so its 6 years old. I am thinking an in depth once over by my LBS will do the trick. Maybe I can just get away with new bearings for now.

[indysteel]

You must be a very strong climber!

Out of curiosity, I did a search on this issue, i.e., bottom bracket bearings lifespan, on roadbikereview.com's forum. The guy I consider to be the "guru" on all things involving bike maintenance had the following to say:

"Your question is about like "How long is a piece of string?" The weather you ride in, how well your frame was built/prepped, and the quality of the BB will be big influences. If I had to replace BBs every 4K miles, I'd be doing it more than 2X per year. My last BB (Campy Record square taper) lasted 60K miles before I screwed up the install and cracked the flange on the RH cup - the bearings were just fine. My current (Campy Chorus square taper) has nearly 58K miles with no signs of distress.

If you turn the BB axle with a light touch of your fingertips (cranks off) and there is no binding or gritty feeling, then you're fine."

There were a number of other comments about how recent changes in BB design have decreased the lifespan of the average BB, but the sentence bolded above is what I think deserves to be emphasized. Regardless of the average lifespan of a BB, it pays to know how to evaluate your own components. I prefer to run these tests myself or have DH do it because, well, I've been sold a bill of goods by too many bike shops. But that's just me.....

[kermit]

Great information, thanks! I have pretty decent hills around my house and although I am in Miami, I do have a huge bridge that I ride on a regular basis and "bridge repeats" have helped. (The ocean breeze doesn't hurt for motivation either).