BBSHD crank arms: How heavy duty are they?

[Harold]

I found it easier to buy a left crankarm, re-drill, tap, and insert a right hand tread insert to get the offset I wanted. You might also look at the ones from Lekkie,

[Rider]

Found this thread while trying to find a crank arm for the RIGHT drive side with about 1/2”-5/8” LESS OFFSET than the stock Bafang BBS02B crank arm.

Someone mentioned at the beginning of this thread that the BBS02 and BBSHD are basically the same. Well, if they are not exactly the same, then what is the difference?

Calfee20 did a post that compared three crank arms in this thread:

https://electricbike.com/forum/forum...d-kit?pp=53655

What I get from that post is that the Shimano STePS cranks arms are about 1/2” INSET from the Bafang arm they are compared to. I don’t know if that arm is a BBS02 or BBSHD.

A few questions:

1) Are the BBS02 & BBSHD cranks arms exactly the same? Or does one have more or less offset than the other?
2) Are the Shimano STePS crank arms INSET more than the Bafang crank arms? If so, by how much?
3) What right drive side crank arm has the LEAST offset?
4) Do the unicycle crank arms have less offset than the stock Bafang crank arms? (they appear to be straight in pictures)

Thanks.

PS: I ground a small amount off a left BBS02B crank arm to make a little extra clearance from the chain stay and the alloy metal in the Bafang crank was very hard; not soft aluminum at all. FWIIW it took more effort than I thought it would to grind on aluminum. I think the Bafang cranks are fine. Like any square taper crank arm, you have to keep them tight or the square hole will get deformed and not seat correctly. If they are kept seated correctly they should not have problems. At least that has been my experience. I simply want a right crank arm that is more inset to better center my pedals.

[MoneyPit]

I did the Lekkies for my last build and am doing them again. Its all about the offset they provide on the non drive side. I know there are other crankarms out there that do the same thing but the Lekkies are too easy and do so much to correct the pedal position. On my last bike, I got within 2mm of having the pedals centered with just an extra pedal washer on the non drive side. With my current project, I'll be within 3 mm after a couple of washers and a pedal spacer. Nowhere near that close without that arm offset. I am working with fatties that can take 5" tires so 120mm motors and 100mm bottom brackets.

At 500 miles I checked the new fattie and the damn crankarms were down to about 22 ft lbs. A weekly check is not the world's worst idea. Just takes a sec.

[max_volt]

I killed these too by not checking mounting bolt tightness.

[Kinni]

Oh yes, these stock BBSxx crank arms are junk, someone mixed some butter in with the aluminum mix when they cast these cranks. Well, what do you expect from Chinese factories anyways? Just another expense to be added to the $1500 I've spent to go 100 miles so far. I wish Luna would make more of these shimanos (Id be willing to send them my old ones to cut and print!).

I like the idea of unicycle arms at a shorter length. For those who get confused by inch lengths instead of millimeters, multiply inches X 25.4 (6" = 152.4mm)

[JPLabs]

Hey, those are neat! I ordered a pair for the wife's bike. A little Ashley art will class it up a bit, with a girl's touch. Nice.

Thanks for the tip.

Thanks Ashley, if you ever see this!

[paxtana]

MoneyPit ok we checked, yes it fits all sizes of BBSHD, even 120mm.

[paxtana]

Zippy I think we probably will at some point, who knows when though.

MoneyPit Good question. I don't know the answer unfortunately. I'll check, if in doubt and you don't want to do a lot of back-and-forth probably want the offset Lekkie.
I would guess these modded Shimano cranks have around as much offset as the Steps version.

[MoneyPit]

paxtana I saw these right when they went up. I should probably hit you with this on the 45-minutes forum: Is just one side offset or is both? If both or neither, can't use em. I have a 120mm BBSHD I have fit with the std crank arms onto a fat frame, where with the (16mm?) left offset, I am around 2mm of having cranks centered beneath me. As such I think my only option is a set of the Lekkie Buzz Bars... hence my question to you on those in that thread yesterday.

If just one was offset I'd grab a pair.

[Zippy]

Maybe you guys can offer upgraded crank arms as an option with the kits in the future, possibly you could get a volume price on the Shimano Steps or something similar?

[paxtana]

4000 miles?? Damn dude that's some serious wear!

Hey so I'm not sure how long this listing will be up since it was a limited time offering but Eric and Ashley made some nice special BBSxx compatible crankarms out of Shimano cranksets we've been pulling off of bikes we are converting. They're Shimano so it's top notch, with a nice Luna logo and some laser printed artwork.

I think only 50 were made, for this Black Friday / Cyber Monday kinda thing, so once they're gone they are gone, but it looks like a neat option if you need one (assuming it's still in stock)

Black friday special edition bbsxx crankarm set

[MoneyPit]

I have always used 35 ft lbs and a torque wrench to keep my crankarms tightened. I ride daily and check them every couple weeks. They have always loosened a little. For pedals I use anti-seize on the threads and only tighten them snug by hand. Maybe 15 ft lbs. They won't loosen up riding. You can check them when you check the cranks. 4000 miles this year so far and no issues. But you have to babysit them a little.

As stated once they round even a little thats the end of that.

[max_volt]

these are black and have an offset

[max_volt]

I will fess up and admit I slapped the bike together and did the noob act of putting them on the wrong sides. DOH

[BigJon]

WOw I am so Happy my bike had square taper to begin with now. I may just skip the Bafang arms when my kit comes in. Whenever that will be since its been 2 weeks and no tracking number yet,