Minimum space between square taper crank and bottom bracket

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I upgraded to a new square taper crankset on a single-speed drivetrain and now the gap between my crank and the bottom bracket is bigger. That's because the cranks taper shape is different from the one I had before and I haven't changed the bottom bracket. This (along with a different shape of the crank) made the Q-factor bigger. I wanted to reduce it, so I ordered a new bottom bracket with a shorter spindle. I checked the measurement already and it's going to be all good with chainstay clearance. The question is:



How close can a square taper crank be to the bottom bracket? How small can the gap in the picture be?



enter image description here










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    up vote
    1
    down vote

    favorite












    I upgraded to a new square taper crankset on a single-speed drivetrain and now the gap between my crank and the bottom bracket is bigger. That's because the cranks taper shape is different from the one I had before and I haven't changed the bottom bracket. This (along with a different shape of the crank) made the Q-factor bigger. I wanted to reduce it, so I ordered a new bottom bracket with a shorter spindle. I checked the measurement already and it's going to be all good with chainstay clearance. The question is:



    How close can a square taper crank be to the bottom bracket? How small can the gap in the picture be?



    enter image description here










    share|improve this question

























      up vote
      1
      down vote

      favorite









      up vote
      1
      down vote

      favorite











      I upgraded to a new square taper crankset on a single-speed drivetrain and now the gap between my crank and the bottom bracket is bigger. That's because the cranks taper shape is different from the one I had before and I haven't changed the bottom bracket. This (along with a different shape of the crank) made the Q-factor bigger. I wanted to reduce it, so I ordered a new bottom bracket with a shorter spindle. I checked the measurement already and it's going to be all good with chainstay clearance. The question is:



      How close can a square taper crank be to the bottom bracket? How small can the gap in the picture be?



      enter image description here










      share|improve this question















      I upgraded to a new square taper crankset on a single-speed drivetrain and now the gap between my crank and the bottom bracket is bigger. That's because the cranks taper shape is different from the one I had before and I haven't changed the bottom bracket. This (along with a different shape of the crank) made the Q-factor bigger. I wanted to reduce it, so I ordered a new bottom bracket with a shorter spindle. I checked the measurement already and it's going to be all good with chainstay clearance. The question is:



      How close can a square taper crank be to the bottom bracket? How small can the gap in the picture be?



      enter image description here







      crankset bottom-bracket single-speed






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      share|improve this question













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      share|improve this question








      edited 1 hour ago

























      asked 2 hours ago









      Alessandro Cosentino

      7732819




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          2 Answers
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          up vote
          1
          down vote













          The cranks should not touch the frame or bottom bracket cup and some fraction of a millimeter is probably good for tolerance. For an example, with last generation square taper Chorus/Record the tolerance is roughly one millimeter on left side of BSA bottom bracket and on the right side the crank actually reaches into the cup. With Italian bottom bracket it is going to be even closer fit. Your crank shape doesn't allow this, so there should be a slight gap outside bottom bracket shell.






          share|improve this answer




















          • In other words, can the gap I have now (~5mm) be reduced?
            – Alessandro Cosentino
            1 hour ago










          • Yes, by roughly 4mm if the cranks do not touch chainstays.
            – ojs
            56 mins ago

















          up vote
          1
          down vote













          You can reduce the gap between the crank and frame to essentially zero as long as the crank does not rub in the frame. However, that is not really how square taper cranksets are supposed to be run.



          What's probably happened is you got a crankset that is designed for a shorter BB spindle. Of greater concern than the gap is that your drive side crank with the chainrings is pushed outboard and your chain-line has been messed up.



          What you need to do is find the correct spindle length to give you the appropriate chain-line.






          share|improve this answer




















          • What I wanted to hear :) That's on a single-speed bike and the chainline doesn't look very messed up. I am going to try reduce the spindle length from 115mm to 110mm and even futhre to 107mm.
            – Alessandro Cosentino
            1 hour ago










          • @AlessandroCosentino Fair enough. You are taking clearance between chainring and frame into account which is important. Just be aware than having your chainring misaligned from sprocket may be noisier, less efficient and will accelerate wear on the chain, `ring and sprocket.
            – Argenti Apparatus
            1 hour ago










          • @AlessandroCosentino Nice looking welds on that frame BTW
            – Argenti Apparatus
            1 hour ago










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          2 Answers
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          2 Answers
          2






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          up vote
          1
          down vote













          The cranks should not touch the frame or bottom bracket cup and some fraction of a millimeter is probably good for tolerance. For an example, with last generation square taper Chorus/Record the tolerance is roughly one millimeter on left side of BSA bottom bracket and on the right side the crank actually reaches into the cup. With Italian bottom bracket it is going to be even closer fit. Your crank shape doesn't allow this, so there should be a slight gap outside bottom bracket shell.






          share|improve this answer




















          • In other words, can the gap I have now (~5mm) be reduced?
            – Alessandro Cosentino
            1 hour ago










          • Yes, by roughly 4mm if the cranks do not touch chainstays.
            – ojs
            56 mins ago














          up vote
          1
          down vote













          The cranks should not touch the frame or bottom bracket cup and some fraction of a millimeter is probably good for tolerance. For an example, with last generation square taper Chorus/Record the tolerance is roughly one millimeter on left side of BSA bottom bracket and on the right side the crank actually reaches into the cup. With Italian bottom bracket it is going to be even closer fit. Your crank shape doesn't allow this, so there should be a slight gap outside bottom bracket shell.






          share|improve this answer




















          • In other words, can the gap I have now (~5mm) be reduced?
            – Alessandro Cosentino
            1 hour ago










          • Yes, by roughly 4mm if the cranks do not touch chainstays.
            – ojs
            56 mins ago












          up vote
          1
          down vote










          up vote
          1
          down vote









          The cranks should not touch the frame or bottom bracket cup and some fraction of a millimeter is probably good for tolerance. For an example, with last generation square taper Chorus/Record the tolerance is roughly one millimeter on left side of BSA bottom bracket and on the right side the crank actually reaches into the cup. With Italian bottom bracket it is going to be even closer fit. Your crank shape doesn't allow this, so there should be a slight gap outside bottom bracket shell.






          share|improve this answer












          The cranks should not touch the frame or bottom bracket cup and some fraction of a millimeter is probably good for tolerance. For an example, with last generation square taper Chorus/Record the tolerance is roughly one millimeter on left side of BSA bottom bracket and on the right side the crank actually reaches into the cup. With Italian bottom bracket it is going to be even closer fit. Your crank shape doesn't allow this, so there should be a slight gap outside bottom bracket shell.







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 1 hour ago









          ojs

          10.6k21937




          10.6k21937











          • In other words, can the gap I have now (~5mm) be reduced?
            – Alessandro Cosentino
            1 hour ago










          • Yes, by roughly 4mm if the cranks do not touch chainstays.
            – ojs
            56 mins ago
















          • In other words, can the gap I have now (~5mm) be reduced?
            – Alessandro Cosentino
            1 hour ago










          • Yes, by roughly 4mm if the cranks do not touch chainstays.
            – ojs
            56 mins ago















          In other words, can the gap I have now (~5mm) be reduced?
          – Alessandro Cosentino
          1 hour ago




          In other words, can the gap I have now (~5mm) be reduced?
          – Alessandro Cosentino
          1 hour ago












          Yes, by roughly 4mm if the cranks do not touch chainstays.
          – ojs
          56 mins ago




          Yes, by roughly 4mm if the cranks do not touch chainstays.
          – ojs
          56 mins ago










          up vote
          1
          down vote













          You can reduce the gap between the crank and frame to essentially zero as long as the crank does not rub in the frame. However, that is not really how square taper cranksets are supposed to be run.



          What's probably happened is you got a crankset that is designed for a shorter BB spindle. Of greater concern than the gap is that your drive side crank with the chainrings is pushed outboard and your chain-line has been messed up.



          What you need to do is find the correct spindle length to give you the appropriate chain-line.






          share|improve this answer




















          • What I wanted to hear :) That's on a single-speed bike and the chainline doesn't look very messed up. I am going to try reduce the spindle length from 115mm to 110mm and even futhre to 107mm.
            – Alessandro Cosentino
            1 hour ago










          • @AlessandroCosentino Fair enough. You are taking clearance between chainring and frame into account which is important. Just be aware than having your chainring misaligned from sprocket may be noisier, less efficient and will accelerate wear on the chain, `ring and sprocket.
            – Argenti Apparatus
            1 hour ago










          • @AlessandroCosentino Nice looking welds on that frame BTW
            – Argenti Apparatus
            1 hour ago














          up vote
          1
          down vote













          You can reduce the gap between the crank and frame to essentially zero as long as the crank does not rub in the frame. However, that is not really how square taper cranksets are supposed to be run.



          What's probably happened is you got a crankset that is designed for a shorter BB spindle. Of greater concern than the gap is that your drive side crank with the chainrings is pushed outboard and your chain-line has been messed up.



          What you need to do is find the correct spindle length to give you the appropriate chain-line.






          share|improve this answer




















          • What I wanted to hear :) That's on a single-speed bike and the chainline doesn't look very messed up. I am going to try reduce the spindle length from 115mm to 110mm and even futhre to 107mm.
            – Alessandro Cosentino
            1 hour ago










          • @AlessandroCosentino Fair enough. You are taking clearance between chainring and frame into account which is important. Just be aware than having your chainring misaligned from sprocket may be noisier, less efficient and will accelerate wear on the chain, `ring and sprocket.
            – Argenti Apparatus
            1 hour ago










          • @AlessandroCosentino Nice looking welds on that frame BTW
            – Argenti Apparatus
            1 hour ago












          up vote
          1
          down vote










          up vote
          1
          down vote









          You can reduce the gap between the crank and frame to essentially zero as long as the crank does not rub in the frame. However, that is not really how square taper cranksets are supposed to be run.



          What's probably happened is you got a crankset that is designed for a shorter BB spindle. Of greater concern than the gap is that your drive side crank with the chainrings is pushed outboard and your chain-line has been messed up.



          What you need to do is find the correct spindle length to give you the appropriate chain-line.






          share|improve this answer












          You can reduce the gap between the crank and frame to essentially zero as long as the crank does not rub in the frame. However, that is not really how square taper cranksets are supposed to be run.



          What's probably happened is you got a crankset that is designed for a shorter BB spindle. Of greater concern than the gap is that your drive side crank with the chainrings is pushed outboard and your chain-line has been messed up.



          What you need to do is find the correct spindle length to give you the appropriate chain-line.







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 1 hour ago









          Argenti Apparatus

          25.9k23068




          25.9k23068











          • What I wanted to hear :) That's on a single-speed bike and the chainline doesn't look very messed up. I am going to try reduce the spindle length from 115mm to 110mm and even futhre to 107mm.
            – Alessandro Cosentino
            1 hour ago










          • @AlessandroCosentino Fair enough. You are taking clearance between chainring and frame into account which is important. Just be aware than having your chainring misaligned from sprocket may be noisier, less efficient and will accelerate wear on the chain, `ring and sprocket.
            – Argenti Apparatus
            1 hour ago










          • @AlessandroCosentino Nice looking welds on that frame BTW
            – Argenti Apparatus
            1 hour ago
















          • What I wanted to hear :) That's on a single-speed bike and the chainline doesn't look very messed up. I am going to try reduce the spindle length from 115mm to 110mm and even futhre to 107mm.
            – Alessandro Cosentino
            1 hour ago










          • @AlessandroCosentino Fair enough. You are taking clearance between chainring and frame into account which is important. Just be aware than having your chainring misaligned from sprocket may be noisier, less efficient and will accelerate wear on the chain, `ring and sprocket.
            – Argenti Apparatus
            1 hour ago










          • @AlessandroCosentino Nice looking welds on that frame BTW
            – Argenti Apparatus
            1 hour ago















          What I wanted to hear :) That's on a single-speed bike and the chainline doesn't look very messed up. I am going to try reduce the spindle length from 115mm to 110mm and even futhre to 107mm.
          – Alessandro Cosentino
          1 hour ago




          What I wanted to hear :) That's on a single-speed bike and the chainline doesn't look very messed up. I am going to try reduce the spindle length from 115mm to 110mm and even futhre to 107mm.
          – Alessandro Cosentino
          1 hour ago












          @AlessandroCosentino Fair enough. You are taking clearance between chainring and frame into account which is important. Just be aware than having your chainring misaligned from sprocket may be noisier, less efficient and will accelerate wear on the chain, `ring and sprocket.
          – Argenti Apparatus
          1 hour ago




          @AlessandroCosentino Fair enough. You are taking clearance between chainring and frame into account which is important. Just be aware than having your chainring misaligned from sprocket may be noisier, less efficient and will accelerate wear on the chain, `ring and sprocket.
          – Argenti Apparatus
          1 hour ago












          @AlessandroCosentino Nice looking welds on that frame BTW
          – Argenti Apparatus
          1 hour ago




          @AlessandroCosentino Nice looking welds on that frame BTW
          – Argenti Apparatus
          1 hour ago

















           

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