I've found a few TA Tevano cranks. These are interesting and very beautiful components. By the late 1970s it was obvious that the Campagnolo Super Record crankset was the reigning king of racing cranks. The Campy SR cranks were on almost every bike in the pro peloton and the long favored TA cranks had finally been completely eclipsed, though not among tourists and randonneurs. So TA made their own version of the Super Record crank and named it the Tevano. This 144bcd crank was virtually identical to the SR and it's hard to say which was better made, but my vote is for the TA. They came in both track and double versions. One of our Follis tandems even has a tandem set that was converted to a triple.
We will have them in 165mm and 170mm. If you'd like to reserve a set they will cost $245 for the arms, just e-mail. We can also get some tandem sets. Idon't yet know how many genuine 144bcd TA rings we will get, but there are good quality Asian rings available and Campy rings also fit. Obviously, these are not ideal for a rando or touring bike, but for a racing-style, track, or city bike, they would be way cool. The images are from the CR site.
Speaking of Italian-style components, we just got some lovely new "Pro Race 400" ITM stems. If you don't need the extra quill length of a Nitto Technomic, they are a very nice, and economical, choice for a high-end bike. Forged 6082 aluminum with a 135mm quill length (or about 80mm above the min. line) and a 26mm clamp.Also, our VO 650B fender are done and should arrive within a couple of weeks.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteI (we're) begging you, start producing your own crank in 165-180 lengths w/ 110/74 bcd. You'll sell bunches.
Zman, That's a very big and expensive project. Design issues, mold costs, minimum production runs, quality control, it gives me a headache just thinking about it. It's actually more expensive and harder to make cranks than a run of frames. But it is something we plan to eventually do.
ReplyDeleteAh, god bless you! It's disgusting how ugly most modern cranks are. I feel like I'm settling every time that I consider buying a set.
ReplyDeleteThe Tevano IS better. It does not crack at the spider / arm junction like the campy SR does.
ReplyDeleteMark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA
Make a 110/74 double - I think every BOB, 650B owner and Riv-elf on the planet would buy one. If there was a good looking, reasonably priced low range double on the market, I'd never look at a triple again.
ReplyDeletenv
how would a 110/74 double work exactly? unless you put the spider tabs for the 110 ring on the outside of the ring (ugly, could lead to higher q factor than nessesary) it wouldnt work. wide range doubles need the proprietary ring set up like TA has or, to use a contemporary example, the white industries road crank. speaking of, the white crank is about 100 dollars less than the TA, is polished, made in america, has a low q factor, and has a wide range of compatible rings. doesnt use a proprietary crank puller, and uses easily sourced bb lengths.
ReplyDeletei ran a sugino xd 500 has a compact wide range double using above described method. it works great. looks like hell.
"how would a 110/74 double work exactly?"
ReplyDeleteDunno, but if the human race can decode DNA they can make a good looking 110/74 double crankset.
johnson-
ReplyDeleteI have 2 issues with the WI cranks - 1)They are, IMO, very ugly and
2)They are too expensive for me.
I'd like a low-range double in the price range of the Sugino XD cranks. I have a stable of bikes and I cannot afford to put $200+ cranks on a bunch of them.
Chris-
ReplyDeleteWill the 165 be track or doubles? I'd be interested in a set of Tevano track cranks to replace the pro-3 ones I am currently running.
Seaneee, It looks like they will all be arms for doubles, but they can be used with only one chainring.
ReplyDeleteI love the 'look' of that Tevano crank.
ReplyDeleteRegarding producing a classic crank, I have to agree with Chris that it would be economically questionable for a single shop to commission a small run.
It seems as if almost EVERY european and japanese crank manufacturer made their own copy of the 144BCD 5 arm Campagnolo orginal:
TA Specialites
Sugino
Galli
Gippiemme
Mavic
Ofmega
Sakae
Shimano
Stronglight
Suntour
View them at this nifty site:
http://www.velobase.com/
So the chance of finding a used crank is very good.
Flipside is, if only Chris could convince just ONE of those manufacturers to produce a limited run, hmmmm....
I agree that a 110/74BCD double isn't going to work. The only ways to do a wide range double is to use the TA rings on 49D style arms or to use 86BCD. This will give you a minimum of 28T rather than the 24T with 74BCD.
ReplyDeletePerhaps it would be best to have 49D style crank arms and offer different spiders. Spiders can be made with CNC so there are no setup issues such as molds for blanks and forging.
Any idea what length of bb to use with a Tevano Strada (double ring)?
ReplyDeletethanks in advance.
@ Guy- Our best guess, based on an ebay listing of this crank that included the BB, is 115 mm.
ReplyDeletemany thanks for quick response - I will have a fiddle and update :)
ReplyDeleteHi again,
ReplyDeletetried it with a couple of bb's that I have lying around; 113mm (too close) and a 127mm(too far) a bit like the three bears :)
So I think that a 118/119mm would be about right.
thanks again.