FSA Gossamer chainset

[jpembroke]

CRC have FSA Gossamer cyclocross (46/36) Mega-Exo chainsets in their sale. Are these chainsets any good? I've heard the BBs are awful but I gather I can use a shimano HT2 BB instead (Tiagra version only £14).

 

[John the Monkey]

Found this;

http://www.velonews.com/article/86337

Answer from FSA’s Dae Oh

The short answer; no, the FSA K-Force Light Rd. Crank is not compatible with a Chris King bottom bracket (made to Shimano compatible dimensions). Also, the K-Force Rd. crankset will not be compatible either.

The FSA BB8200 (meant for K-Force Light) uses a 6 mm width bearing. This allows us to make the bottom bracket outside to outside dimension more narrow providing room for a wave washer. The BB8000 (meant for K-Force) does indeed use a 7 mm width bearing, yet its design does not allow for use of a Chris King bottom bracket.

However our popular alloy cranksets, the Gossamer Rd. and the Energy Rd. is compatible with the Chris King bottom bracket (made to Shimano compatible dimensions). These cranks use BB6000, this BB's dimensions are compatible with Shimano.
Dae Oh
Full Speed Ahead

 

[beancounter]

I have one on my Cannondale Cyclocross bike. When almost new I had horrendous grinding noises from the bb and returned it immediately to the bike shop. They told me it had been insufficiently greased (although I barely believed this) but to be fair it's now done over 2000 miles without any further problems [touches wood].

I quite recently had the whole bike serviced at my now-preferred LBS and the mechanic reported no problems, but he did say (because I asked) that I wouldn't be able to use any other type of bb with the chainset and I would have to change both if I wanted a different bb. Generally I take his word for these things but if you think a Shimano bb will work then perhaps you could let me know.

bc

 

[jpembroke]

According to FSA (see John the Monkey's post above which I've seen elsewhere on t'internet) you can use a Shimano BB with FSA alloy chainsets (inc. Gossamer) but not with their more upmarket offerings.

FSA's external BBs get awful reviews but I just wanted to know what the chainset was like. At £40 it's hard to resist.

 

[John the Monkey]

Might be worth a quick look at Planet X too - I got a fair bit of FSA stuff in their clearance (seat post, wing bars for £15 each, etc). Not sure if they had chainsets in it too, but I think they did.

 

[jpembroke]

Yes, they do but they are selling them for £89. CRC are selling for £40. Bonkers. It's like the DFS summer sale.

Probably.

 

[John the Monkey]

Yes, they do but they are selling them for £89. CRC are selling for £40. Bonkers. It's like the DFS summer sale.

Probably.

Good lord!

I don't need one, but at that price...

Arg! This way lies madness.

FWIW, I replace my chainrings with FSA alloy ones, they're really nice, very "crisp" on the shifting, if that makes sense.

 

[jpembroke]

Hmm, I'm not sure I really need one, but as you say: at that price.......

My 'cross bike currently has a stronglight 48/34 chainset running on one of those terribly cheap and notoriously unreliable square taper bottom bracket thingies (you may remember them) which probably only has about 10000 miles of life left.

 

[John the Monkey]

My 'cross bike currently has a stronglight 48/34 chainset running on one of those terribly cheap and notoriously unreliable square taper bottom bracket thingies (you may remember them) which probably only has about 10000 miles of life left.

There's square taper and square taper though - my Truvativ one was grindy after two years or so (came with the bike).

There's a UN54(?) on the Long Haul Trucker, which will, hopefully, be longer lived

 

[jpembroke]

Yep, UN54. Just keeps on trucking.

Still, £40......hmmmmm

 

[John the Monkey]

Yep, UN54. Just keeps on trucking.

Still, £40......hmmmmm

My outer chainring cost me £32 last time I replaced it - I say go for it, you're spending barely the price of one and a half of the chainrings on it!

 

[jpembroke]

My outer chainring cost me £32 last time I replaced it - I say go for it, you're spending barely the price of one and a half of the chainrings on it!

Good point!

Do you reckon there's any difference between the Tiagra and 105 BB? they are £14 and £16 respectively on CRC?

 

[John the Monkey]

Couldn't say - I have Tiagra on my Hollowtech equipped bike, but I've not racked up the miles on it yet.

Unless you *really* want that two quid, no harm in going 105, I'd have said.

 

[jpembroke]

It's clever isn't it? There's probably no difference between the two (how can there be with such a small price difference?) so I guess everyone spends the extra £2. And I guess I will too.

 

[John the Monkey]

Mind you, it's only a bit extra for the Dura Ace, now I look at it.