Scratches on crank arms.

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Has anyone got advice on how to reduce surface scratches on drive side crank arm. I'm guessing that they were caused by the strap / buckle on "rat trap" pedals.
 

Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Location
Inside my skull
Time for a new bike I’m afraid
 

Cycleops

Legendary Member
Location
Accra, Ghana
I guess you mean stop them from happening rather than eliminating them. I always thought they were caused by shoes but straps could also cause it but I don’t use them, so might be a case of going to clip ins :ohmy:
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Usually the shoe that rubs - especially if the marks are nearer the axel as that's where the heal often rubs. It's alot worse with non-clipped pedals, especially on flats - most 'flat' pedal users on MTB's have really badly scratched cranks.

You could use some heli tape.
 
Has anyone got advice on how to reduce surface scratches on drive side crank arm. I'm guessing that they were caused by the strap / buckle on "rat trap" pedals.

If it's the buckle then the straps are on wrong ?

I've never worried about them. Some shoes or overshoes rub occasionally.

As has been said you could do helicopter tape. Look up a YouTube to apply it properly.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Get clipped in.
View attachment 647228

That is after 23 years of polishing (and scratching) by [the heel of] my shoe.
I pedal heel-in. Normally, the heels miss the cranks by a mm or two but from time to time they make contact.

My knees hurt if I adjust the cleats to stop it happening.
Why would you care, anyway? (Superficial) battle scars show you've fought (and won).
:okay:
 
The problem is the black paint which wears off to create an unsightly appearance. Stick to unpainted finish and the wear marks are just a bit shinier than the rest.
On my black crank, wear marks are just a sign that I use it a lot.
 
OP
OP
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woodbutchmaster

Veteran
I guess you mean stop them from happening rather than eliminating them. I always thought they were caused by shoes but straps could also cause it but I don’t use them, so might be a case of going to clip ins :ohmy:

Yes l use clip ins , this is a starfish crankset l just bought and want to tidy it up a bit !
 

Cycleops

Legendary Member
Location
Accra, Ghana
Ah, okay. Aluminium alloy is a soft metal so you should be able to polish them out if not too deep. If you can get access to a polishing wheel and use a compound that should work. Deeper scratches could taken out with fine grade wet/dry and then with the whee.
 

Ian H

Ancient randonneur
As has been said, the buckles should be on the outside, not near the crank. If the straps tend to slip round you can give them a double-twist where they are threaded through the pedal.
 
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