Got an old bike that has this piece in between the crankset and the frame. It’s very loose and keeps rolling around and getting in the way of the chain when I pedal. How can I remove it or make it stay fixed in one place?
this post was submitted on 15 Jun 2025
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It could be. I can’t think of anything else it might be either. I’ve never taken of cranks, I guess I need some special tools? It seems to be reasonably thick so I’m not sure if I can cut it off.
Those will be square taper cranks. They can be a pain to remove, but sometimes are okay. Remove circular plastic cap and there'll be a nut down inside the crank. One side will be left hand thread, the other right hand. You'll need a socket that is very thin walled. Undoing these can be hard, but getting the cranks off the square taper is usually the more annoying part as the cranks get jammed on. I've often had to bash them off with a hammer 😅
(If you're actually going to attempt this, probs worth watching a youtube tutorial)
Yeah, from what I understand, not easy to remove cranks without special tools. Dremel might work, but maybe a bike shop might be easier/safer/quicker.
Edit: short term fix, zip tie it to the tube so it doesn't move?
That’s a great quick fix idea - thanks!
That or twine, whichever you have on hand.
Twine?! Really? Be a professional, zip tie or electrical tape, anything less is mediocrity /s