I’ve heard from some people that these titanium spindles are dangerous. Why is it said these are unsafe? And is it truly dangerous enough that it would warrant replacing the bottom bracket with the steel spindle version.?
by Familiar_Ingenuity
I’ve heard from some people that these titanium spindles are dangerous. Why is it said these are unsafe? And is it truly dangerous enough that it would warrant replacing the bottom bracket with the steel spindle version.?
by Familiar_Ingenuity
2 Comments
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1099558-how-identify-campy-super-record-spindle.html
Looks like potentialyl poor metallurgy(non alloy), and potentially poor machining contributed to failures.
As far as injury potential, think of what could happen when your crank arm suddenly breaks free under full power. The capacity for injury will depend on the speed you’re going when that happens. It’s absolutely not worth chancing. Keep the ti spindle as a cool paperweight
Campagnolo famously ditched the titanium spindles after one failed on Laurent Fignon’s bike in live television.
When you replace a steel spindle with titanium, you get a bottom bracket that is substantially lighter but also weaker. Ideally you’d slightly increase the dimensions of the titanium spindle, but then it would not be compatible with the same cranks.
My understanding is that if you get a modern titanium square taper bottom bracket like a Phil Wood, then they are considered safe and reliable. But these early versions from 1980’s and 1970’s evidently had weaker titanium alloys.