My crank arm fell off because I skipped the pre-load check.

I assumed it was tight from the last service. Turns out, it worked loose over time. Always check the pre-load now.

3 comments

3 Comments

My friend Chris on his old Trek had his left crank arm just fall into the street while he was pedaling uphill. He coasted to a stop holding just the pedal. It turned out he had put the crank on himself a month before and forgot that final tighten after the first few rides. He had to walk the bike three miles home in cycling shoes. Now he checks that pre-load like it's a religion before every single ride.

kevinallen23h ago

Man, that reminds me of when my chain snapped right at the bottom of a steep hill. I was standing up to pedal hard and just dropped onto the frame. Had to walk two miles home pushing a bike that wouldn't even roll right. Felt like a total goof for not replacing that rusty chain sooner.

oscar_morgan2216h ago

Nah @tara_martin, that's overkill, cranks don't just fall off if installed right.