Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Newcastle Dave
Posts: 195
Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2013 7:17 pm

Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Postby Newcastle Dave » Mon Jul 24, 2017 1:22 pm

So I had a creaking,clunky sound on the right side on Saturday. I thought it was the peddle and swapped those, but clunk was worse. Had another look and saw that the crank seems to be broken or coming apart. The pedal "spider" (not sure what its called) is raised 1-2 mm away from the chainring

Having removed it, I cant quite figure out how its all put together (much to my mechanic fathers shame, I am a mechanical klutz). I can see four bolts (stupid star bolts, what's wrong with hex screws) seeming to hold the pedal "spider" to the chainring, but these seem to be done up without any movement.

Is that all that hold the two pieces together ? (need to go shopping for a large star driver - anyone know what size these are ?)

User avatar
Duck!
Expert
Posts: 9850
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
Location: On The Tools

Re: Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Postby Duck! » Mon Jul 24, 2017 1:58 pm

The T30 Torx bolts only hold the chainrings on. The crank arms & spider are hollow, each made in two pieces and bonded together - you can see the join all the way around the edge of the inner piece. The large chainring is similarly made in two pieces and bonded together. It's uncommon, but there have been cases of the cranks and rings failing at the bond.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

Newcastle Dave
Posts: 195
Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2013 7:17 pm

Re: Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Postby Newcastle Dave » Mon Jul 24, 2017 2:34 pm

Duck! wrote:The T30 Torx bolts only hold the chainrings on. The crank arms & spider are hollow, each made in two pieces and bonded together - you can see the join all the way around the edge of the inner piece. The large chainring is similarly made in two pieces and bonded together. It's uncommon, but there have been cases of the cranks and rings failing at the bond.
Thanks Duck - so if mine look like this (hoping image displays) then I guess it is stuffed.
[insta]https://instagram.com/p/BW6pJlJnKuz/[/insta]


Rang the LBS that I have had previous good dealings with, they quoted $580 but said they had none in stock, nor did Shimano have any listed in Australia.

So looks like I order one from OS (and save heaps)
Last edited by Newcastle Dave on Mon Jul 24, 2017 2:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

eeksll
Posts: 2631
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2009 10:36 pm

Re: Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Postby eeksll » Mon Jul 24, 2017 2:41 pm

Newcastle Dave wrote:
Duck! wrote:The T30 Torx bolts only hold the chainrings on. The crank arms & spider are hollow, each made in two pieces and bonded together - you can see the join all the way around the edge of the inner piece. The large chainring is similarly made in two pieces and bonded together. It's uncommon, but there have been cases of the cranks and rings failing at the bond.
Thanks Duck - so if mine look like this (hoping image displays) then I guess it is stuffed.
Image

Rang the LBS that I have had previous good dealings with, they quoted $580 but said they had none in stock, nor did Shimano have any listed in Australia.

So looks like I order one from OS (and save heaps)
might be best to just go the link
link to photo

User avatar
Duck!
Expert
Posts: 9850
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
Location: On The Tools

Re: Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Postby Duck! » Mon Jul 24, 2017 3:20 pm

Yes, that appears to be a separating crank arm/spider. It's kaput. If it's less than two years old it will be covered under warranty.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

Newcastle Dave
Posts: 195
Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2013 7:17 pm

Re: Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Postby Newcastle Dave » Mon Jul 24, 2017 3:54 pm

Duck! wrote:Yes, that appears to be a separating crank arm/spider. It's kaput. If it's less than two years old it will be covered under warranty.
Nah, its 3 1/2 years old, but only about 18000 km - must be the awesome power I am putting down :D

So how come Wiggle can sell me one for $205 while the LBS says they are over $500 ?

eeksll
Posts: 2631
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2009 10:36 pm

Re: Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Postby eeksll » Mon Jul 24, 2017 8:32 pm

if the wiggle "savings percentage" are to be believed, the full price is $400. So $500 isn't too bad from Aus LBS.

User avatar
Duck!
Expert
Posts: 9850
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
Location: On The Tools

Re: Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Postby Duck! » Mon Jul 24, 2017 8:52 pm

Local wholesale price is around $300 before taxes and freight.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

User avatar
Lukeyboy
Posts: 3621
Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 2:38 am

Re: Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Postby Lukeyboy » Tue Jul 25, 2017 10:43 am

Newcastle Dave wrote:but said they had none in stock, nor did Shimano have any listed in Australia.
Jason. Geoff...

Image

jasonc
Posts: 12144
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 3:40 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Postby jasonc » Tue Jul 25, 2017 11:29 am

Lukeyboy wrote:
Newcastle Dave wrote:but said they had none in stock, nor did Shimano have any listed in Australia.
Jason. Geoff...
Newcastle dave- Shimano don't have a spare parts division. They have nice offices instead. Buy it from wherever you need. 18,000kms - was getting time for new rings anyway. So buy a new crank, chain and cassette

User avatar
GeoffInBrisbane
Posts: 704
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2012 8:31 pm

Re: Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Postby GeoffInBrisbane » Tue Jul 25, 2017 1:08 pm

Haha. Shimano Australia...stock...yeah...no...whatever it is you are trying to order!
Veloviewer

MS-DOS Phone. For when you want it done right.

Newcastle Dave
Posts: 195
Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2013 7:17 pm

Re: Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Postby Newcastle Dave » Wed Jul 26, 2017 4:58 pm

Well, just because I am a cranky old man, I decided to email Shimano for an explanation.
So I asked them;
1) Why do Shimano not have any stock of this in Australia ?
2) Why is the Australian wholesale price close to 150% more than the retail price overseas ?

They replied
"With Ultegra 6800 series being phased out to make way for the new R8000 series, we have limited availability of remaining FC-6800 cranksets.
Meanwhile, overseas retailers may be quite heavily stocked up; hence their low prices to clear out previous generations and make way for new components.
We are expecting some specifications new Ultegra FC-R8000 to start arriving this week."

I then asked them if they thought running out of stock of the old component before stocking the new component was their idea of good customer service (I told you I am an old cranky bastard)

They then replied;

"Actually, I’ve just had a look and we just have literally just received FC-6800 in 172.5, 52/36.
Meanwhile, the new model FC-R8000 is available and actually a few dollars cheaper than the 6800 model."

I bet its still a lot more expensive than I got from Chain Reaction

User avatar
Duck!
Expert
Posts: 9850
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
Location: On The Tools

Re: Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Postby Duck! » Wed Jul 26, 2017 7:25 pm

Much as I love the products, Shimano's local subsidiary needs a firecracker up its collective bum.....

What is true though is that 6800 will become harder to get as it's phased out for R8000, given the cross compatibility between the two groups.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

User avatar
Lukeyboy
Posts: 3621
Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 2:38 am

Re: Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Postby Lukeyboy » Wed Jul 26, 2017 9:06 pm

With Ultegra 6800 series being phased out to make way for the new R8000 series
Must have started that phase out back in 2015 haha.

jasonc
Posts: 12144
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 3:40 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Postby jasonc » Wed Jul 26, 2017 9:27 pm

Lukeyboy wrote:
With Ultegra 6800 series being phased out to make way for the new R8000 series
Must have started that phase out back in 2015 haha.
It started before the phase in of the product. Easier that way

nevyn
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2016 11:54 am

Re: Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Postby nevyn » Wed Sep 27, 2017 7:57 pm

My understanding was that r8000 cranks were not compatible with r6800 fd due to do different spacing and offset.

User avatar
Duck!
Expert
Posts: 9850
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
Location: On The Tools

Re: Shimano FC-6800 Crank

Postby Duck! » Wed Sep 27, 2017 9:17 pm

The official word from Shimano is that it depends on the frame, specifically seat tube thickness. The R8000 small chainring is a little further inboard than 6800, the large ring is on the same chainline. On frames with a thicker seat tube and particularly with braze-on mount FD, the 6800 may not be able to swing in far enough to properly tune on the small ring. The R8000 has a bit more inward travel to suit the inboard ring. In most cases the 6800 will be OK, but for absolute certainty it's a good idea to pair the R8000 crank & FD.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users