Dos Cycles is selling a new derbi flat reed crank. I bought one a few months ago to put through it's paces on my race bike. In the interest of disclosure, Blake and Tyler of Dos Cycles are good friends of mine.
So let's start with the finish and quality. I was fortunate enough when I went to buy it to be able to compare it to a nos metrakit crank and I have to say quality was comparable, if not maybe a little better as far as finish on the crank lobes goes. they spin just as freely and with very little play in the con rod. It feels nice and tight over all. They are produced by a company called alferre (spelling?) which as I'm told was one of the factories that has produced polini products, so I feel like that says a lot as far as production quality.
When it came time to rebuild I compared it to the stock crank and it definitely felt like a vast improvement, although the stock has seen 30 years of abuse so I don't know how fair a comparison that is.
the crank went into the bearings pretty easily after an hour or so in the freezer and aligned itself in the middle of the cases pretty well. I only had to do minor careful straightening with a rubber mallet.
[attachment 147436 10352384_10207046212097818_2854796400869457960_n.jpg]
yeah I know the case matching is a little sloppy, I busted through into the trans case matching the widened metrakit transfers and got spooked. Welded it up on the backside and its all good now.
[attachment 147437 11095662_10207046212257822_8719212962438044150_n.jpg]
the seals slid on nice and tight over the crank with a little oil, and it was back together. I put the top end on with a doppler needle bearing. Sorry, I didn't use the one it came with so I can't speak to that. I put an hpi mini on and the taper seems to fit just perfect. The trans went on as it should as well. buttoned everything else up and tuned it in.
[attachment 147438 12247003_10208045412117194_1057076383107071866_n.jpg]
So let's start with the finish and quality. I was fortunate enough when I went to buy it to be able to compare it to a nos metrakit crank and I have to say quality was comparable, if not maybe a little better as far as finish on the crank lobes goes. they spin just as freely and with very little play in the con rod. It feels nice and tight over all. They are produced by a company called alferre (spelling?) which as I'm told was one of the factories that has produced polini products, so I feel like that says a lot as far as production quality.
When it came time to rebuild I compared it to the stock crank and it definitely felt like a vast improvement, although the stock has seen 30 years of abuse so I don't know how fair a comparison that is.
the crank went into the bearings pretty easily after an hour or so in the freezer and aligned itself in the middle of the cases pretty well. I only had to do minor careful straightening with a rubber mallet.
[attachment 147436 10352384_10207046212097818_2854796400869457960_n.jpg]
yeah I know the case matching is a little sloppy, I busted through into the trans case matching the widened metrakit transfers and got spooked. Welded it up on the backside and its all good now.
[attachment 147437 11095662_10207046212257822_8719212962438044150_n.jpg]
the seals slid on nice and tight over the crank with a little oil, and it was back together. I put the top end on with a doppler needle bearing. Sorry, I didn't use the one it came with so I can't speak to that. I put an hpi mini on and the taper seems to fit just perfect. The trans went on as it should as well. buttoned everything else up and tuned it in.
[attachment 147438 12247003_10208045412117194_1057076383107071866_n.jpg]