… fitting a new SLX or LX crankset (inc. BB) or just replce the octalink BB and re-paint and reuse my old, knackered looking but perfectly fine Deore cranks?

price of a new BB is about 15-17€. price of a new crankset 40-60€.

mmmmm….. i think i know the answer to this one, but i can't help looking…..

Do you like to treat your bike to nice new things or do you like to save money and make do with a tidy up of old tat. The choice old alpin is yours.

i know…. sometimes it'd be much easier if someone made the choices for you though, wouldn't it? like Stalin perhaps.

or i could rip the SLX from the other bike and put it on the Sanderson for the summer… bit of a faff, though.

i'll have a bash at spraying one of the cranks black. do i need a primer?

Are you skint? If not, buy new stuff for the bike. It's better than actually riding a bike you know.

Bling it up mate! it's nearly summer and you don't want people pointing and laughing at you!(look at that Gypo with his Deore cranks, Snigger,snigger) get a new set of SLX or,if your feeling flush, some nice XTs. Sod it! get out the credit card and get some nice carbon FSA numbers, the girls will love em! Go straight to the bike shop in the morning, you know you want to!!

right, my hands are still sticky, there are black stencil patterns outlining where the cranks were on the floor.
i've been downstairs, taken the cranks off, rubbed 'em up a bit and liberally applied black spray paint, carefully put 'em back on the bike and they look like new! might even get 'em powder coated the same colour as the frame when it gets done, or is that too tacky?

does anyone really notice any difference in stiffness between octalink and HT2? i can feel a bit of flex on the square BB on the fixie, but there is more torque going through them (may also be the old rickety steel frame flexing).

maybe i'll treat the bike to new cranks if something comes up in the classifieds. there was an SLX 3-ring crank w/BB that came up two days ago for 50€ completely new!