Morning all

Possibly a newbie question, but the bearings in my bottom bracket on my epic are a bit rough, and as I’m out of riding currently following shoulder surgery I wanted to get it sorted before I’m back riding!

Now I’ve never changed a press-fit bottom bracket, but I don’t have any worrys about that regarding knocking the bearings out etc. Currently though I’m failing at the first hurdle as I can’t for the life of me remove the crank! I’ve looked at various manuals online but I’m still not sure which removal instructions I should be following. It is a specialised carbon crank, so does this mean it’s the same as the removal of carbon road cranks?

My cranks just don’t seem to match up to any that I see online, and I don’t want to force anything without knowing how I should be doing it. If I need expensive special tooling I’ll probably just take it to a Specialized store, I was just hoping I could do it myself.

I would try and add pictures but I don’t know how too from my iPad, any help or advice would be appreciated, and it’s my first post so sorry to be asking for help straight from the off!

If they are the same as what are fitted to our 2016 S Works Enduro and Stumpjumper then there are some very small allen grub screws on the none drive side that need slackening off then its just a big allen key to slacken the rest off and remove it.

FWIW It took three of us originally to get the cranks off my carbon Camber.

When I re-installed it and torqued it correctly, it still requires me to put the non-ds crank in a vice (bolted to a heavy bench) and then a long lever and heavy duty allen key to remove it.

Assuming they’re the S-Works cranks (made by Lightning), there’s a grub screw on the NDS which takes a 4mm (IIRC) allen key, then you need a 6mm allen key to the bolt in the middle. Be careful, it’s captive, and if you round it your expensive cranks are for the bin. Don’t use a ball ended or shit allen key.

Thanks for the response, they say s-works on the crank arms so I am assuming they are s-works cranks. There is an 8mm Allen key just inside the NDS crank arm, other than that I can’t see anything else which can be used to remove them, not unless there is a special tool required. Any more clues? Do I just need more force?! It is a 2015 bike if that makes a difference.

Ours is a 8mm allen key for the NDS, but as above there are three small grub screws on the NDS that need slackening off first

Not a pic of mine but shows where the screws are on mine

Ooo, they’ve changed. Possibly ignore the above.

Mine didn’t have anything that needed backing off before removal, they didn’t even have the preload ring in the instructions below. Mine were 2009 though. Could’ve been 8mm too, although I thought they were 6.

Destructions. May not apply though. How old are yours? Clearly that’s relevant.

Surprised the thing in Tracey’s picture keeps the cranks in, that looks like a preload thing to me.

Thanks Tracey, I do have them grub screws and I will try loosening that before loosening the crank! I didn’t think that would be detrimental to holding the cranks on tbh! I will give it a try tomorrow and feed back.

Ours are 2016 ones. Look nothing like in the destructions.

Then ignore what I’ve said, I imagine 2015s will be much like Tracey’s, and those I can’t help with.

Managed to undo it today following Tracey’s instructions, it was caked in Loctite! Thanks for all your help

I know this thread is a little stale, but if anyone is still listening…. I Was trying to remove my 2016 s-works stumpy cranks (s-works FACT carbon cranks). And after loosening the little grub screws on the retaining ring AND loosening the big 8mm allen bolt on the drive side, the bolt only turns 1.5 turns, before encountering resistance – enough where I am afraid to force it.. I thought it would just screw out? I was thinking it may be loctite residue, but I’m kind of wary of applying any more force….

You can use a hair dryer to soften threadlock but the crank bolt should not have any on it

It’s not unusual for self extracting crank arm bolts to get tighter to turn again after the first turn or so.

Try this link

https://media.specialized.com/support/collateral/0000030806.pdf

The only thing I can imagine the resistance you’re finding once you’ve actually loosened the bolt is where the bolt head is now pushing against the lock ring for the self extracting system to work. Mine took a lot of force but loosened off eventually with some heat. It’s worth noting that after I re-fitted my two rides later the crank arm fell off. Took it into Specialized thinking it was my fault but turns out I’d removed it correctly but the bolt had failed as the collar on it that pushes the crank off had sheared straight off! Said they hadn’t seen this occur before but replaced the bolt for me straight away.