Just checking that I am not going mad here.

I have some RF atlas cranks, and a new Acros BB, and when I do the cranks up tight enough that the bolt bottoms out on the axle (well to be honest I haven’t done it up this tight yet) the crank gets very very stiff and hard to rotate

To fix this do I need to remove some of the spacers on the axle? or am I doing something wrong?

Have you had the frame faced?

No, but its been used with Shimano crank before and was fine. Are RF cranks a lot more sensitive?

Quite a bit more I believe. The GF’s Evolve XC cranks are a bit tight (her frame is unfaced) but my old ones were OK (frame faced).

bugger, better get down the LBS then. Do you need to strip the frame down to get them faced? or can they do it built up.

They can do it built up – you just need to get the cranks off and the BB out. Might be worth double-checking your bike’s BB shell width and the instructions first. I want some of those Atlas cranks, they look mustard.

Yep, remove one of the 1mm spacers on the axle.

I will try a 1mm spacer, if that doesn’t help I will take it to the LBS.

They are nice cranks mr A (i got mine with a lucky ebay snipe for not much cash ;)) but they are seriously heavy

The instructions for RF cranks cover this – see the troubleshoot bit

Amazing eh?

Yep read them, just wanted to double check, which is never a bad thing IMHO

Acros BB’s use an angular contact bearing. If you keep winding & winding you will crush the inner bearing race into the balls thus stopping it turning.

The bolt is not supposed to do up against the axle.

Tighten the steel 8mm allen key bolt up tight so the cranks can still turn freely, then screw up against it the 12mm Aluminium allen key cap to lock it all down.

J