I'm still using the S/S crank arms, although I've gone through a couple of them.
One tore at the bottom bolt hole due to twisting force from the pedal popping out the adjustment pin while pedaling hard in a surf landing at Portland last year. (I secured it with mono line and still did 55km the next day. ) I've had another that's torn at the hole for the pedal axle and I regularly have the pedal axles pop out. So I'm currently using another DIY set of SS cranks with bike pedals attached until I can get Cheater to spot weld the pedal axles to the crank arms (a benefit of all stainless). I was using the cranks locked in a set pedal position with a nut and bolt but since getting the AI I've made up some longer adjustment pins to go in the Hobie mechanism so I can vary the setting between yaks. Based on my experience I would suggest going with a slightly heavier wall thickness for the SHS crank arms and lengthening the adjustment pins (or bolting through).
With 316 stainless and Al parts in contact the Al becomes a sacrificial anode and corrodes more aggressively than the stainless. With Hobie's standard Al crank the adjustment pin through the middle of the crank and the bottom bolt accelerate the corrosion of the Al crank arm, leading to failures.
shane wrote:I'm still using the S/S crank arms, although I've gone through a couple of them.
One tore at the bottom bolt hole due to twisting force from the pedal popping out the adjustment pin while pedaling hard in a surf landing at Portland last year. (I secured it with mono line and still did 55km the next day. ) I've had another that's torn at the hole for the pedal axle and I regularly have the pedal axles pop out.
I went down the same path as you shane, thanks for sharing the info
Had the same dilemma with the pedal axles popping out with the fastening screw through the plastic cap. I drilled the holes on the side, fastened the axels and replaced the caps with some from clark rubber. Not a masterpiece and the job was rushed hence the shabbiness of cement glue and the fitting. A little more time spent fixing the pedal return cord through the top of the cap and shaping the cap to the thickness of the shaft and around the axle will make it more presentable
If you look back through a bunch of my old videos you will see that I use to use stainless pedal cranks to (they held up great). It also had adjustable pedal height built in, which was interesting to experiment with. I will be very curious to hear how you find the longer leg length. I suspect you will find that the motion of pedalling will feel easier, despite a longer pedalling length. But I also suspect it will feel a little under-powered at that height. I found that a slightly shorter pedal length made for more grunt with a reduced stroke, but a bit more effort had to go into each stroke. In the end (after experimenting with it for over a year) I concluded that Hobie got the pedal height pretty much right.
Yakass wrote:If you look back through a bunch of my old videos you will see that I use to use stainless pedal cranks to (they held up great). It also had adjustable pedal height built in, which was interesting to experiment with. I will be very curious to hear how you find the longer leg length. I suspect you will find that the motion of pedalling will feel easier, despite a longer pedalling length. But I also suspect it will feel a little under-powered at that height. I found that a slightly shorter pedal length made for more grunt with a reduced stroke, but a bit more effort had to go into each stroke. In the end (after experimenting with it for over a year) I concluded that Hobie got the pedal height pretty much right.
I've been using the longer cranks for around 3 years now and like them. The ergonomics with the longer cranks do depend on what yak I'm using though. In the PA I'm generally seated higher and with my long legs I've found it to be better all-round with the longer cranks. I can get a lot of power out of the drive but can also keep at it for a long time over a long distance. Going to the AI I've found the ergonomics of the longer cranks to be slightly less favorable with the generally lower and closer seating position. However I still prefer it to the standard height as after so long it feels slightly awkward and much heavier using a standard drive. I'm also looking forward to trying out the combo of the longer cranks with larger area flow fins.
Munroe wrote:
Had the same dilemma with the pedal axles popping out with the fastening screw through the plastic cap. I drilled the holes on the side, fastened the axels and replaced the caps with some from clark rubber.
Nice modification Allan, I might just borrow that idea.
Yakass wrote:If you look back through a bunch of my old videos you will see that I use to use stainless pedal cranks to (they held up great). It also had adjustable pedal height built in, which was interesting to experiment with. I will be very curious to hear how you find the longer leg length. I suspect you will find that the motion of pedalling will feel easier, despite a longer pedalling length. But I also suspect it will feel a little under-powered at that height. I found that a slightly shorter pedal length made for more grunt with a reduced stroke, but a bit more effort had to go into each stroke. In the end (after experimenting with it for over a year) I concluded that Hobie got the pedal height pretty much right.
I've been using the longer cranks for around 3 years now and like them. The ergonomics with the longer cranks do depend on what yak I'm using though. In the PA I'm generally seated higher and with my long legs I've found it to be better all-round with the longer cranks. I can get a lot of power out of the drive but can also keep at it for a long time over a long distance. Going to the AI I've found the ergonomics of the longer cranks to be slightly less favorable with the generally lower and closer seating position. However I still prefer it to the standard height as after so long it feels slightly awkward and much heavier using a standard drive. I'm also looking forward to trying out the combo of the longer cranks with larger area flow fins.
Yep, I started thinking about longer cranks when I start experimenting with the Flow fins to. Mentioned it to Scott the other day, as well as Marty 'BerleyPro' Gittens, who expressed interest in building some
Yakass wrote:
Yep, I started thinking about longer cranks when I start experimenting with the Flow fins to. Mentioned it to Scott the other day, as well as Marty 'BerleyPro' Gittens, who expressed interest in building some
I was thinking the same thing regarding Marto. Given the thermoform style construction of flow fins he would be well placed to develop after market and custom versions of fins.
Yakass wrote:If you look back through a bunch of my old videos you will see that I use to use stainless pedal cranks to (they held up great). It also had adjustable pedal height built in, which was interesting to experiment with. I will be very curious to hear how you find the longer leg length. I suspect you will find that the motion of pedalling will feel easier, despite a longer pedalling length. But I also suspect it will feel a little under-powered at that height. I found that a slightly shorter pedal length made for more grunt with a reduced stroke, but a bit more effort had to go into each stroke. In the end (after experimenting with it for over a year) I concluded that Hobie got the pedal height pretty much right.
I've been using the longer cranks for around 3 years now and like them. The ergonomics with the longer cranks do depend on what yak I'm using though. In the PA I'm generally seated higher and with my long legs I've found it to be better all-round with the longer cranks. I can get a lot of power out of the drive but can also keep at it for a long time over a long distance. Going to the AI I've found the ergonomics of the longer cranks to be slightly less favorable with the generally lower and closer seating position. However I still prefer it to the standard height as after so long it feels slightly awkward and much heavier using a standard drive. I'm also looking forward to trying out the combo of the longer cranks with larger area flow fins.
Yep, I started thinking about longer cranks when I start experimenting with the Flow fins to. Mentioned it to Scott the other day, as well as Marty 'BerleyPro' Gittens, who expressed interest in building some
It might be worth doing a short 'production-run' of these, as I'd certainly be up for a set (I don't have the tools or gear needed to make up my own), as I'm sure quite a few other Hobie jockeys would...
A 'production run' would certainly be a good idea and I am sure there would be a few customers. Has anyone done this or thought of doing so. You would have a customer here as well.
I will try to and get a quote from my local steel place, hopefully it may work out if a few are produced in 3mm SS.
Marty Gittens is building a prototype of s/steel cranks at the moment. If it works out OK (no doubt it will) he will likely make a small batch up for SLH. Will report back here when they become available
) I've had another that's torn at the hole for the pedal axle and I regularly have the pedal axles pop out. So I'm currently using another DIY set of SS cranks with bike pedals attached until I can get Cheater to spot weld the pedal axles to the crank arms (a benefit of all stainless). I was using the cranks locked in a set pedal position with a nut and bolt but since getting the AI I've made up some longer adjustment pins to go in the Hobie mechanism so I can vary the setting between yaks. Based on my experience I would suggest going with a slightly heavier wall thickness for the SHS crank arms and lengthening the adjustment pins (or bolting through).
