eBay RaceFace cranks, misleading description?

old_coyote_pedaller

MacRetro Rider
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Bought a set of RaceFace cranks off eBay recently, they arrived today.
I could immediately see on unpacking that drive side taper was knackered, looks like it has been run with loose bolt. It bottoms out on axle so bolt wouldn't tighten it.

This is the description on auction,

"Hello and welcome to my listing. Dug these out while clearing out the garage, thought I'd chuck them on here! I pulled these from my Kona full sus a few years back when I upgraded to 3-piece. As far as i can recall they were fine, but its been a while, so I'm listing them as for parts. There is a bolt missing from the main ring. I believe its possible for these to be a triple ring set up. The pedal threads are ok as I only took the pedals off today, and the tapers are fine. Its a rarity to find decent square taper cranks these days! Any questions, please ask, collection/cash on collection fine, will NOT ship overseas without prior arrangement. These are listed as parts only as have no way to test a square taper crank, so no returns!"

So before I contact seller I thought I'd ask here if I should have expected the tapers to be OK since he specifically states they're "fine", although he covers himself by saying he had no way to test them. If he had not said tapers were "fine", I would not have bid for them.

So what are your thoughts RetroBikers, am I justified in thinking I was misled by description of them being fine?
 
Very difficult one to judge OCP - with all the disclaimers (and hindsight) I wouldn't have bid.

Personally (and being a skeptic) I think he knew they were knackered and came up with a way to punt them for more money than he would have got if he'd said they were broken. It has been too carefully worded in my opinion.

I would try paypal but I wouldn't hold my breath.
 
But he does say the pedal threads and tapers are "Fine". You can therefore assume they should be "fine" but that he is uncertain about other aspects of their condition.
 
TK, the "disclaimers" did give me pause but the fact he stated the tapers were "fine" so I bid. I agree he knew the taper was effed.

suburbanreuben, that's what I thought as well, why state the tapers are "fine" if they weren't? That's misleading in my opinion.

Methinks a dispute will be started, will contact him first, see what he says.
 
Well got a reply, says they are OK.:eek: Says I must have worn BB or I have overtightened them. I've not even bothered putting a bolt in BB as yet, no point if it will screw all the way into BB axle without tightening crank onto BB.

When I put the drive side crank onto BB the end of BB axle is flush with flat in crank arm where bolt head bears against arm. The non-drive side crank is around 4/5mm proud of end of BB axle. All the other crank arms I have tried, have the same 4/5mm between end of BB axle and bolt recess. The fact that the 2 Race Face arms go onto BB axle different amount shows that the drive side crank taper is spread allowing it to bottom out on BB taper. All the other crank arms I have drive and non-drive fit on to BB tapers the same amount with the 4/5mm clearance.
 
That's a good idea. Have replied to him again, so will wait on his response before taking crank arms off my other bikes to do that.

Measured the square of taper on inside of arm, the drive side is 13.9mm and non-drive is 13.5mm. The square of drive side taper is bigger than non-drive square, possibly because it is spread and why it pushes onto the axle further than the non-drive and other arms I have.
 
Did you pay with paypal? Just start a paypal dispute in the resolution center if he tries it on.
 

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