Holy smokes...it's a crankset

[manc_lad]

Was this a popular customisation?

SHIMANO Deore XT FC-M730 Crank Set 48/36/24 Square 175mm CUSTOMIZED | eBay

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[FluffyChicken]

Popular, I don't know about that.
Did people do it, yes, to all sorts of different parts. Shimano then did it for is and often a bit better, like a hollow cranks, drilled cogs, milled out mechs and grooved or narrowed bar mounts.

Loads of metal in them there cranks. Still probably stronger than most CNC stuff back then.


That's a really neat and tidy job there, most would just be hit and hope and random drilling.
IT picked up a nick name as Drillium (though not sure how and when, think that predates this era 70/80s?) I only really heard it after the early 90s era.


Other things one weenie might do is stip a Flite of it's padding and leather, look under it and you'll see squares. That's a ideal target to get regular drilling...
It's now eaven lighter and bendier to get the comfort back. Oddly more comfortable than you might think with padded pants.
Water could be a problem and mud, but hey they miss whole parts of saddles out now.
Then they brought the carbon version out, I'm not sure if anyone drilled that.

 

[1978]

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SHIMANO Deore XT FC-M730 Crank Set 48/36/24 Square 175mm CUSTOMIZED | eBay

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I remember doing this in a mates shed with some of my Deore DX group set. The XT and DX group set of that era were very well made and could stand to lose a bit of material here and there.

We were inspired by an MBUK feature in a certain pro’s bike which had drilled cranks like these and machined brackets on the XT brake levers. I can’t remember whose bike it was unfortunately.

 

[novocaine]

I've got a modern sora mech that mid way through a bit of drilling, because it's bushes were shot and it wobbled like a drunk monk, so why not, can't **** it any more than it was.

Brake levers, cranks, mechs, teeth, nails, beards. All exceptable for a bit of drilling.

 

[Splatter Paint]

My recollection from racing BITD is that Shimano cranks often failed once drilled.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Was this a popular customisation?

Only if you like broken cranks with out of pitch and off centre holes in it

 

[trailwright]

Yep, it was a thing for weight weenies. I used to race a chap who did this to the components and the tubes on his cannondale mtb in the early 90s. Sure it was light but there would be no way you'd have got me pelting downhill on it. He tried the same trick on his Cannondale road bike a couple of years later and came a cropper on a fast road descent - lost two front teeth, broken collar bone and very bashed up, but survived.

 

[greencat]

I'd guess the chainrings would be OK, but there's no way I'd ride drilled cranks.