Crankset Installation — Hollowtech II

Procedure

1. Apply a light grease

   to the spindle.

2. Pass the spindle through the bottom bracket

   from the drive side, threading the chain onto the chainrings as it goes.

3. Slide the non-drive crank arm onto the spindle splines

   Note the orientation — the crank arm should be 180° opposite the drive arm.

4. Hand-thread the preload cap

   until snug. This is not a structural bolt — its only job is to remove play from the bearings. Tighten only enough to remove play (typically 0.5–1 Nm — finger-tight). Over-tightening preloads the bearings and they'll wear quickly.

5. Engage the safety tab

   into the spindle groove.

6. Tighten the two pinch bolts

   in alternating sequence to 12–14 Nm.

7. Check for play

   by grabbing the crank arms and rocking side to side. If you feel play, slightly tighten the preload cap and re-do the pinch bolts. If the bearings feel rough or notchy, back off the preload.