Spare Brompton crank

As an ex-BMX rider, I know how important it is to have robust bike components. When I used to race in the 80s, many a time I heard about people using aluminium three-piece cranks and having them fail very often. The problem was the softer aluminium cranks bolted to a steel spindle. Something has got to give, With the hard starts we had in BMX, no aluminium crank would last for long. That is why many used one-piece cranks, or spent a fortune on chromoly three-piece cranks with splined spindles, like the Redline 401s or Profiles.

I do not race BMX anymore. I however own a Brompton bike. What scares me (as it did many years ago) is the aluminium crank on that Brompton. The only difference between then and now is that now, I weight a lot more than I did when I used to race BMX. Sometimes, to tackle hills, I will stand on the pedals and ride. I always wonder when the aluminium crank on this Brompton of mine will fail on me. That is why I look through places like Carousell for people selling their Brompton cranks. many of them are new too! I saw a few being sold for $80 and some went as low as $40. The reason why most of these Brompton riders change their cranks is pure snob appeal. many change to those titanium cranks and some to mountain bike cranks. For me, I just love to keep it stock. I am not in a competition anymore like my BMX days. So, I will probably get a spare and keep it just in case my crank fails.