Submitted by
al
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas Date Reviewed: June 7, 2006
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
cool looking stiff ummm,, what else should a crank be??
Weaknesses:
early non-forged models had that bad reputation....
Bottom Line:
I've had 2, used 3 years each. First was the non-forged standard version that got the rep for breaking and sticking into your calf. Mine never broke or even creaked, but then i got a set of the "bonnie" forged cranks on close-out. I have cumulative maybe 40,000 miles on the 2 sets of cranks. No issues, stiff!! looks cool, stiff!! Fairly rare, not many folks have them, gets lots of looks and comments, very functional. Square taper, but i am unsold on the execution of the ISIS standard, though the concept is good. If you can find a set, buy it!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ninko Doornbos
a Racer
from Netherlands Date Reviewed: April 20, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$100.00
Strengths:
They're feeling really stiff, like transporting all of your power directly to your bracket. 175 mm, 32/42 tooth chainrings, square taper. I'm riding it in a Specialized stumpjumper frame with a 107mm XTR bracket and it has a very low q-factor and a very narrow chainline.
Weaknesses:
Haven't found a weakness yet.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized strongarm S-works square taper cranks and Tune Bigfoot.
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper frame, kooka cranks, XTR bracket, Chris King Wheels/headset, Avid Single digit Ti levers and brakes, eggbeater Ti pedals, Sram X.O.
Bottom Line:
I hope they will last long, they ride perfect but I've heard that they aren't the strongest one you can have. I've heard that they can break at the square taper place. But I don't hope so because they ride superb. I have a set blue ones with Red spider.
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Submitted by
Shamus Yandle
a Cross Country Rider
from Roswell, GA Date Reviewed: September 29, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
bought a used bike with them on it
Strengths:
Super light!!!! Nice aluminum look. Both 170mm arms with Kooka 22/32/44 rings weighed roughly 620-630grams.
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Currently building a bike with these cranks...It going to be a Ellsworth Isis with a Manitou Minute 2 100mm front fork, Avid Arch Rival brakes, Mavic wheels, XT front derailleur and XTR rear derailleur, XT shifter pods and Avid levers.
Bottom Line:
These cranks rock! Super light weighing 620-630 grams with both 170mm arms and Kooka rings! Haven't had any problems with these cranks breaking or anything, but I do only weigh 150lbs. I bought the bike used two years ago with these cranks on it. Who knows how long they have been ridden on before me.
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Submitted by
Earthfoote
a Cross Country Rider
from Oklahoma Date Reviewed: June 27, 2004
Favorite Trail:
The road less-travelled
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1.00
Purchased At:
unknown
Strengths:
Superlight and stiff, lotsa flash appeal
Weaknesses:
Broke! Other than that, they were fantastic!
Similar Products Used:
Truvative Team Stylo, Deore XT, road cranks
Bike Setup:
GT LTS All Terra Comp, Specialized Rock Shox Judy FSX carbon, Deore XT, Gripshift XRay
Bottom Line:
These cranks came to me with the purchase of a used bike from a friend in Arizona who rides quite a bit. He had them on the bike for a long time, putting Ti rings on them, too! I loved them...very stiff, even when I mashed my way up hills. Coming out of some rollerbacks on an old abandoned moto trail, the left arm split on me. No warning sounds or other signs on previous rides. Can you say DISmount!!! It split at the square taper (both sides of the hole) and continued laterally up the arm nearly to the pedal threads. Oh well....stuff happens. I hate to see these die, but I replaced them with some blue Truvativ Stylo Team SLs and a new bb. So far, the Truvativ seem to actually shift better and are at least as stiff if not more. The Kooka's were great, though. Too bad they went belly-up or I'd have just gotten a left arm.
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Submitted by
Doug Gangi
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, AZ Date Reviewed: August 30, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Trail 100 - Phoenix Mtn Preserve
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
Incredibly stiff, look so cool, extremely durable
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT
Bike Setup:
'98 Trek 8000 hardtail, XT drivetrain
Bottom Line:
These cranks have been fantastic. They have taken all sorts of abuse over the 5 years I have ridden them and they have never complained - no squeaks, groans, or loosening up. This is one of the "use it and forget about it" components on my bike, just like any crank arms should be. Is Kooka still in business? Because if they are, I would buy another set for my new bike.
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Submitted by
Bill
a Cross Country Rider
from Virginia Date Reviewed: July 2, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Good Cranks
Weaknesses:
Only works with 8sp chains
Similar Products Used:
Race Face , Shimano
Bike Setup:
RaceFace rings
Bottom Line:
Just "upgraded" from 8sp to 9sp system and had a problem where the 9sp XTR chain, as well as 9sp Sachs chain would get lodged between the big and middle ring causing bad chain suck. Took them off and compared the thickness of the chain ring tabs that the chain ring bolts pass through and it is about 3/16 inch thicker than those on a pair of Race Face turbine LP cranks.
Bottom line...great cranks for use with 8sp chains, bad cranks for use with 9sp chains.
I will be using the almighty Dremel on them to try to fix this problem...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave Ramey
a Weekend Warrior
from Saskatoon Date Reviewed: April 17, 2003
Favorite Trail:
not telling
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
Cove Bike Shop, Vancouver
Strengths:
This crank looks (looked) great and stands out from the crowd. No flex detectable.
Weaknesses:
The damn thing snapped!! In town, pulling away from a traffic light, the left arm snapped clean off about 2 cm above the bottom bracket. I was standing, pushing hard at the time, crashed bad, almost broke my ankle on the broken end.Took weeks to heal up. Now can't find the company, so big bucks down the drain. The crank was about 3 years old when it snapped, but that doesn't seem old to me, obviously it was flawed from the factory.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT, Bontrager Race, Coda
Bike Setup:
This crank was on a Norco TNT, full XT except for cranks and red SID. IRC Mythos, Mavic rims, Syncros post, Flite seat, Control Tech stem
Bottom Line:
I loved this crank right up until it broke. I'm still using the right arm with a mismatched XT arm on the other side. The TNT has since become my commuter bike and I never worry about the strength of that arm. However, I paid way,way too much, never thinking that Kooka would tank. If I found another one in the box somewhere, I wouldn't hesitate to use it as long as it was damn cheap. But, beware, if mine snapped, yours could also.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steven
a Cross Country Rider
from Rutland, VT Date Reviewed: March 20, 2003
Favorite Trail:
It doesn't have a name
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$175.00
Purchased At:
Cycle Outfitters (Indianapolis, IN)
Strengths:
Beautiful. I've had mine what feels like forever, ~8+yrs. They just keep going and going and....
Weaknesses:
None. They were a little pricey when they first hit the market.
Great cranks. Lightweight and strength in one package.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Frank Howard
a
from Chicago Date Reviewed: December 30, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$49.00
Purchased At:
airbomb
Strengths:
Forged one piece construction eliminates the problems of the previous CNC 2 piece cranks. On a par with RF Turbines
Weaknesses:
Kooka is out of business
Bike Setup:
Klein Attitude
Bottom Line:
I got great cranks for the piece. Unfortunately they are hard to find as Kooka seems to have gone belly up. Though they are heavier than the previous CNC'ed Kookas they are stronger and should last long a long time.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ryder drumm
a Cross Country Rider
from pasadena, ca, usa Date Reviewed: November 6, 2002
Favorite Trail:
angeles crest firetrails
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Kooka factory
Strengths:
Apart from being light, strong and great kranks, they come in tons of colors and they look sweet. Their price has come down quite a bit since I bought them, I didnt buy them retail but through a friend in the industry.
Weaknesses:
In six years of riding all kinds of trails and conditions these kranks have never let me down. I bent one arm on the spider in Mammoth but everyone seems to break something there.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XTR, Race Face, FSA, Cook Bros
Bike Setup:
Foes Fab FXC, full XTR, Fox Vanilla and Float
Bottom Line:
Go out and buy em. They last forever and if you have a major problem Kooka will most likely replace them for you. They replaced my spider free of charge and polished them up for me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rick Bensyl
a Cross Country Rider
from Atlanta, GA Date Reviewed: September 25, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Any good singletrack
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$220.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Excellent product with attractive design, easily replaceable spider, shifts well and also very light.
Weaknesses:
None. I've had these for several years and they have never let me down. They are also not seen on "every" bike out there. I get many compliments on the trail from others who like the way they look.I weigh 175 lbs- no noticeable flex.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano LX/XT/XTR
Bike Setup:
Klein Attitude with Mavic 517 Ceramic rims, mostly XTR, Avid brakes.
Bottom Line:
A great product that I am happy to have discovered. I wanted an attractive lightweight crankset and was initially concerned about long term durability but they have been awesome!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jboy
a Weekend Warrior
from Gatineau Date Reviewed: July 24, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
MTBR
Strengths:
Great looking crank with the weight and strength all other 'boutique' cranks claim to posess. Shifting is at least as good as XT (that good!). No creaking, no flex, and they are surprisingly tough considering they are black and still look realy great after being punished...
Weaknesses:
Epensive and rare. Maybe these are good things?
Similar Products Used:
XT and turbines.
Bike Setup:
High end
Bottom Line:
These newer cranks offer performance in a light flashy package tht stands out from the Shimano throngs...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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