From the forged in logos and post finish machining on the crank arms and chainrings to the high end features usually reserved for cranks twice the price, The Evolve XC finally brings some drool factor to the budget oriented, performance crankset market.
I was really irritated by this crankset, not simply on account of its premature failure; but, more on account of the symptom at first appeared to be that the drive-side bolts wouldn't stay torqued, always loosening after a ride or two. So, after ordering a new set of bolts I finally realized the splines had warped, thereby allowing play and causing the bolts to loosen. I already knew better than to ride anything but Shimano in regard to crankset, and this has just strengthened that belief.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jbasto_tox
a Weekend Warrior
from Hollywood, FL Date Reviewed: September 2, 2009
Favorite Trail:
United States
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
looks good
Weaknesses:
bearings wore out prematurely.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT
Bike Setup:
Specialized Stumpjumer
Bottom Line:
This crank held up pretty good at first. Looks great. When I rode in a little water and mud the bearings started to make noise. Found out that the bearings went bad. I did not ride that much or very hard. Very disappointed. My Shimano XT was replaced only because I wore out the rings. Going back to Shimano. Very weak product to be used for Mountain Biking.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stevie
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto, ON, Canada Date Reviewed: July 27, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Albion Hills Conservation Area
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$175.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
Stiff crank (after fixing).
Weaknesses:
I use this crank on my old steel hardtail for road-riding. I have had the same problem that a lot of the other riders in this forum have experienced. After a few hours of riding, the chain ring side would develop play and require retightening. After tightening it so many times that the fastening bolt bottomed out on its threads, I got fed up and used a thick steel washer on the bolt to allow for more contact area on the crank and tightened the heck out of it. So far, so good, but Race Face should test it's products more thoroughly before marketing them. I was able to fix this crank with a simple washer, consumers deserve better than this!
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT, Shimano XTR
Bike Setup:
1998 9-speed Oryx Oxy Gold Equipe steel hardtail with XTR shifter and rear derailleur, V-brakes, hubs , Carbon Eclipse levers, Fly Carbon seat, EC70 carbon seatpost, Titec carbon stem, Solar carbon bars, Profile Design bar ends, Maxxis Xenith tires and Winwood carbon fork.
Bottom Line:
Poor design by Race Face, not enough contact area on the crank side bolt to keep it properly tightened.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
RobXC
a Cross Country Rider
from Baltimore Date Reviewed: July 2, 2009
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
QBP
Strengths:
Light, Stiff and Ballah Looking.
Weaknesses:
Uhh...the fact that I waited for the crappy Truvativ Powerspline to break...which it of course.
Similar Products Used:
Truvative Powerspline
Bike Setup:
Full X-9, BB-7s, Atomlab P.i.m.p.s, and now Race Face Evolve
Bottom Line:
When I had to replace my ISO Flow I was looking at the Deus from Race Face instead of the Evolve because the Deus was made of 7075 while the old Evolve was 6066. Turns out QBP didnt have the Black Deus so I grudgingly settled on the Evolve because it was 6066. Turns out while I was looking at RF website they upgraded the Aluminum for 09 to 7075 and man...I can't be happier! I figured QBP would charge me more for a new product, but dropping $120 for this was great and 100% worth it! So basically, all the bending and warping problems are all part of the past!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Oso Negro
a Weekend Warrior
from NorCal Date Reviewed: June 30, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Downieville
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
looks good
Weaknesses:
Worn spline.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano, Truvativ
Bike Setup:
06' Giant Reign
Bottom Line:
Race Face products look great and their marketing campaigns are impressive. Sadly, this crank just doesn't go the distance. Who should buy it? According to my LBS, no one. They don't want to try to send it in for warranty, claiming that it's too much hassle to get Race Face to make good on their products. I wouldn't have bought it if it hadn't been specd. on the bike. I'll try it again if sponsored with full mechanical support. For now it will be replaced with good 'ole XT.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dwoj
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney, AUS Date Reviewed: May 5, 2009
Favorite Trail:
RNP single track
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Look good. Chain rings have held up
Weaknesses:
Weak joint to spindle. Causes major play in drive side crank arm affecting chainline, shifting and poor performance. IMHO this is a design flaw as this has happened to two cranksets on two different bikes
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT
Bike Setup:
Rocky Mountain ETSX upgraded with Mavic Cross-Land Wheelset, Thomson seatpost, SRAM X9 rear mech & shifters.
Rebuilt Gary Fisher Aquila with C.King headset, Surly Instigator front fork, XT rear mech & shifters, Thomson seatpost, BB7 mech front disc, XT rear V-brake.
Bottom Line:
These cranks have gloriously failed not only on my mountain bike but also my commuter.
I believe that these cranks have a design flaw in them with the way the drive side connects to the thru-axle.
Replaced with Shimano XT which has not let me down. Shimano joins the non drive side to the axle using a clamp system on the outside not inside. Much stiffer.
I would not recommend these to anyone that wants a robust crank for regular riding. They will not last.
I was astounded that they also failed on my commuter which received no harsh trail treatment. Way uncool!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Aldo
a Cross Country Rider
from Milton, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: April 21, 2009
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Strong and light and durable - a great value crank!
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
Lots
Bottom Line:
These are great cranks for XC / All mountain and can take a great deal of abuse. I've put a couple thousand kilometres on these (onn pretty rough trails) and they are still in great shape.
... I probably wouldn't suggest them for stuff like hucking though :P
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
rommel74
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney, Australia Date Reviewed: April 8, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Cascade
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Bike Addiction
Strengths:
Cheap, looks OK
Weaknesses:
Constant chainsuck once the chain is wet
Chainrings are soft and wear out fast, they are also expensive to replace, cost over A$100 where the Shimano is less then half that and last much longer.
Crank arm is soft metal, chips easy when hit by rocks.
Weight.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano Deore, XT, Suntour
Bike Setup:
08 Giant Trance X1
Bottom Line:
I haven't had any issues with the bearings or the crank coming loose or creaking, I think it comes down to proper installation. I'm 6'2 so I put enough load on the cranks. however the chainring material is super soft alloy which wears out fast. I only ride weekends and after about 1000Km the rings are worn while the cassette is still good.
Chainsuck in the middle and granny gear since pretty much day 1.
Crank arm damages easy when banged on rocks due to soft metal.
I'm replacing these with Shimano XT as recommended by LBS.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Merc
a Racer
from Italia Date Reviewed: March 13, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Troi de Ciangiale
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
Jensonusa.com
Strengths:
Can't beat the price. I trashed the crank that came on my Rush about the second day I had it trying to ride up some stairs. Stupid, I know. I ended up getting the RF Evolve because the price was right and I was pretty surprised at how nice they worked. The rings shift well and lasted about 3 years before the no. 2 chain ring bid fair well.
Weaknesses:
Had to change out the bottom bracket twice but it's more because I ride in the rain a lot and through water pretty often without really thinking about what it does to bearings.
Similar Products Used:
LX, FSA Afterburner
Bike Setup:
07 Cannondale Rush
Bottom Line:
I'm really happy with this crankset. It has performed really well for XC style riding. I really don't do any other types of riding so I can't say if this would work for anyone else. I'm light (135lbs) and I have no problems with flexing on this (or any other for that matter) part.
After I wore out the chainrings I upgraded to some blingin @ss RF Team chain rings as they were cheaper than the Evolve rings! Happy Trails.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ffbri
a Weekend Warrior
from santa rosa, ca, USA Date Reviewed: March 11, 2009
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$45.00
Strengths:
cheap, no problems till exposed to any moisture
Weaknesses:
bearings seize if exposed to any water, CANNOT SERVICE THEM INCLUDING GREASING!
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
k6 rocky mt slayer 50
Bottom Line:
I had to replace my bottom bracket after riding once in lightly muddy conditions. Bike was never hosed off with high pressure and maintained impeccably. Couldn't afford a chris king BB so I bought another evolve xc BB cup.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
svmike
a Weekend Warrior
from houston, tx Date Reviewed: January 25, 2009
Favorite Trail:
terry hershey park
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$125.00
Purchased At:
i don't remember
Strengths:
Ummmm...it hasn't disappointed me yet. Seems solid. Ran into a few downed trees with it and the big ring is still straight and true. Wasn't going fast though.
Weaknesses:
The crank arm bolt kept loosening even after I treated it to some loc-tite. A second dose of blue loc-tite has kept the bolt from backing out.
Only other beef I have with them is that RF decided to stop equipping the evolve xc with the extractor/puller bolt that came on previous year models so now I have to buy a crank puller tool. On the upside RF said in an email response that I can order and use the puller type bolt in place of the regular crank arm bolt if I want.
Similar Products Used:
truvativ oe junk
Bike Setup:
iron horse warrior ht w/ a few upgrades
Bottom Line:
If you want a good bang for the buck upgrade, these cranks fit the bill. Put them through sand, water, mud, rain and it still works like new! Haven't even had them apart yet for cleaning.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
McFly
a Downhiller
from Australia Date Reviewed: December 16, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Goat run
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Bike shop
Strengths:
Strong, can take a beating, easy to maintain, looks kool, strong paint.
Weaknesses:
no crank puller like Evolve DH a minor one no biggie
Similar Products Used:
XT, Hussefelt
Bike Setup:
2008 Giant Reign, 08 36 TALAS, Mavic wheelset, 08 Juicy 5,Truvativ XR stem, the rest is stock
Bottom Line:
Ok so there are some pretty average reviews for this crankset, mine came with the bike and I reckon it has performed better than what I expected and what its design intent was. I have ridden hard all-mountain and raced this bike downhill, thrown it off road gaps and drops without a single complaint from the crankset. I maintain my kit well and no bolts or anything else has come loose, nor is the BB full of grit, nor is there any wobble. For the work it has done over 14 months I cant complain. I would buy this product again based on my experience with it.
I sometimes wonder where people have such parts fail so quickly is it bikeshop installation, repair, owner installer mistakes, or defective copy crap from China or a combo of bad luck or are some peeps just BullSh***ing ...who knows.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
largeMarv
a Cross Country Rider
from Louisville,KY,USA Date Reviewed: November 23, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Brown County State Park, Indiana
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Online
Strengths:
I'm an all-mountain rider, and this crankset has never disappointed me. This crankset is tough and well built. Whether I'm climbing a mountain or descending, this crankset gets the job done without any problems. It has never become loose and I've not had any issues with it.
Bike Setup:
2006 Specialized Hardrock Sport All-Mountain rig: RaceFace Evolve XC crankset, Rock Shox Tora Race Solo Air front fork, WTB SpeedDisc rear wheel with Hayes MX-1 disc brake, SRAM X-7 rear derailleur
Bottom Line:
I purchased this crankset to replace what came on my bike. Actually, I'm a big guy (6'1" 210 lbs) and it seems that I easily break any OEM parts that came with my bike. Over 1 year later, the Race Face crankset is still taking care of me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
milkmanmarce
a Downhiller
from North Van Date Reviewed: November 7, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Ladies Only
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Cove
Strengths:
Very strong. Great alternative to Shimano Hone/SLX
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Hone, LX
Bike Setup:
Cove Stiffee, Evolve XC,
Bottom Line:
This is a review for the new Evolve XC released last year. Gone are the "wobbly crank" issues of the older model. RaceFace is now using their "exi" interface on all XC cranks. This means the spline on the spindle is longer and deeper than the models reviewed here. These are dead easy to install with standard tools, and the new bb has been flawless in the year I've had it (I'm 6ft 175lbs). These cranks are crazy strong. I beat the crap out of them on the Shore and they never complain. Stiff, reasonably light and cheap too. If you're looking for an all mountain crankset and want an alternative to Shimano, this is it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
armarac
a Weekend Warrior
from italy Date Reviewed: September 19, 2008
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
initially looked good... but!
Weaknesses:
after 6 months teeth have gone :(
...looking for a new shimano crankset
Similar Products Used:
race face prodigy
Bike Setup:
giant trance 1 2008
Bottom Line:
i'm really disappointed race face guys! i just ride on the weekends and after some months crankset teeth are really consumed... i'll check out for something that lasts at least 2 years (if it exists on these days!)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
blegs
a Cross Country Rider
from Bend, OR Date Reviewed: September 10, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Phil's
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$130.00
Purchased At:
Price Point
Strengths:
Solid, reliable component. Chainrings have lasted into their 4th season. (I clean drive train after every ride to avoid expensive probs.) It's installation and maintenance are simple. I like it's appearance, and it was inexpensive.
Weaknesses:
In its 4th season I'm having to replace chainrings for the first time and the bottom bracket is starting to show wear (very slight wobble).
Similar Products Used:
Various Shimano; Suntour Pro
Bike Setup:
Litespeed Obed, hardtail with XT, Avid, etc.
Bottom Line:
Four seasons is better than most I've used, and I'll continue using their cranksets.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mycisco
a Weekend Warrior
from Novato, California, USA Date Reviewed: August 27, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Toads Wild Ride, Boggs, Annadel
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
craigslist.org
Strengths:
good looks, solid feel before it broke
Weaknesses:
Water gets into BB and locks up bearings
Similar Products Used:
shimano
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz heckler
Bottom Line:
This crankset lasted less than 20 rides. The left bearing locked up tight, and after reading the reviews here, I chose to junk the thing rather than replace the bb and have it fail again. I'd stay away from this one.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
AndyMac_78
a Cross Country Rider
from Adelaide, South Australia, AUSTRALIA Date Reviewed: August 14, 2008
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Strong and reliable initially.
Weaknesses:
Mud gets into BB and bearings.
Splines wear out (easily) after time and drive side develops play.
Similar Products Used:
None but going to XT.
Bike Setup:
Giant Trance 1 2007
Bottom Line:
Came stock on my Giant Trance 1 (2007). Similar issues to others in that the spline has worn out and then the drive side crank arm develops play. This started after 1 year, but kept persisting with crank bolt done up super tight and a little play. The last time I took apart to clean the crank had serious play. So its going in the bin. Quite disappointed with the life of these cranks - less than two years. I have had cheaper cranks last a lot longer.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Luke Becker
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland, OR, USA Date Reviewed: July 16, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Buckskinner
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$98.00
Purchased At:
IMT
Strengths:
Looks good, easy to maintain. Strong platform for an all mountain riding big guy.
Weaknesses:
Nothing. Even when I forgot to tighten the driveside pedal after a rode trip, and stripped it off, still held that darn pedal for one whole season. Until, the day it failed...
Similar Products Used:
Shimano (okay), Truvativ (too weak, broke two arms in one summer).
Bike Setup:
Kona Dawg Primo, custom build.
Bottom Line:
Worked better than great. I'm a bigger guy (230#), and punished these little XC cranks to no end. Mostly trail riding, no huge drops, lots of ripping downhill, lots of trudging uphill. Even pulled half the threads out of one of the pedal sockets. Still held strong. Until the day they "failed". During a fast descent, I heard a snap, and the drive side arm separated, sending my groin unabashedly into my saddle. They worked flawlessly, until that fateful day. It was undeniably my own stupid fault, but these cranks held up to four superb seasons of trail riding. Just be sure to check for stress cracks occasionally. Your saddle will appreciate it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
chris
a Weekend Warrior
from modesto, ca Date Reviewed: April 30, 2008
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Greenfishsports.com
Strengths:
They look great and work great!
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
XT cranks
Bike Setup:
06' SC heckler
Bottom Line:
For the price you can not beat them. I read other reviews where people have had bad experiences with these cranks, but I have not had a single issue with them yet. Bottom line, for the price you can get these you can save $100 and spend it on some other part on your bike. Or just buy a sweet bash guard like I did.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
monkies
a Weekend Warrior
from san francisco, CA Date Reviewed: April 24, 2008
Favorite Trail:
demo
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
it's really strong, and there's no issues with flex or anything after 3 years of heavy abuse (5'7" 150 lbs).
Weaknesses:
none really. the nude silver color is dated.
Similar Products Used:
only set of cranks i've ever had.
Bike Setup:
ibis mojo
Bottom Line:
these came with my 2005 kona dawg dee-lux...i've used them for trail riding, light freeride with 5' drops to transitions and flat, jumps, and ski resort downhill. not 1 issue ever so i can't complain. don't know if they are weaker now, but these things are solid from 2005. no loosening ever, no bb issues (the bb finally seized up last month...got 3 years out of it, most of it east coast MD riding), and not a creak. i put them on my mojo last year and don't see any need to update unless the isis bb issue becomes a constant worry, or i just want to update for bling purposes. aside from a fashion statement, they've held up through tons of major abuse...and they're the evolve xc!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: April 19, 2008
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Brantford Cyclepath
Strengths:
Strong lightweight flex free crankset, good quality chainrings. RaceFace durability
Weaknesses:
RaceFace bb is so-so
Similar Products Used:
Truvativ GXP system
Bike Setup:
'03 GT Avalanche 1.0, custom polished frame and pimped out.
Bottom Line:
These were my first set of ISIS cranks, they are strong and remain flex-free under heavy power loads (and I'm a 230lbs clydesdale). Good quality chainrings make shifting a snap. The RaceFace bb is a bit of a disappointment for the price but did manage to hold up for a year before I made the switch to a Truvativ ISIS bb. These cranks have never let me down. Perfect for abusive XC riding, just be sure to use it with a better BB. I would give it 5 chili's but the RF bb holds it back.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
swisgar swiggle
a Cross Country Rider
from Mordhaus, netherlands Date Reviewed: March 26, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Karpotkins Revenge
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Dis race face things is the craps. After one year of ridin the thing gets all wobbly. I takes off my arms and a bearing is seizured. I dont understands how the great race faces could sell such garbage?
Weaknesses:
It should last a few seasons at least. I shall make race face bow down before me and honor my warranty. The design of the race face crankset is flawwed as it relies on a crush washer to not overtighten the bearings. Shimano allows for a much more precision adjustment of its balls and bearings. I guess thats what we get when a company specs this crankset as OEM instead of shimano.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano un-72 etc
Bike Setup:
Lots of spikes and angry fists.
Bottom Line:
Shimano is better and even LX looks nicer.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew Bassingthwaighte
a Cross Country Rider
from Albury, NSW, Australia Date Reviewed: March 18, 2008
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$150.00
Strengths:
They are light, they look good.
Weaknesses:
The design
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT
Bike Setup:
Giant Anthem 0 '07 Giant XTC2 '06
Bottom Line:
I have 2 bikes and both came with Raceface cranks. After about 12 months I found it hard to keep the cranks from coming loose. I tried loc-tite, I checked out the instructions on their website (which are great). The cranks just keep coming loose, this leads to the splines becoming "flogged out" making it even harder to get the cranks tight, so they just keep wabbling. Ive now purchased XT cranks and they are alot easier to maintain. Much better design. I have spoken to alot of Giant bike purchasers over the past 12 months and they're all having the same problem. The cranks make for a cheap bike but I'd ask you LBS to change them over. Poor design.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Frank
a Weekend Warrior
from Brick NJ Date Reviewed: March 16, 2008
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
look nice...light to a fault.
Weaknesses:
where do I begin
Similar Products Used:
truvativ, shimano, other race face cranks
Bike Setup:
03 Iron Horse
Bottom Line:
After a few months the BB brgs gave out. I thought it was a fluke so I bought another BB and a couple more months of good riding I detected a loose feeling. I thought it was the BB again but it was ok. I couldn't figure out what it was until I assembled the cranks OFF the bike. The drive side cranks splines were worn. This is why they only have a 1yr warr., they are crap. I have had luck with my old Turbine LP's and a set of Isis cranks, but it ends here.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jakethehick
a Weekend Warrior
from Pawcatuck, CT, USA Date Reviewed: January 27, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
the cranks themselves are light and very stiff and strong
Weaknesses:
the cranks are too good for the BB! I bent both spindles on my BB wile the branks remained unharmed!
Bottom Line:
the cranks are great, just plan on replacing your BB after a few months (or in my case A few jumps!) While I know these arent for freeride, I've oftened wondered why Coilers come stock with these things!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Mills
a Racer
from Melboune; Australia Date Reviewed: December 4, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Lysterfield
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Came on Trance Bike
Strengths:
Looks OK.
Weaknesses:
Similar to other reviews. No complaints initially. Some sticking in Bearings, Extractor bolt came loose and lost on the trail, Drive side started to become sloppy and could not be fixed by tightening.
Similar Products Used:
Race face with standard bottom bracket, Shimano, Truvativ.
Bike Setup:
2006 Trance 2
Bottom Line:
Thought the bearings in the bracket may have worn. Replaced these and still had play on the drive side. I suspect the splines are worn. This may be my fault as this was my first external BB set up and maybe I should have checked the tightness more regularly.
Will try a Shimano XT unit now.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pebble
a Weekend Warrior
from Australia Date Reviewed: December 1, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
OEM product on '06 Trance
Strengths:
Strong, good looking, durable chainrings. Very easy to remove & put back on! Can be serviced!
Weaknesses:
Not as smooth / drag free as others I've had
Similar Products Used:
Stock Specialized Cranks Shimano Octalink
Bike Setup:
The Evolve XC (ex type) were as stock on my '06 Trance 3.
Bottom Line:
Great system, the cranks were very easy to remove & put back on with just one 8mm allen key. No proprietary tool needed such as for the Shimano Octalink that came on my husbands HT. The bearings can also be greased and checked by removing the seal carefully, so they are somewhat serviceable, even though race face doesn't recommend this. I checked mine a couple of times in the 18 months I had them & they were clean as a whistle, I just added a bit more grease whilst I was at it. The place where I live is extremely dusty so the system seems good to me. Only issue is that they did have some drag, not as free spinning as the octalinks on hubby's bike, but I'd put that down to incorrect set up I guess. I would probably buy them again - well the Diabolus cranks will come on my next bike so I'll see if there is still a drag issue - but I must say I look forward to having Diabolus cranks instead of Saints!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dennis
a
from New Zealand Date Reviewed: August 17, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$170.00
Strengths:
looks cool
Weaknesses:
very soft metal, buckles easy
Similar Products Used:
cheap noname cranks
Bottom Line:
DONT BUY THESE, ive had mine for less than a month and the cranks are allready buckled, i havnt even had time to use these i have just been riding them to school (less than 1km a day)and i went around a mud track for about an hour, the cheap 18yr old cranks i had on my fsr were better (i got them free).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul
a Racer
from New Zealand Date Reviewed: July 6, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Bottle lake forest
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came with the Giant Anthem 2
Strengths:
I have found the whole setup great until now. Nice cranks, stiff arms, solid rings and all lite weight.
Weaknesses:
Everything was great until the left side bearing wanted to seize. Took it all apart and found a sandpit in the bottom bracket housing. No sand, or sign of water in the bottom bracket. Racefaces inside seals work well. I believe it is the outside seals next to the crank arms that are letting mositure in.
Similar Products Used:
Durace and XT
Bike Setup:
2006 Giant Anthem 2, Standard race bike off the shop floor
Bottom Line:
The outside seals need to be improved, but we can't fix that, so take note RACEFACE. The inside bottom bracket sandpit we can fix. I suggest you use RTV sealant around the seatpost to frame joint and also in the frame split. That will at least mean we have done our part.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Patrick
a Weekend Warrior
from FM Texas Date Reviewed: June 6, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Grapevine, NorthShore
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$130.00
Purchased At:
PricePoint.xom
Strengths:
I have ridden these cranks for over a year. I am 6'5" tall and weigh over 280. I am hard on parts as I am in pretty good shape and ride hard. The first set of these cranks I used failed due to a faulty install by my LBS. I ordered another set and a installed them with a buddy. Here is the deal, the instructions say to tighten the crank down until the bolt will no longer turn. It must bottom out the threads or it is not tight enough and the cranks will enventually loosen up and fail. You will think it is because of a faulty part but it is due to a poor install. Basically you are pressing the cranks onto the spline. It takes a lot of torque.
This crank will not fail if installed properly.
Weaknesses:
It is hard to install properly.
Bottom Line:
Buy the cranks. Install them right. For the money, you can't go wrong.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dennis
a Weekend Warrior
from Fishers Island, NY Date Reviewed: May 12, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Tsali
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$130.00
Purchased At:
Greenefishsports
Strengths:
Good looks, thats a strength only if you like to look at your cranks all the time during riding.
Weaknesses:
Loud cracking noise, stiffing up after a few rides.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT
Bike Setup:
Kona Dawg, DT Swiss 240, Avid Juicy 7, XT rear.
Bottom Line:
Don't buy these cranks. I've had them for about 3 months, but used only a handful of times, no DH, nothing crasy. They have already developed loud cracking noise, stiffen up and God knows what's coming next. I'm taking very good care of my bike, always clean, lube, so all these listed above problems came not from bad user but from cheap manufacturer.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wes
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego Date Reviewed: May 10, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Nobel Canyon
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$129.00
Purchased At:
Beyond Bikes
Strengths:
Cheap, stiff, good looking I guess. The 06 has been flawless in the year I've had it.
Weaknesses:
I bought the 05 model and of course the splines fell apart, it was a seriously flawed product. Beyond Bikes sent it back to Race Face for warranty, and told me they would fix or replace it, but it would take a long time. I dropped the bike off as I was leaving for a 2-week vacation, and it still wasn't back 4 weeks after I returned. Beyond gave me a great price on an 06 Evolve XC, which they said was a much better design, and they're right. I finally got the 05 set back from Race Face, still sitting in the box. Maybe they'll go on the FS bike I'm building. Great support from Beyond Bikes.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano LX, XT, XTR, plus the giant overweight piece of junk that came on this bike.
The 06 seems to be a pretty good value. Can't attest to wet weather performance, we don't get much of that in San Diego. Can't say enough good things about Beyond Bikes service and support. Can't curse Race Face (non) support with enough fleas.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bogdan
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada Date Reviewed: April 18, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$210.00
Purchased At:
Toronto Bicycle Show
Strengths:
These cranks are stiff, light and look good.
Weaknesses:
Bad BB cup bearings ... Raceface Customer Support Is terrible!!!
Similar Products Used:
Shimano, Specialized, Ritchey
Bike Setup:
2005 Giant Trance
Bottom Line:
After 7 months of low-to-average use (approx 3 or 4 hours a week of aggressive, but rarely wet or muddy riding)the drive side BB cup bearing barely spins any more.
This would not necessarily be a bad thing on its own, but trying to get SUPPORT FROM RACEFACE IS IMPOSSIBLE! Raceface has NEVER answered, or replied to any of my various attempts to contact them.
Any products for which a company provides no customer support/service when problems arise cannot get a high rating. In my case, if support was available, this crank set would get a better rating, but if this is how Raceface chooses to treat their clients, the clients will eventually start looking elsewhere. Too bad Raceface!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Manny
a
from Truro, Nova Scotia Date Reviewed: April 3, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Used
Strengths:
Looks killer and feels so stiff.
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
Shimano LX, Raceface Ride, FSA
Bike Setup:
Kona Dawg, Hope M4, SRAM X-9
Bottom Line:
These have not given me any trouble so far so I am keeping my finger crossed. Got them barely used for a decent price and they feel powerful when compared to my old XT's. Love em!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pete
a Weekend Warrior
from Ottawa Date Reviewed: April 2, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Bicyclettesdehull
Strengths:
Looks great! External BB, works well with SRAM
Weaknesses:
Haven't noticed anything yet.
Similar Products Used:
FSA MEgaExo, Truvative, Deore LX
Bike Setup:
Prophet 400
Bottom Line:
Not sure why so many people are having problems with this crank. My LBS put in on and it hasn't made any strange noises and works quite well with my SRAM setup.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jesse
a Weekend Warrior
from Melb, Aus Date Reviewed: March 9, 2007
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
look good...
Weaknesses:
i've had these for about a year and a half, came standard on my xtc2. about 6 months ago i started having trouble with my front chain jumping about. realised the crank arm was loose, took it into the LBS and they found that the spindle on the right crank was f*'d. tried to contact raceface and no help there either... i'd suggest looking at a different set of cranks.
Bottom Line:
they worked well when i first got them but broke quickly and haven't had any support from race face in relation to the issue. poor quality and cs.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon BonJovie
a Racer
from Marin, CA Date Reviewed: February 4, 2007
Favorite Trail:
old springs, eldridge, windy ridge
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came with Bike, Bikenut
Strengths:
This is a review for the Race face evolve xc x-type crankset. Very stiff and spins real good. Chains rings are real light weight and very stiff, cnc from some stiff aluminun.
Weaknesses:
The bearings died today. THey lasted 1 year of hard riding, probably 5000+ miles. Got new rings on them a couple of months ago and they run real good. I don't think they use that good of bearings. The seals aren't trusty.
Similar Products Used:
XTR, XT, LX.
Bike Setup:
Trance 2 with Raceface evolve cranks, thomson 70mm stem, answer protaper bars, Reba Sl, Fox Rp3, Hayes 9xc with 7inch rotors and hope stainless steel lines. Time Carbon rxs atac pedals, xt front deraileur and rear cassette. mavic hand made wheels with dt swiss hubs. Rampage 2.35 front tire, cinder 2.1 rear tire tubeless. Im going tubeless with a nevegal in the front soon and putting on a 36 tooth chainring with my E13 bashguard. Its gonna be awesome.
Bottom Line:
Great value for a great crank. I have heard some bad stories about the x type bottem bracket freezing up and other problems. Have really slammed these bad boys through a lot of stuff and have never given me trouble until today, well actually yesterday. After i rode down Mt Tam the bearings were toasted. But the chainrings are great and last a long time, the bearings they use are ok but dont last very long. I replaced them with Phill Wood Bearings and they feel like butter. I hear Phil Wood bearings have real good seals too. We shall see.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cookie_Monster
a Racer
from Toronto, ON, Canada Date Reviewed: July 14, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$140.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint.com
Strengths:
Price Stiff Canadian
Weaknesses:
You really need to measure your chainline and play with the spacers
Similar Products Used:
Truvativ blase ISIS
Bike Setup:
'06 Kona Leroi, XT/XT, SRAM PG-980 cassette, SRAM PC-971 chain
Bottom Line:
Have ridden these in dry dust, and muddy conditions - haven't experienced the dry bearing problem, and I find them stiff enough for my 160 lbs frame. The instrctions for chainline didn't apply for me at all. For me, 49mm chainline is with 3 big spacers on non-drive side, 0 big spacers on drive side, with one small 1mm spacer on each side of the spindle. I hear so much about dry bearings, but they are now serviceable if you search the internet for the article that shows you how. I installed these myself and have no problems with creaking, bending etc. and my strength is hill-climbing. I would say still get these if you don't have the $$$ to go to RF Deus or FSA Team Issue MegaExo. Just make sure you install them properly.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Darius
a
from Manila, Phils Date Reviewed: June 28, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Cheap
Weaknesses:
Weak, sloppy
Similar Products Used:
Race Face North Shore XS, XT, XTR, LX
Bike Setup:
Kona Caldera
Bottom Line:
Within one month of installing these, after exactly 6 rides, the bearings became so contaminated that the cranks no longer spun freely. In fact, they spun barely at all. And yes, I installed the washers and gaskets as instructed. My local LBS was good enough to rebuild it for me and to overhaul the bearings to get things running smoothly again. One month later and it developed slop and creaking noises. I am faced with the prospect of replacing a brand new part. A huge disappointment and I am still not convinced of the utility of x-type external bearing systems, particularly in rainy muddy environments. What the heck was so bad about good old fashioned bottom brackets that lasted for years? Oh yeah, these allow bigger bearings. Blah blah blah, I;ve been riding on the supposdely inferior smaller bearings of sealed BB units for 20 years. Not one of those failed me in less than 2 years of constant use. I'm going back to old school. if I could give these a zero rating, I would.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim Tucker
a Cross Country Rider
from Winter Park CO Date Reviewed: April 30, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Zoom
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
Online
Strengths:
Looks good in the box.
Weaknesses:
flex,durability,made from soft metal
Similar Products Used:
None. This crank is the worst on the market.
Bike Setup:
Kona Dawg
Bottom Line:
First thing the crank arms gouge easy(very soft metal). Next the chainrings will bend. The puller cap will come off on the trail. Last the crank starts to get sloppy on the spline. It is hard to find a crank that will fail in so many ways. Raceface product are scetcky. Alot of them are good, others will fail at a bad time and put you down.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
B- Digital
a Cross Country Rider
from California --Bay Area Date Reviewed: April 18, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Any
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$139.00
Purchased At:
Greenfishsports
Strengths:
None
Weaknesses:
Weak Wings, Bends SUPER easy
Similar Products Used:
Stock: Truvativ Triple 5D
Bike Setup:
Novara FS: SRAM Derailluers XO (which rock) SRAM 7 triggers. Everything else pretty much stock.
Bottom Line:
I failed to read the reviews for the crank but they are correct. The crank is GARBAGE, it BENT on my ****2nd ride***. It flexes so much its almost shifting my rear cog. I don't ride hard at all & I haven't even jumped with the new crank and wasn't planning to. I do XC riding & the crankthing BENT. No serious uphill or hard climbs, just normal riding & after not even 20 miles.. toast. DO NOT BUY THIS CRANK. It is cheap and soft as silly putty. Some say you get what you pay for... but listen. My stock Truvativ crank (which you can buy for about $50 never bent at all for the YEAR I have had it) So tell me, is it me or the crank... THIS CRANK SUCKS. I am the 9th person to list this same issue out of 24 people whom left a review. Now although there are some good reviews, basically 38% of us have bending issues with the crank... that is a little more than just coincidence.
1 chili for value because it is pricey for a 20 mile ride
& 1 chili because it is a poor manufactured product
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Hamrhed65
a Cross Country Rider
from New Jersey USA Date Reviewed: April 3, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint
Strengths:
Great Price, nice looks, easy to install,durable and stiff
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
Middleburn, shimano LX and XT
Bottom Line:
I am 6'2" and weigh about 190. I initially bought these because they were the best I could afford at the time.Didn't plan on having them so long but couldn't be happier. Cranks are one of the points on a bike that you shouldn't ever have to think about, just install them and go.These fit the bill. I have bashed these into logs and feel no flex on my hardtail. These were so easy to install and the weight is reasonable at this price level. I have read a lot of reviews here saying the rings bend and in all fairness there isn't a lot of rocks where I ride, but any chainring against a rock will bend. You don't have to be an engineer to figure that one out. Great buy for the money, can't comment on Race Face product support and I hope I never have to!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
epicwannabe
a Cross Country Rider
from Taylors SC USA Date Reviewed: March 17, 2006
Favorite Trail:
DuPont State Forest
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$140.00
Purchased At:
BlueSkyCycling.com
Strengths:
Super stiff crankarms, great looks
Weaknesses:
spacer setup takes a lot of trail and error
Bike Setup:
Hardrock Comp Disc
Bottom Line:
I loved them at first, couldn't say enough about them. But, over about 5 months of use they developed a wobble. Mine were the type with a shaft attached to the non-drive side, the shaft went through the external BB and stuck out on the drive side and the crank ring would screw onto that. It got loose there. The splines were worn and had a ton of play. I called Raceface who said they were under warranty through the supplier, I called blueskycycling and they said send them back for a replacement. I am waiting for the new set now and will try it out on my new C'Dale Rush, I hope it's a fluke and not a recurring problem because up until recently they have been awesome for the 140 I paid for them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Racer
from Nashua NH Date Reviewed: March 10, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$140.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Price
Weaknesses:
Piece of Junk. The construction of the crank. Customer service is the worst I have ever dealt with.
Similar Products Used:
Many
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Jekyll
Bottom Line:
Do not buy this product. It is a piece of junk that you will bust in a matter of weeks. Also this is the worst company I have ever dealt with for customer service. They did whatever they could to avoid me and blow me off. Had not interest in helping solve my problems with this product at all.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zachary Kurka
a Cross Country Rider
from Durango Date Reviewed: February 21, 2006
Favorite Trail:
All of em'
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$130.00
Purchased At:
Singletrack Factory
Strengths:
Price and ISIS
Weaknesses:
Flexy. and the shape is painful (see explanation below)
Similar Products Used:
Truvativ Team ISIS, XT octalink.
Bike Setup:
Big Sur Singlespeed!
Bottom Line:
These are flexy peices of fecal matter. I am a big rider at 185lbs. but nothing should flex this much! Not even a $50 crankset. Also the way the arm is shaped can be painful depending on your pedaling style. If you ride clipless and turn your heel inward even a little during the pedal stroke, you will hit your ankle bone on the ridge of the arm. IT HURTS! I put these piles on my townie where with platforms they do very little damage. On a brighter note, they don't badly damage the wallet either which allows you to purchase something better!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MTB Dude
a Cross Country Rider
from Puyallup, WA Date Reviewed: December 16, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
I got it from a friend
Strengths:
-good strength -no noticeable flex -light
Weaknesses:
left crank keep coming loose from BB, but that didn't happen until after i tried to change it myself(its probable just me
Similar Products Used:
piece o' crap, no-name, stock crank that came with my gt and varios other cranks that i have demo'ed
Bike Setup:
Haro werks xls 3.0 w/sram drive
Bottom Line:
Good crank (mine could use a little work). If you ride downhill this crank is probable toast(but thats ok because this is a xc crank anyhow). Otherwise this crank is a real bang for the buck(especially if you get it for free like me). I give it 4 chilis for the overall rating just because my left side crank fell off
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
N.B. GAS
a Cross Country Rider
from LAS VEGAS, NV. Date Reviewed: December 14, 2005
Favorite Trail:
EMPTY ONES
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
PRICE POINT .com
Strengths:
STIFF...FAST SHIFTS...AWESOME BLING FACTOR...PRICE! $120 INCLUDED BB...................................
Weaknesses:
NOT!
Similar Products Used:
LX...DEORE...PRODIGY.
Bike Setup:
05'IBEX HT: MANITOU SPLICE SUPER 130-100... SRAM: X9 GS,RD, X-GEN, PG-970, PC-99, 9.0 LEVERS... RACE FACE: EVOLVE XC FLAT-BAR, STEM, SEAT-POST... AVID UTIMATEs, FLAK-JACKETs... CANE CREEK AEROHEAT WHEELSET, S-2 HEAD-SET...IRC MYTHOS XC. SELLE ITALIA TRANsAM XO...AZONIC X-TENSIONs...OURYs...
Bottom Line:
DAMN GOOD DEAL...NO PROBLEM WITH THE RINGS AS STATED BY OTHERS BELOW...AFTER 40yrs ON THE ROADs & DIRT I THINK SHIFTING HAS BECOME 2nd NATURE...IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERANCE! IF THEY CAN HANDLE MY 230 POUNDS AND NOT FLEX OR CREAK! WHAT MORE IS THERE TO SAY!
Submitted by
Trail Rider
a Cross Country Rider
from upstate SC Date Reviewed: November 7, 2005
Favorite Trail:
the rollercoastery ones
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$140.00
Purchased At:
Blue Sky
Strengths:
Looks great, the power transfer is great, I am climbing hills in harder gears and it feels easier.
Weaknesses:
None that I have noticed yet. I had some creaking noise so I upgraded to the evolve xc, it still creaks but I am not certain it is the BB that's the problem. I hope it isn't a cracked frame!
Similar Products Used:
just the deore square tapers that came on the bike
Bottom Line:
I am happy! The spacer set up took some experimenting to get right but OMG it feels awesome! Have only been on three hard rides with it so far, mine is the 2005 model, I don't know if the chainrings are different quality from previous years but they seem strong for now. I notice several people thought the chainrings were weak and bendable in other reviews. Only 4 chilis overall because I haven't had them long enough to be certain yet. Anyone wanting to upgrade from a taper to the ISIS should be happy with these. Another reviewer said the crank arms feel like little turbines, this is an accurate description!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Luke
a Weekend Warrior
from Mt. Hope, WV Date Reviewed: November 2, 2005
The only problem I have had is the shim set up for my chain line. However after I took it to Rob @ Ride-n-Slide in Beckley he hooked it up & now its bangin'
Bike Setup:
Custom Hardtail
Bottom Line:
I don't see how you can go wrong for the money. I ride XC but come out of the motorcross & BMX genre so I'm completely brutal on my bike. I just haven't coughed up the dough for a FR rig yet. Anyway, the cranks are the best cranx i've ever ridden but that may not be saying much since I upgraded from an old Deore hollowtech & a square taper. You should buy it if....your cheap & you want to get out of the square taper days-of-old. I think that it really is a solid product & I don't think that there could be that much more of a difference from a $300 crank. An XTR isn't going to make me any faster.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shawn Lucke
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego CA Date Reviewed: October 1, 2005
Favorite Trail:
One that's empty
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$90.00
Purchased At:
PricePoint
Strengths:
Stiff, Inexpensive, Good Looks
Weaknesses:
CREAKING
Similar Products Used:
Shimano Deore, LX
Bottom Line:
Bought these to replace a basic (and broken) Shimano crank. Worked great for about 6 months of average riding and then they began to pop and creak constantly. Could not get it to stop.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon
a Weekend Warrior
from Grand Rapids, MI Date Reviewed: September 27, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Fort Custer
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
cambriabike.com
Strengths:
Looks, price, performance
Weaknesses:
I have the old style that requires 108 mm BB. There is a very limited selection for a 108 mm spindle by 73 mm BB.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano, Suntour
Bike Setup:
Titus Racer-X100, SRX BB, Shimano LX FD, SRAM chain
Bottom Line:
I havent had any of the problems mentioned on the other reviews of this product. It doesnt creak or flex. I basically ride XC but I am not a finess rider. I plow through rock gardens and over roots and logs. I've bashed it on rocks and logs and its held up no problem. I've thought about buying the more bling type of cranksets but could not find a reason to do it. I love the way this crankset looks and performs. These cranks are an outstanding value for anyone on a budget.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg
a Cross Country Rider
from Livermore, CA Date Reviewed: September 14, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Affordable
Weaknesses:
Bendable
Similar Products Used:
turbine lp
Bike Setup:
Titus quasi moto
Bottom Line:
These cranks are a disappointment after running turbine lp's for 5 years. The pedal hit a rock and it bent the crank arm. The pedals are fine, the pedal threads are fine, the crank arm bent.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ethan
a Cross Country Rider
from Rochester, NY Date Reviewed: August 28, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Tryon Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Towpath Bike
Strengths:
Easy to remove.
Weaknesses:
Became loose after 3 months of crosscountry riding, a few jumps, and a couple downhills.
Bike Setup:
Trance 2 stock
Bottom Line:
I've only been riding this bike for 3 months when the crank started loosening up. I would tighten it and it would be loose again in just one ride. So I took it to the shop and they say it's defective. So I'll get a new one and I'll let you know what I think of it then.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Brighton MI USA Date Reviewed: August 24, 2005
Favorite Trail:
muray lake
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
D&D Bicycles
Strengths:
it lasted a month, if u can call that a strength
Weaknesses:
it bent within a month of use
Similar Products Used:
shimano lx
Bike Setup:
trance 3,chrome eggbeaters,2in bar chop, maxxis high roller st 2.35
Bottom Line:
its crap, dont buy it unles u like to replace junk parts. im not a bad ass huckster, just a xc rider, an xc rider who has to buy a new crank
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob
a Cross Country Rider
from Louisville,KY Date Reviewed: July 20, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$115.00
Strengths:
Stiff,easy installation,price, durability.
Weaknesses:
None in over a year.
Similar Products Used:
Several Shimanos.
Bottom Line:
This crankset was an upgrade from the entry level Shimano that came on my bike. The stiffness was immediately noticeable and they even feel like they spin easier. I,m 200 lbs.+ and slam the big chainring crossing large logs on every ride and it hasn't bent at all. The price is right and I have no complaints. Even the black finish has held up well.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dmitriy Krichevskiy
a Weekend Warrior
from Miami Date Reviewed: May 22, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
CAME STOCK
Strengths:
Very Light, Shifts well.
Weaknesses:
VERY VERY WEAK, bends easily, I agree with the Chinese aluminum can assesment.
Similar Products Used:
Truvativ
Bike Setup:
Giant VT2, XTR Chain, Hadley rear hub and a DH Crankset after this review. :P
Bottom Line:
This is a good crank set if you never hit anything or fall of the bike. However, if you are anyone like me that likes to push his or hers limits. (They are not that high now) you will bend this crank set. Come on I live in Florida (flat) and these did not last. POOR Quality if you ask me buy FSR, Truvativ or Shimano instead. You can buy RaceFace just go with a DH stuff.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben
a Racer
from Marin County Date Reviewed: March 21, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Freind bought it
Strengths:
Stiff, looks killer, handels anything!
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
LX
Bike Setup:
SRAM x.9 rear casette and derailer, LX front derailer, Race Face XC cranks.
Bottom Line:
These things handel anything I can throw at them, in the past month they've ridden over 150 miles and have been in two races, they have yet to slip up, bend, creak, or have anything wrong. Go out and buy these they're better than anything Shimano can make!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
k3n!f
a Cross Country Rider
from Hobart, Tas, Aus Date Reviewed: February 16, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$120.00
Strengths:
Super stiff crank arms, pimpy looks, light weight.
Weaknesses:
Chainrings
Similar Products Used:
Shimano Alivio
Bottom Line:
I don't quite know what to say really. I really like Race Face products, but I'm not happy at all. The chainrings were bent when I put the crankset on. Grrrrrrr you would think they could check that sort of thing at the factory. Good value (if the rings weren't crap) but I'll give it one star because bent rings shouldn't happen. Super stiff though =)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Law Breaker
a Weekend Warrior
from Oakland, Ca, USA Date Reviewed: October 15, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Downieville
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
CBO
Strengths:
Stick Arms
Weaknesses:
Rings are Garbage!
Similar Products Used:
Race Face Turbine
Bike Setup:
Heckler
Bottom Line:
Like the previous reviewer, I feel that Race Face makes these rings in a chinese aluminum can factory. Both the granny and middle ring bent on the second ride when I was pedalling cross country. The worst is that I called Race Face and they said that the only warranty on rings is when they're new in the box! Don't buy this set unless you're gonna recycle the rings.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pete
a Weekend Warrior
from N. Bethesda, MD Date Reviewed: October 14, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Gambrill Yellow
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$110.00
Purchased At:
Price Point
Strengths:
Stiff arms, great looks
Weaknesses:
Sloppy shifting, occasional chain suck, Have ALREADY bent 2 of 3 rings.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano (pick one)
Bike Setup:
Yeti ARC/SRAM X.0
Bottom Line:
All in all a decent crankset, but I have to say I'm disappointed in the performance of the chainrings. 2 months of riding and the granny and outer rings are already bent. How on earth do you bend a granny gear? I weigh 200# and ride somewhat aggressively, but no major obstacles or rock bashing.
The crank arms are a different story. As stiff as they are, these things ride like baby Turbines, and you just can't beat the price. They look super cool too--the raised look of the RF logo is definitely a cut above the competition at this price point.
But come on, Race Face, don't skimp on the rings. They're just cheap.
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Submitted by
George
a Cross Country Rider
from Dublin, CA Date Reviewed: August 29, 2004
Favorite Trail:
any trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$79.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Great looks, Isis bb, shifts excellent, standard rings(22,32,44), strong, reasonably priced, it's a Race Face. This is the XC Evolve crank and not the DH Evolve crank.
Weaknesses:
Absolutely none and don't expect any.
Similar Products Used:
Various Truvativ, Shimano, and Race Face cranks.
Bike Setup:
Supergo Access XCL 18" hardtail with Avid 185mm mechanical disc brakes, mostly Shimano components, Hadley hubs, etc.
Bottom Line:
This is a great crank at any price. It shifts great, does not flex, uses Isis, looks cool, and is a Race Face. Even though this crank is not made in Canada (according to the box), it is still Race Face quality and their performance standards.
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Submitted by
Jamie
a Cross Country Rider
from Crested Butte, CO, USA Date Reviewed: August 5, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
universalcycles.com
Strengths:
Unbeatable Price, Stiff, Strong, Super Lightweight, 'Raceface'. Good Colors.
Weaknesses:
The 108mm BB is a little annoying, but I am using it with a 113mm FSA with no problems.
Similar Products Used:
Higher End Raceface, XTR, FSA
Bike Setup:
Bontrage Privateer S, Raceface, XTR, AVID. High End everything.
Bottom Line:
This is the best deal you will find on crankset. It is lighter than almost anything out there. It is stiff and should work great for any small to medium sized and larger non-agressive riders. It is lighter than XTR and cheaper than LX. There is no other crankset out there that will give you near the performance of this for even 2x the price. I've tried other high end raceface and FSA and XTR and they aren't worth the money. This is the perfect crankset. Use a 108mm BB if you can get a good deal on one, otherwise a 113 works fine dispite what Race Face says.
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Submitted by
Rod Munch
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Rosa, Ca. Date Reviewed: July 28, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Anything twisty
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$129.00
Purchased At:
w/Elvolve BB at Nashbar
Strengths:
Looks, construction, price
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Lots of cranks from Ritchey/Suginos of the 80's to XTR950 from last year
Bike Setup:
Hammerhead 100X, F100RLC, Float R ProPedal, Magua Martas & Pro Disc wheelset, XT drivetrain with RaceFace Cranks, BB & bits
Bottom Line:
I'll admit I'm biased. I just sold a bike that I put a Race Face Prodigy XC on and used for 3 years. Loved it. 1 gram heavier than the Turbine and faultless. This Evolve XC follows in the same tracks- light weight, cold forged, killer looks, great shifting. Requires use of 108 BB. I found many shops had the cranks but not the 108 BB. I'm 190 pounds and I think my frame would crumple before I could get these cold-forged I-beam arms to flex. It'd be great if all mountain bike parts were this strong, worked as well, designed as cool, weighed so little, and were so affordable.
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Submitted by
Clement
a Cross Country Rider
from Singapore Date Reviewed: June 24, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$80.00
Strengths:
-Looks totally way cool!! wordings are embossed on the crank arms! -strong! -Kick ass black and silver colour! -chainrings are just as lovely!
Weaknesses:
-The Evolve XC crankset has its own BB. but the problem is that this crankset is meant for a 108mm spindle... and the evolve XC BB is only available in 113mm. weird. looks funny and its not as stiff as I thought it would be. - only available in these 2 colours.
Similar Products Used:
Alivio, XT hollowtech II, XTR, Raceface next LP. etc..
Bike Setup:
ScottYZ1 with a Marzocchi MX pro with ETA.
Bottom Line:
This product is seriously way cool, there's nothing else that I can wish for in a crankset. it really looks just that good. really boosts up the asthetics on your bike.
performance wise, it could be a tad stiffer. but if I used a 108mm BB instead of the original 113mm BB, it would be much stiffer. other than that, I really have no complaints on this crankset at all.
I do sincerely believe this crankset would work really well for everyone out there. you won't regret this at all! 5 flaming chillis for its cheap and 4 because of its stiffness.
$
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