Submitted by
mbuguy
a Cross Country Rider
from Woodland Hills, Ca Date Reviewed: September 15, 2009
Favorite Trail:
All
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Wheel World
Strengths:
Does just what it's supposed to do without any problems. Have had no problems with shifting, loosening or chain suck over two years of hard riding.
Weaknesses:
None so far. Figured the entry level BB would be the first thing to go on this bike, but it's still running smooth.
Similar Products Used:
Truvative, Shimano XT & LX.
Bike Setup:
Giant Anthem 3.
Bottom Line:
Bike came with this crankset and I figured it would be the first component to wear out, but it's still going strong after two years. Got a great price on the bike, so I'd give it five flamin' chilis.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
4130
a Racer
from Wisconsin Date Reviewed: May 27, 2009
Favorite Trail:
lab
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Michael's Cycles
Strengths:
tough enough, 160lb rider bashing it on logs and anything else in the way, and haven't bent a chain ring yet.
Weaknesses:
CHAIN SUCK
anytime I would shift from the middle to the granny under even slight pressure I got terrible chain suck. used a file on the pins that are supposed to act as shift ramps. After smoothing out the pins i have had no other problems with it.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano
Bike Setup:
Giant Anthem x3 - K-force bar, Mavic 819 wheels
Bottom Line:
Affordable, but i wouldn't buy it aftermarket. Only reason i have it is because it came on the bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cvanliere
a Weekend Warrior
from Tempe, AZ Date Reviewed: December 26, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Various
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Good stock chainrings, good price
Weaknesses:
Stiffness
Similar Products Used:
Trulativ, Shimano LX
Bike Setup:
2005 Enduro
Bottom Line:
Got caught up in the name, XT cranks are ridiculously expensive. However, this model appears to be mold cast aluminum in China, the stiffness isn't there. Also if you're installing and it won't rotate on it's own, you'll need to remove a spacer ring on the BB (oops).
Good for commuter, but can't imagine being good XC crankset. Looks stronger than it is. Otherwise no major shifting problems. Probably not somethng Race Face should have put out.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mtnbkerkonadawgdeluxepaul
a Weekend Warrior
from Mt. Penn,PA Date Reviewed: December 18, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Antietam, French Creek, Salisbury
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
They seem to work like they were supposed to. Shifted well. No drag or friction was ever felt while spinning the cranks with the chain off. Never any BB issues.
Weaknesses:
Developed a small click but not too bad. This is my first bike so I don,t know how they should feel in terms of soft and flexy. I just ordered Shimano XT cranks on E-bay not because they need to be replaced but only because I am a bike addict and want a lot of new stuff on my bike. Noticed after some time that some of the bolts to hold the chainrings together came loose twice.
Similar Products Used:
Wal-mart bike crank
Bike Setup:
Kona Dawg Deluxe 06 Fox RP23, Fox Talas 32 fork, Easton Havoc AM wheels, Kenda Nevegal DTC tires, all XT drivetrain (after the XT crank is put on)
Bottom Line:
I have abused these cranks for almost 2 years now of rocky riding mostly on weekends and really can't complain about them they shifted real well and did me good. I see these cranks got pretty bad reviews so maybe well see after I get my new crank installed how different it is.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
NOVARider
a Weekend Warrior
from Fairfax, Virginia Date Reviewed: December 7, 2008
Favorite Trail:
any with dirt
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$90.00
Purchased At:
PricePoint
Strengths:
Light, easy to put together, feels strong.
Weaknesses:
don't like the open left side of the crank. Looks un-finished and seem like it will be a dirt magnet.
Similar Products Used:
shimano stuff
Bike Setup:
1995 GT Rebound with Mavic rims, titec stem and hell bent bar, rock shox tora forks. Everything else stock since the bike is bulletproof.
Bottom Line:
So far so good. Seems bullet proof. No scratched up legs like some people complained about (are you knock kneed or ankled), haven't had to retighten things like some people complained about. Use a torque wrench like the instructions say I guess or hit the gym.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
slap77
a Cross Country Rider
from Mirabel Date Reviewed: August 31, 2008
Favorite Trail:
anything dry
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
Holds the pedals
Weaknesses:
It's on the market
Similar Products Used:
XT, older Race Face DH
Bike Setup:
Giant Trance X2
Bottom Line:
This crankset came with the bike. Had chainsuck problems the first ride. I had to grind the huge pins on yhe middle chainring to solve the problem. There is a lot of friction in the BB it won't even move by itself when the chain is remove. My ankle constantly rub on the right crank arm.
If it was possible this product would have no chili at all.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
lewdvig
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary, AB, Canada Date Reviewed: June 19, 2008
Favorite Trail:
All of them
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Attached to my new b
Strengths:
Shifts well.
Weaknesses:
The drive side crank arm is sharp as it joins the spider. Technical rides and spills will have ankles looking like ground beef in no time. Skin is literally shaved off before your eyes.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT, LX, Race Face Evolve
Bottom Line:
Race Face why hast thou forsaken us? After at least a decade of riding their cranks, these will be my last. Clearly they have some bitten Chinese prison labor working in a Hell forge to make these demonic torture contraptions.
How about you bring back the Turbine design. You remember it Race Face, it was the one that did -not- suck.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric Johnson
a Cross Country Rider
from Saint michael, Minnesota. Date Reviewed: May 24, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Any trail,dirt,rock,or pavement.
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$39.00
Purchased At:
blueskycycling.com
Strengths:
Lightweight, stiff, creak free, pleasing to the eye, great price.
Weaknesses:
I do not see any yet these cranks are so much better than what I was running before.
If you are looking to upgrade and you want bang for the buck, these are the way to go. I paid 39.00 for these and they work great with my setup. I did have to also upgrade my bottom bracket to ISIS but for the price I paid for these cranks that was a non issue considering how they solved a problem and gave a performance upgrade to boot.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim
a Cross Country Rider
from Worcester Date Reviewed: March 20, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Wales
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Smooth, trouble free, look good, cheap
Weaknesses:
I don't know of any, but I've not experienced anything of a much higher quality to compare them with.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT, Truvativ
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth Epiphany, Fox Talas RL forks and Float R shock, DT Swiss rims on Hope XC hubs, Formula Oro K24 brakes, Easton finishing kit, odi grips, DMR pedals, XT shadow rear mech/LX front, Panaracer tyres. Thats the bulk of it
Bottom Line:
I only ride XC and proper mountain biking and this crankset has been going strong for me. They look nice, feel nice and smooth, no teeth have broken, gears shift nicely and it's all remained trouble free with no play. I'm yet to experience any high end RaceFace of XTR cranks, but I would recommend this to anyone who can get there hands on it at a good price and as a good alternative to an XT crankset.
I'm giving it 5 as I don't think I could get any better for the money, and there have been no problems for me to give it any lower.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Downhiller
from Sudbury, Ontario. Date Reviewed: December 8, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
OutsideStore
Strengths:
It's price is cheep, the arms look pretty cool, there pretty resiliant to wear, thay feel pretty good, they can handle alot of hard abuse.
Weaknesses:
Kinda soft feeling, like there not too solid. The chain rings seem pretty cheep. Some teeth have been lost, not many though.
Similar Products Used:
Truvativ hussefelt
Bike Setup:
07 kona hoss deluxe, king head, thomson stem and post, ryhnolite xl rims, hope pro 2 hubs, for talas 36 rc2 fork, easton bars, syncros mental pedals, hope clamp. The rest is stock. I love it.
Bottom Line:
Considering that these cranks are Race Face's cheepest option and are intended for xc and light use, I think that these have proven themselves to be respectively good cranks. I ride DH, i do alot of freerideing, all mountain stuff, and a bit of street. They've been through double diamond DH courses, a few 4' drops, some Dj's, brought up the hills, through the mountain tops, and almost every where else that you can ride and they haven't given me one problem for this year. I think that there pretty good. I want to upgrade to an atlas eventulally. I'd recomend hese if your on a budget and need a new, pretty good, crank. (3 chilis on overall rating because there are alot better cranks than this out there. THeres nothing special about them, they just do their job like their saposed to)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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