A classic comes back! New and improved for 2001, our Turbine LP forging has been changed to make this crank even stronger and stiffer than ever before. Built in inner chainring bolts allow for the use of shorter bolts, and new contoured profiling on the front and sides make this crank stiffer and stronger than previous models.
Similar Products Used: nothing really i've broke numerous other cranks, i finally settled on this in the late 90's when i was about 18 and have ridden nothing other than race face turbines since. amazing cranks thats really all i can say.
Bike Setup: Fisher joshua FS, trek steel hardtail, fisher rig all with turbine lp's
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Submitted by
dsnow23
a Cross Country Rider
from Mill Valley, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: August 11, 2008
Strengths: No flex, light weight. last forever.
Weaknesses: No weaknesses.
Bottom Line:
I've got the red ano square taper bb version and they still look great after many years of use. I've had other cranksets that started looking beat up after a few rides. The Turbine LPs look great, ride great, don't flex, and last forever. By the way, I weigh about 205 pounds and some cranks I've owned were super flexy.
Similar Products Used: Shimano XT, Shimano LX, Topline SL
Bike Setup: Ibis Szazbo
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Submitted by
Bryan Fox
a Weekend Warrior
from Chico CA
Date Reviewed: January 24, 2008
Strengths: Long life... I have used these cranks on about 10 different bikes over the years. Whenever I sold one of my bikes I always kept me Old school 180mm in Standard drive.. as newer bikes come out keeping the chain line right has been a mathmatical challenge but the old boys rock! I got mine as a gift from my old bike moved when I moved some gold watch huh?
Weaknesses: Finding 110 chain rings are a challenge finding a front deraileur to shift them is getting harder. Currently I have an old XT (pre-compact drive) that has been bent into submission that has worked flawlessly for years.
Bottom Line:
I have a buddy that has broken numerous pairs of these cranks and curses me for never having a problem with Race Face. He has destroyed numerous Marzocchi forks too. Some riders have a little thing called Finess when they ride and jump and are not hard on thier gear. Riders who started trail riding on rigid bikes understand this concept... I ride every weekend weather permitting and I have never had a problem with mine EVER. Every couple rides I tighten the crank bolts to 55in/lbs like the manual says. As for the people who have creaking issues...here is what you do or ask your mechanic: 1. Grease the threads on the BB. 2. Wrap the threads of the BB with teflon plumbers tape. (this keeps out water too!) 3. Use a very small layer of grease on the taper where the crank comes in contact with the spindle. The Aluminum will "bite" down harder on the steel spindle with a little grease. 4. Make sure the chainring bolts are tight too... Aluminum on Aluminum will always creak unless there is a small layer of grease between... I use Phil Wood grease for my projects... I have been using and abusing these cranks since 1997! Mine even have a serial number(1007) too! Back in the day Race Face used higher quality 7000 series BILLET aluminum and CNC'd em out one big chunk of Uluminum and then heat treated them. But they were also charging 200 cost without rings for thier high quality product. Sounds like the people who are having problems breaking are getting cranks that are designed in Canada but manufactured in a big factory in Taiwan for OEM specs... one phrase comes to mind "You get what you pay for" If you want cranks that can take a 10' Drop and a huck or two... Profile (the BMX Crank Company not the people who make roadie stuff) makes a 4130 Cromoly Crank with a spider for downhillers. They are heavy but won't leave castorated by your top tube sacrafice weight for your testicles...
Bike Setup: Santa Cruz Chamelion with a SRAM 9.0 drivetrain xcept for my Old school 180's I use an old square taper XT bb called a UN92... good luck finding one of these!
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Submitted by
Jon Sillito
a Weekend Warrior
from Durham UK
Date Reviewed: November 8, 2007
Strengths: Silent, don't move, look cool.
Weaknesses: Maybe should invent easier to use middle/large chainring bolts.
Bottom Line:
Had these for 2 years, on two different bikes. They've been used extensively for trail and DH riding, and bar a few marks on the arm ends where they've hit rocks and the colour fading where my shoes rub, they're as good as new. They've ridden on numerous DH tracks and north shore, and I have a feeling that all those who have reported them breaking didn't fit them properly in the first place. The bottom bracket is still fine too.
Strengths: Got em 180 mm length / 110 BCD. I did not really pay much for them. Reasonably stiff
Weaknesses: Fair to shoddy CNC work. Not like old Race Face stuff. Is this made in Taiwan?? Rings shift like not so good.Used to be better. Lots of flex versus FSA Carbon Pro Team cranks and Uncle Shim's stuff from the land of the rising sun. Ohh Yeah, get this, I used c5 anti sieze on ISIS spindle and when I needed to extract the cranks to change shoddy worn out Race Face rings, the extractor threads in cranks strip out. Cranks are going to be toast when middle ring finally wears out.
Bottom Line:
The newer RACE FACE Stinks. Its too bad, I hate to see them go but thats the way it is.
Similar Products Used: FSA Carbon Pro, Shimano XT Hollow Point
Bike Setup: Custom Steel Hardtail Fox 80 RLT, SRAM X9,Cane Creek Zonos, Avid SD7 brakes. Thomson everything else.
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Submitted by
Rob M.
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City
Date Reviewed: September 28, 2006
Strengths: stiff , strong
Weaknesses: I thought these where the best cranks I've had. THEN I snapped the right arm off right in the middle of the arm. I was on a 35 mile xc ride and had to ride with left leg only for 10 miles to hwy to hitch to trail end. I am a 37 year old professional and I don't jump or crash. These cranks snapped on a steep CLIMB. LIFETIME WARRANTY-YEAH RIGHT! They would not answer my e-mails. I called and as soon as I said I was a consumer, I got serious negative attitude. I bought these with a build kit and the company is now gone. The guy was almost laughing at me. You think Race Face would want to SEE and LOOK at a right arm in two pieces. I am an honest person in a very honest profession. Everything here is true. Where is the customer support? The guy did not even want to here the story. Race Face, I'm so sorry I called your company and took up 60 seconds of your incredibly busy day.
Bottom Line:
Read the LONG weakness section. Would have ranked 5/5 last month. Now with their sorry customer support very low.
Weaknesses: Anodizing fades quickly and wears through in some spots where shoes sometimes rub.
Bottom Line:
I know this is a somewhat dated review, but these cranks have been flawless for 9 years. Bought these cranks to replace the Specialized Strong Arms that came with the bike. Strong Arms lasted about 1 month before I bent them. The Turbine LPs are now 9 years old and still going strong. The only complaint I have about them is that the anodizing faded/rubbed off really quickly within the first year, but they haven't really faded much since then. Other than that, they have been absolutely bulletproof. These cranks have been slammed into rocks and taken 4 foot drops repeatedly without any issues.
Submitted by
Rick
a Weekend Warrior
from North Vancouver
Date Reviewed: March 17, 2006
Strengths: Strongest cranks I've ever used and I've being using them in their various forms (square taper/ISIS/2 piece/full size/compact) since the early 90's.
Weaknesses: None that I've discovered.
Bottom Line:
The best cranks out there bar none. Amazes me how some reviewer can blame the cranks when the bottom bracket fails!
Strengths: good ratings on this site....leaves cool scar(s)!!!
Weaknesses: bottom bracket failure leads to scars
Bottom Line:
Did a drop at speed, bottom bracket sheared off. Results were me slaming my face into the stem, and my ass slamming the seat at some descent force. Broken nose, head scar, inability to sit comforatably for 2 months+. I guess alright for everyday foolin around. Not to be trusted otherwise.
These cranke rock, I have bashed the crap out of them on anything and everything and they have never failed not even a litle flex and I weigh 190 and really crank with a 34/16 ratio. Light weight, tough, and for the price pretty unbeatable. Overall I think these cranks are good for almost any situation.
Submitted by
jesse
a Cross Country Rider
from halifax, ns canada
Date Reviewed: February 8, 2006
Strengths: strong light and quick-shifting! ISIS drive is sweet.
Weaknesses: ummm yeah.....
Bottom Line:
Great product sweet price on a good light strong crank. Ill buy raceface again. Did alot of review shopping for this and am very happy with product after hearing so many bad shimano xt reviews! Im 200 lbs and 6 ft i dont do big drops but i hammer crosscountry out of it and ride for speed, and yumps this crank takes it!
Bike Setup: Avid disc(m), rockshox SID, Sram X9....
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Submitted by
Gaz Edmunds
a Cross Country Rider
from Washington, DC
Date Reviewed: October 27, 2005
Strengths: Stiff, light, inexpensive, and pretty damned slick looking.
Weaknesses: None that I've found.
Bottom Line:
I've never had a problem with these cranks, period, and agree with the opinion of several of the reviewers on here - the folks who had issues with these cranks, are most likely folks who have no idea how to maintain their bike. These have been bounced off rocks and logs, ridden through streams, and caked in mud time and time again, and after a quick cleaning and the occasional lube, they perform as new. Price Point and various other online stores are blowing these out as a combo deal with an SRX BB - I jumped on it, and if you're in the market for a new set of cranks that are true performers, you will too.
Bike Setup: Ellsworth ISIS, Fox Vanilla RLC shock, Raceface Turbine LP cranks, XT hubs with Mavic X321 rims, SRAM X9 shifters and rear D, XT front D, Thomson Elite stem and seatpost, WTB Laser V ti saddle, Monkeylite bars, Avid BB7 mechanical discs with Speed Dial 7 levers, and Candy SL pedals...
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Submitted by
DAN STEPHENS
a Cross Country Rider
from DALLAS TX USA
Date Reviewed: August 29, 2005
Strengths: STIFF CHAINRINGS
Weaknesses: CRANK ARMS BREAK EASY
Bottom Line:
I AM A 165LB. BIKE COURIER IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS. I RIDE 30 MILES 5 DAYS A WEEK. MY DRIVE SIDE CRANK ARM BROKE IN HALF AND I HIT MY NUTS ON MY BIKE!CHAD AT RACE FACE WARRANTY DEPARTMENT IS A PRICK! HE WAS RUDE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS.HE SUCKS!I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS ON RACE FACE STUFF AND EXPECT NICER TREATMENT.DONT BUY THESE CRANKS! MY FRIEND BROKE HIS ALSO.CHAD IS A PROBLEM IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE.
Bike Setup: CHAMELEON,FOX VANILLA,RACE FACE STEM, XT WHEELS,AVID BRAKES,XT SHIFTERS,XTR REAR SHIFTER.
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Submitted by
Kirk Denetclaw
a Weekend Warrior
from Albuquerque, NM, USA
Date Reviewed: March 2, 2005
Strengths: Very Stiff cranks, smooth, reliable shifting, and looks.
Weaknesses: None so far.
Bottom Line:
These are a great set of cranks. I have been riding these for nearly 2 years and haven't had a problem with them. I weigh 260lbs and ride 5-6 days a week (20 miles per ride), mainly XC hardpack with rockbeds. I would advise that you use a torque wrench to install the BB to specification. Actually purchased them to replace XT Hollowtech cranks which I had for a year(noticed two broken teeth of mid chain ring when removed). Noticed increased stiffness in my drive train compared to Hollowetch setup. Chainrings still holding up. I would recommend them to any XC rider that doesn't expect freeride or extreme trail riding performance from an XC product.
