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Submitted by
Chris
a
from Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | The Crown | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | eBay | | Strengths: | Climbing--easier on the grunt climbs and faster on the very steep, technical climbs. Improved power and acceleration. Easier on the knees. Product craftsmanship. Great Canadian distributor (FaCT Canada) | | Weaknesses: | Price. Conventional, narrow tapered spindle. Different BCD rings with weak lifting pins. | | Similar Products Used: | None similar; various Shimano and Trivativ cranks | | Bike Setup: | Marin XC Quad FRS frame (East Peak), custom build: Reba fork, X.9 drive train, panaracer cinder rubber | | Bottom Line: | I got these cheap over a year ago from Andrew Watson (Canadian national cyceling team member). What a joy they have been to use. I am certainly not national team caliber--far from it. I'm a good recreational mountain biker who rides the recreational races and puts on about 1500 km a year over all four seasons. 48, fit, but with some occasional knee flair-ups ususally brought on by skiing or ball hockey. I love the downs, but the climbs have always been the biggest challenge. These cranks shine in the climbs. They have proven to be THE difference for me in the gnarliest challenge climbs our experienced group tries--where half will bail out or stall.
I broke the spindle just under the left crank recently (use by a national team member might have had something to do with it! It's a 2003 model and I've had it since early 2006). FaCT Canada (Can. distributor) sold me another used RS03 plus a used spindle for $100. I went back onto the XT for a couple of weeks, including an 8 hour solo. Did my knees ever feel it! And, while it took all of 10 mins to get used to the Rotor crank when I put it on last year, it took me several rides to get used to the regular rotation of the XT. Back on the replacement Rotor crank this weekend--what a difference. Just nailed the climbs.
Bottom line--proven for elite performance, but can offer REAL gains for the avid recreational mountain biker. The extra weight means nothing--its not rotational (arms are light) and centred low on the bike. Problem is cost--latest model is about $800CDN. Canadian sales are supposed to be next to nil. Narrow spindle may be a long-term weakness. Have to buy Rotor rings (not unreasonably priced) and have found that lifting pins on the replacement rings have been popping out with greater frequency. Don't know if I would be too happy about these problems if I paid full price. But with what I have laid out, I am extremely happy with this product.
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
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