Submitted by
stoney98
a Racer
from San Francisco, CA Date Reviewed: June 1, 2009
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Relatively light, very stiff.
Weaknesses:
Integrated outer ring/spider, twisting under heavy load
Similar Products Used:
Just about everything on the market since 1999.
Bike Setup:
Multiple:
F/S XC Racer, HT XC Racer, DH Race bike, DJ Hardtail, F/S 4x, 6" All-Mtn bike.
Bottom Line:
These cranks, when setup properly, are borderline bomb-proof. I'm somewhere into my fifth or sixth set since they first came out (still have three sets, others sold with bikes), and have only managed to damage one crank arm. The damage to that one arm came from me learning how to do 360's out of a bowl at a skate park, and that was my fault for overly side-loading the crank.
Most of the complaints I have seen on this site are from people who did not properly setup the cranks. As they have a self-extracting bolt, you need to add a dab of BLUE loc-tite upon install. This will prevent the bolt from backing out. Also, install them slowly. If installed quickly, you can torque the cranks into alignment with the splines, damaging the interface surface. Only once you are positive that you have lined up the splines, tighten them to torque.
Like with any other crank, if the crank feels loose, stop riding. Most mechanically inclined riders will know this. This also goes with proper maintenance, check the crank bolts every few rides and you will not have any problems.
Especially because they are no longer produced, you can get a new set for cheap, and they will last for ever if maintained properly. If you are buying a used set, but be conscious that meat-head mechanics have been know to strip the splines, so that is a risk you take buying them used.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Abe Star
a Weekend Warrior
from Melbourne, Australia Date Reviewed: April 6, 2009
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Bar Harbor Bike Shop
Strengths:
Easy to ride with. Makes you feel that you can conquer any mountain.
Weaknesses:
Almost impossible to find genuine spares. However, you can get after market from Blackspire.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano Saint.
Bike Setup:
GT Zaskar LE...nuff said.
Bottom Line:
There can be Only One! The best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be. It is a fantastic crank, so it makes it hard to move on as you don't want to be disappointed if others don't perform as well. If you can find one in mint condition...buy it. I specifically went to the U.S. to buy this crankset and that was before I knew how great they were. I was merely attracted to it's look. The Gun Metal Blue color gives it's originality and makes it special. It stand out above the rest unlike in the new range.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ate
a Cross Country Rider
from Incline Village, NV Date Reviewed: July 19, 2008
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Light, smooth shifting
Weaknesses:
Strips easily, prone to shoe rub
Similar Products Used:
Race Face Turbine, XT
Bike Setup:
Kona Hei Hei, full XTR
Bottom Line:
Can't recommend these. If they get just a little bit loose, they are destroyed forever. If you're going to go with old equipment, I'd choose square taper over Octalink any day.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben
a Racer
from Portland, OR, USA Date Reviewed: September 13, 2007
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
light, stiff, durable.
Weaknesses:
Cost (but not so bad compared to new 970 XTR cranks..), the fact that the big ring acts as the spider makes replacing the rings painfully expensive, and there are no alternative chainring options. Typical shimano non standardization.
Similar Products Used:
XT, Race face.
Bike Setup:
Ti Hardtail, SRAM chain & cassette, shimano XTR pedals.
Bottom Line:
I love these cranks very much. I've had them since 2002, raced them and rode them very hard but have taken good care of them maintenance wise. I've replaced the rings 2 or 3 times, and replaced the BB once. Though the arms are rather beat up from all the hard use, they still perform great. Lately, due to a worn big ring and other issues, I've had problems with the chain staying on the big ring over rough terrain: it keeps falling into the middle ring. I'll just have to save my pennies; I'll probably replace these cranks with the new XT.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alan Chan
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Canada Date Reviewed: May 27, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Albion Hills
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
eBay
Weaknesses:
Short insertion amount can easily kill the crank, crank arm angle design makes it a pain when you have wide chainstay
Similar Products Used:
Shimano LX, XT; RaceFace Turbine, Bontrager Race
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Chameleon, Fox Vanilla RL, Chris King Mavic Wheelset, XTR/XT setup, Thomson Stem + Seatpost, Easton CT2, Hope M4 & Avid Juicy 7
Bottom Line:
I will never buy these again altho they are discontinued already. I have used LX and XT crank and didn't have such a big problem. The XTR BB seems to be better then the LX & XT ES71 but that is it. The crank design is trying to save weight and honestly, its not worth it for its price. XT is the way to go. I don't know what Shimano was thinking when they design this 7 years ago. The insertion teeth inside the crank is half the length of its other model (XT, LX, etc) which makes it easy to be damage. I was on trail a couple days ago and the crank came a little loose. I then spin for a couple more revs and I know something was really wrong. So I tighten the crank and went on. After the ride, I took the crank off and the teeth were complete strip! The drive side crank arm is completely damage and its now useless. This also gave me a pain when I switch these over from my Zaskar to Chameleon. Its stupid crank arm angle makes you change BB width to fit different bike. Yes this is part of a frame thing but I don't have to do that with any other crank. Even Santa Curz say is just for Shimano XTR and LX. XT, Raceface and all other cranks are fine. With a longer BB to avoid the crank arm hitting the chainstay, it makes the chain on an angle which makes shifting not as smooth, more chain stuck, less power, etc.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris O
a Weekend Warrior
from Brookline Date Reviewed: December 7, 2006
Favorite Trail:
South Cottonwood Canyon
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
stiff, durable, standard size rings
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
XTR 960, Cook Bros
Bottom Line:
I absolutely loved these cranks, and I replaced them this year with 960’s when I bought a new component group. I wish I didn’t have to replace them, because they’re still going strong after eight seasons, but go figure that they’re not compatible with 9-speed components. I usually like Shimano products, but it kills me when they do this. Getting XTR products usually means paying a steep premium for marginal performance improvements, but these cranks were totally worth it. Back when I purchased these cranks, Shimano offered micro drive on everything up to XT. I’ve always preferred standard rings, so this was one instance in which there was a big difference between XT and XTR that was worth the extra money. Yes, Shimano’s replacement rings are expensive, but good luck getting shift ramps and extra machining on anything cheaper. I still have the original rings on this pair, and they still work great even with a broken tooth on the middle ring and multiple log hits on the outer ring.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ákos Lengyel
a Cross Country Rider
from Budapest Date Reviewed: October 4, 2006
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$200.00
Strengths:
strong, light, fashionable, longlife
Weaknesses:
the big wheel is the spider too, so if it wears, you have to get one original, or a spider(they had that seperately sold)
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
full xtr 1998, rocky mountain vertex t.o., girvin fork
Bottom Line:
I couldn't get any spare spider, nor ring-spider, cause they don't make it anymore... It's a pity... Now i got a new xt for my mountainbike, and will make a singlespeed bike for city-riding with the old xtr. I will get the teeth of the big ring off, so it will be the chainring, and have a bigger ring(40t) in the middle, and another chainring in the place of the small ring. I think that will do the job, and i don1t have to get rid of this beauty!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Illinois/Wisconsin Date Reviewed: October 24, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$125.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
lightweight, good shifting, easy to convert to singlspeed with spider.
Weaknesses:
splines + age = complete crank failure!
Similar Products Used:
Coda (I miss their durability), XT, Strongarm II
Bike Setup:
Litech magnesium frame - singlspeed setup, aluminum rigid fork, xtr/mavic 417 wheels (love to death!!!), Kenda Kozmik Lite 2 tires (my secret weapons), xt linear brakes, easton carbon bar, thompson, avocet ti
Bottom Line:
ummm..well.. I liked them alot for the first... then they began to clunk... the right crankarm started moving 5-10 degrees out of alingment with the other arm. i took it all apart and found that the aluminum splines were compressing, causiing the entire crankarm to rotate in a shift around the bottom bracket splindle.. I rode it that way for awhile, carefully, but it gre to about 15 degrees and I couldnt take it anymore... i replaced the drive side with a newer xt... then a day later I noticed some clunking in the left arm.... garg... BOTTOM LINE IS: these cranks are just too old and the aluminum inside has fatigued too much... get a newer Truvatic Stylo instead.. cheaper and much stronger, a just a few grams more.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brandon
a
from Michigan Date Reviewed: April 13, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Your Sister
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
No pinch bolts like some other XTRs we know
Weaknesses:
Chainrings are expensive. replace your chain frequently
Similar Products Used:
Race Face Turbines, 03 XTRs
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Chameleon. King, XTR, Thompson blah blah. Only the greatest Chameleon ever created..
Bottom Line:
Buy these cranks before they go away! Dont forget the bottom bracket (you can get away with a 105 if your frugal)
frugal=cheap
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim Beau
a Weekend Warrior
from SGV Date Reviewed: April 2, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
123BIKES
Strengths:
Strong; stiff; smooth; light; durable
Weaknesses:
Cost
Similar Products Used:
RaceFace; XT; TruVativ; 01 & 03 XTR
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth ID w/Avid discs, XTR shifters/derailures/levers
Bottom Line:
Worked a deal with 123BIKES to include these cranks/rings with the purchase of my ID (that's why I put 0 in the cost field). Frame arrived needing a minor alignment adjustment; once my mechanic made the fix, I have experienced NO crank/ring related problems --- NONE! They have performed flawlessly. They are stiff and smooth. Sure, the chi-chi factor is there, but of little concern for me. These are superior to ANY cranks/rings I've used.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
TC
a Cross Country Rider
from GJ, CO Date Reviewed: March 1, 2004
Favorite Trail:
all of 'em
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$135.00
Purchased At:
friend
Strengths:
Strong, light, durable, & the ladies love 'em!
Weaknesses:
Cause lust from non-owners
Similar Products Used:
race face turbine & next
Bike Setup:
Does it matter?
Bottom Line:
Good stuff. Period. People with complaints about these cranks are a) unable to be pleased B) not mechanically inclined c) anti-Shimano d) all of the above. With the correct BB adjustment and patient, competent spline alignment before sqeezin' 'em on the spindle, these cranks are at the top of the heap. No need for M960, but people do like shiney new things. Look for someone sellin' these so they can buy some shiney new M960's, and get yourself a great deal.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John DeVivo
a Cross Country Rider
from Andover, Maine, USA Date Reviewed: February 23, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Palisades at Sunday River
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$279.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Super strong, super stiff, and the best chainrings ever made! This is the M950 (8sp) from '98, and it's still the bomb!
Weaknesses:
Please... there aren't any!
Similar Products Used:
1997 XT
Bike Setup:
Mix n' match of XTR/XT/LX/Deore
Bottom Line:
This crankset has been through five seasons of racing and riding. Three top tens at Mount Snow, a top ten at the 24 Hours of Great Glen, and a top ten at the Vermont 50 spell it out - this crankset rules! Although my 8sp rings are worn enough to accommodate the narrower 9sp chains at this point, I've lost several teeth, so I'm switching out to the 9sp chainrings, and will (finally) buy a new XTR BB (also the best BB ever made). What else can you buy that goes FIVE years?! Any serious rider needs this crankset. Forget the new $450 disco version... stick with the M952 (or M950 for 8 speed). Thank you, Shimano!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon
a Racer
from Carlisle, PA Date Reviewed: February 20, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Stiff, awesome shifting, rings last forever, looks hot.
Weaknesses:
They creak if not torqued/greased perfectly.
Similar Products Used:
Race Face, LX, Deore
Bike Setup:
2004 Racer X 100 (work in progress)
Bottom Line:
I rode a set of M950 XTRs hard for over 2 years, and just bought a new set of M952s. I could have gone with M960 stuff, but I'm so satisfied with the stiffness and durability of these I saw no reason to change. Did I mention that the shifting is superior to everything else? I love the 46/34/24 gearing, which Shimano decided we don't need anymore. If properly torqued and greased with a dab of Loctite on the threads, these things stay tight and don't creak. Yeah, you pay for them up front, but the overall performance is very satisfying and more than worth the cost.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Racer
from Saint Charles Date Reviewed: December 4, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Great Western
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
AS GOOD AS IT GETS. Better than new XTR. Light, stiff, big manly chainrings.
This is the best crankset available today. It is twice as nice as the new model at half the price. I have owned both, ride 15 hours a week, and I'm a mechanic. These are the best shifting chainrings ever and the strongest arms ever. The downhillers use 'em! Plus the bb is light and you can even use a dura-ace bb to get lighter and more narrow. I hope Shimano realizes soon that the new XTR cranks suck and returns to this model.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Glenn
a
from Venice, CA Date Reviewed: September 2, 2003
Here is a tip for better shifting with well-worn rings.
Have trouble shifting into the granny ring under load???
I used to be able to mash the chain down into the granny ring under really heavy loads. After about a year I started having trouble and the chain would get sucked up between the middle ring and the chain-stay. The fix... try filing the little rivet type ramps on the middle ring so they aren’t as pointy. Not too much... It worked for me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Timchi
a Racer
from Toronto, ON, CANADA Date Reviewed: June 9, 2003
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Stiff, nice rings, love the self extracting bolts.
Weaknesses:
durability.
Similar Products Used:
LX, XT
Bottom Line:
I've used this crank on my racing bike for a couple of years now. I only ride it a few dozen times every year since I use a different bike for daily training. The left crankarm is now worn out at the bb/crank interface. It moves and clunks just ever so slightly so make me feel like the whole thing will fall apart under me. In my disbelief that a crankarm will be worn out I replaced the bottom bracket. I even tried it with new pedals (thinking pedals are somehow clunking). I have bikes that I ride harder with 6 year old square taper cranks that are still running strong. Shimano did their homework and sold us another product that we'll have to replace every two or three years. And we were so happy about the increase in stiffness .... Sadly I don't know if there is a better product out there. ISIS any good?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mike doucette
a Cross Country Rider
from west milford n.j. Date Reviewed: June 4, 2003
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
bike line
Strengths:
light, strong,after two years the bb is still smoth
Weaknesses:
the left arm was a s.o.b. to get off, like it was fused, and the drive side stripped, but only the arm, not bb, but no warrenty! and i know how to properly maintain a bike, and with all my care it still has put me in a situation where i only need one arm but can only find sets of two for sale.
Bike Setup:
spec. p3 with sram 9 speed, rollers in the front, bomber fork with easton carbon bars etc. all that stuff
Bottom Line:
bottom line is that these cranks are way too expensive, thank god i had a discount or i woundn't have even thought twice about getting them. there nice but there are plenty of things comparable, for less, and if one of those weight weenes's these are pretty good, just don't ride too hard on them, and if you care so much about weight to buy these cranks, don't put 10 lb. dh tires on, you guys just don't make sence
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve Domser
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin, Texas Date Reviewed: February 15, 2003
Favorite Trail:
tooo many to choose from. Killer Bee south korea
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
bike shop
Strengths:
Very Durable, tight shifting, and very little chain skips.
Weaknesses:
Havent found any yet...
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Strong Arm II, those are a piece of crap, aluminum, attachment bolts, broke under pressure. DO NOT BUY THESE CRANKS>>>>>SPECIALIZED STRONGARM II CRANKS
Bike Setup:
Yeti, Arc 2002, king headset, marz bomber x-fly 80 fork, all xtr drivetrain, maivic 515 with xtr hubs, avid magnesium brakes, easton ec70 flat bar and seat post, Selle Elite seat.
Bottom Line:
Bottom line is they are great.. Recommend purchase, that or Race Face ISIS cranks, have had the chance to use them to,, But if you have any questions please caontact me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
joe
a Racer
from dallas, tx Date Reviewed: December 12, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
jensonusa.com
Strengths:
Stiff, light
Weaknesses:
had to use locktight to keep crank on the BB.
Similar Products Used:
BRL
Bike Setup:
SUGAR
Bottom Line:
It has been a good product to use. The only weakness is the one listed above. But they fell a lot better than my fromer Bontrager cranks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Will
a
from CO Date Reviewed: December 7, 2002
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$90.00
Purchased At:
Performance Bike
Strengths:
Light, strong, stiff, mt rings lasted forever.
Weaknesses:
Quality control is spotty on what is supposed to be the best of the best Shimano can make.
I paid $90 for mine (not a typo) when the Performance Bike I worked in was closed down by the company (Perf. is a lousy corporation to work for by the way). They put everything in the store at 70% off during the last week of the closing sale. My first pair were defective (not threaded to self-extract) I had to bash them off with a fork type crank remover. I have seen a few other things like this on XTR over the years that I thought were pretty pathetic considering XTRs billing. Shimano has also admitted that the cranks are very finicky in regards to installation. If it isn't done just right, the cranks are trash. The new ones are a massively overpriced monument to stupidity compared to ISIS. Bottom line: Way too expensive at retail but an excellent product as long as the guy who puts the little green "OK" stickers on them is sober.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jared
a Cross Country Rider
from IL Date Reviewed: December 3, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Kettle Moraine, Raider's Ridge
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
The Shop I work at
Strengths:
Light, stiff, and the best shifting rings I've found.
Weaknesses:
Price, even at my discount.
Similar Products Used:
XT, Sugino, Icon.
Bike Setup:
Trek 8000 frame, full XTR, Hayes Disc, Thomson post/stem, and a Marzochi to boot.
Bottom Line:
Wicked stiff and they shift flawlessly. Even with my 245# body these cranks don't back down. The only down side is the price, which is high even at cost. They have put up with 2 years of abuse and are still shifting well. Those that are complaining about creaks might try greasing the splines heavily. They will tend to creak a little when not lubricated.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James
a Cross Country Rider
from Fullerton Date Reviewed: December 3, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Santiago Motorway
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Lightweight
Weaknesses:
needs constant supervision
Similar Products Used:
Raceface Turbin LP's, Sugino's
Bike Setup:
Kona Kula, Sram 9.0sl, XTR brakes,CK/Mavic wheels
Bottom Line:
As stated before if you don't maintain the cranks and make sure they properly tightened before, during, and after your ride they will eventualy come loose from the bottom bracket. Then you have an oppurtunity to strip them clean off the BB forcing you to walk back to your vehicle. Shimano's customer service response is that "it is the user's responsibility to make sure the cranks are properly tightened at all times and no we will not replace them." Well I'm going back to Raceface and I will use Shimano parts sparingly if at all as I build up my new fram.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JOE
a Cross Country Rider
from ORANGE COUNTY ,CA Date Reviewed: November 26, 2002
Favorite Trail:
OLD CAMP
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$499.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
LOOKS,STRENGTH,INSTALLATION
Weaknesses:
NOTHING
Similar Products Used:
OLD XTR
Bike Setup:
EPIC W/ FULL 2003 XTR GROUPO,SID,CROSS MAX
Bottom Line:
SHIMANO HAD TO GO AHEAD OF THE CLASS AGAIN WITH ITS 2003 XTR CRANKS. SHIMANO LIKES TO BRING BACK OLD DESIGNS THAT DIDN'T WORK BACK IN THE DAYS I.E., THE FIRST V BRAKE WAS MORANAVATIVE AND NOW THE CRANK SET WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE OLD BULLSEYE AND SWEET WING CRANK SETS. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT SHIMANO DOES IT RIGHT. THE NEW CRANK SET IS BY FAR THE BEST PRODUCT OF 2003. THE VERY FIRST RIDE I NOTICED A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN STIIFFNESS. I DIDN'T THINK SHIFTING WOULD INPROVE FROM THE OLD CRANK SET BUT I WAS WRONG. THE CRANK SET SHIFTS WITH NO HESITATION IF YOU HAVE A QUALIFIED MECHANIC SET YOUR BIKE UP. BOTTOM LINE, EVERY PART OF THE 2003 XTR GROUPO IS AWESOME. I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO ANY HARDCORE XC RIDER. FREERIDERS NEED NOT APPLY, THERE IS A GROUPO COMING SOON YOU GUYS.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael
a Cross Country Rider
from Calabasas, CA Date Reviewed: November 23, 2002
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$289.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Light weight, very stiff, shifts well
Weaknesses:
Durability
Similar Products Used:
XT, Specialized
Bike Setup:
Titus Racer X
Bottom Line:
After three years of hard riding I did have to replace all three chain rings. Other than that the Crank has performed very vell. Very stiff with good power transfer.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gilderoy Lockheart
a Racer
from Hogwarts Date Reviewed: November 20, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Swiss Alps
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
360
Strengths:
This is a review of the new 2003 XTR crankset: BMX technology that works great on a MTB: easy to install (did it myself in 10 minutes), bearings wide apart, actually outside the bike's BB shell -> absolutely no flex, quiet i.e. no cracking noise etc. unlike the old XTR. Bearings are very well protected against the elements. Very light at only 796 grams for the entire set incl. BB. And did I mention looks? The design is art and I kneel before them in awe...
Weaknesses:
So far I haven't had them for long enough to be able to comment. They seem very well designed and made but time will show.
Similar Products Used:
old XTR, AC cranks
Bike Setup:
22.5 lb full suspension
Bottom Line:
Easily the best crankset I ever owned but list price is very high (about 550$). I got mine at a discount and for me they are worth the price I paid. Since they usually are so damn expensive, well, YOU COULD BUY A WHOLE BIKE for their price (a cheap one but still) I give them only 4 value chilis but definitely 5 overall.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago Date Reviewed: November 15, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Anything outdoors
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$225.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
Strong, stiff crank arms. Fairly light weight. 46 tooth rings are awesome, the shifting is buttery smooth.
Weaknesses:
Pricey, pricey, pricey.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Strong Arm, Shimano LX
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth Joker w/ full XTR
Bottom Line:
Some hate Chevy, some hate Ford. My experience has been pure satisfaction with XTR crankset. I have had no hardware failure with any XTR components. My bike has been to Pisgah, the Canadian Rockies, Michigan and back. I don't race downhill but I've raced a couple of downhill races. I mostly do trail riding and urban stair drops.
XTR has been a tried and true component on my bike for over three years. The shifts, when used w/ full XTR drivetrain, are buttery smooth and precise. Shimano and SRAM chains both shift clean and crisp.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick Smith
a Weekend Warrior
from Auburn, AL Date Reviewed: October 23, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Not around here
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$240.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Stiff, no flex. Shifts great. Larger chain ring is great for downhill stretches.
Weaknesses:
Splines stripped out
Similar Products Used:
RaceFace
Bottom Line:
Hey what's up shimano, the guy below is right on. Shimano warranty service bites! I sent mine in, they sent it back and said that it was installed incorrectly. Hey, then how come it worked for over a year then let go. According to them I stripped the splines out when I installed the crank, but if that was so then it would have been stripped out when I first put them on and would have started slipping then, not over a year later. Shimano really meant to say no warrranty on XTR, if they were truthfull to begin with I would not even have a problem, but since they don't stand behind their warranty I rank them with the likes of Enron and Auther Anderson, Big Fat Dirty Liars. Shimano never again, if I can avoid it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Roux
a
from Birmingham Date Reviewed: October 22, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Oak Mtn.
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$299.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Doesn't Flex
Weaknesses:
Shoddy Warranty service. The 3 years warranty really means, send it in for repair and we will screw you and not repair it.
Similar Products Used:
XT hollow tech.
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Killer v 900 ht, ultra fatty headshok, avid front disk. xtr bb, xtr derailluer front and rear. XTR rear v brakes. About to scrap all the shimano crap and buy some real components.
Bottom Line:
XTR cranksets are stiff, no flex, but a couple years of easy commuting and some easy trails and the crank splines stripped out. I do weigh 245 pounds, so I would say this is probably the reason. But shimano warranty department pretty much told me to get bent 2.5 years after purchase, that they would not fix it. Oh well, I WILL NEVER BUY SHIMANO AGAIN. To all potential buyers, SHIMANO obviously has no intention of ever standing by their warranty. It is just an empty promise. So don't let that factor into your decision. SHIMANO = SORRY CUSTOMER SERVICE AND NO REAL WARRANTY. I would award negative chili's if I could. Nobody should spend the dough on XTR, all the extra money is for a warranty that is not worth the air it takes to sputter. If you gotta buy shimano go with the XT group, at least they only offer an empty promise of a 1 year warranty for XT stuff.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kurt Mindy
a Racer
from Phoenix Date Reviewed: September 7, 2002
Favorite Trail:
anything technical
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$230.00
Purchased At:
SuperGo
Strengths:
stiff, looks good
Weaknesses:
Easy to sand teeth off of the big ring when hitting rocks. More of a rider error.
Similar Products Used:
XT, Strong Arm II(crap)
Bike Setup:
Specialized FSR comp, crossmax,
Bottom Line:
Good equipment. I like the larger rigs but scraped 2 teeth off the big ring when I hit the top of a rock. still raced the rest of the year with the missing teeth. worth the money. some people have had problems with the bolt coming loose, not a problem with mine.
Stay away from Specialized Strong Arm cranks if you have a lot of strenght in your legs.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
john pots
a Downhiller
from greensville Date Reviewed: September 3, 2002
Favorite Trail:
holy shi* trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
alans bike shop
Strengths:
cool looking, by far the best shimano has to offer as far as cranks go. and the one chainwheel that i use is as strong as i need it to be.
Weaknesses:
little flexy for a 200lb+ downhiller doin 10 ft drops and up
Similar Products Used:
race face (love it) and bontranger (dont care for it)
Bike Setup:
mongoose nx dh w/sun mammoth/kenda kinetiks/double club roost bars/hayes purple hydroulic discs/manitou dorado dh/a lot of race face stuff/and i break deraillers so i got lx.
Bottom Line:
good crank but scares me a bit when i go off a large drop or i over launch a kickers landing, but i sold it and i went back to race face.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
john pots
a Downhiller
from greensville Date Reviewed: September 3, 2002
Favorite Trail:
holy shi* trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
alans bike shop
Strengths:
cool looking, by far the best shimano has to offer as far as cranks go. and the one chainwheel that i use is as strong as i need it to be.
Weaknesses:
little flexy for a 200lb+ downhiller doin 10 ft drops and up
Similar Products Used:
race face (love it) and bontranger (dont care for it)
Bike Setup:
mongoose nx dh w/sun mammoth/kenda kinetiks/double club roost bars/hayes purple hydroulic discs/manitou dorado dh/a lot of race face stuff/and i break deraillers so i got lx.
Bottom Line:
good crank but scares me a bit when i go off a large drop or i over launch a kickers landing, but i sold it and i went back to race face.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David
a Racer
from Littleton, CO Date Reviewed: August 7, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$220.00
Purchased At:
jensonusa.com
Similar Products Used:
XT crankset Race Face rings
Bottom Line:
Shifting with XTR rings is unbelievably crisp and the crankset is really stiff -- I can't imagine anything better. XT shifts probably as well, but doesn't seem as stiff. Shifting with Race Face rings is much slower and grindier in my experience. I have trained and raced my XTR pretty hard, and it has held up well so far. I lost a couple of teeth on the big ring from hitting rocks not all that hard, but it still works fine and the ring is still straight. I wish replacement rings were easier to find and cheaper.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Brodie
a Cross Country Rider
from Sydney NSW, Australia Date Reviewed: August 4, 2002
Favorite Trail:
'The Convict Trail' (Sydney)
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Purchased At:
Panther Cycles (LBS)
Strengths:
Great gearing ratio. Excellent coating(the old FireX's are scratched to buggery). No creaks. I think I go faster now :)
Weaknesses:
Nearly killed wife when she 'suprised' me with them on my credit card... They cost a bucket...
Similar Products Used:
FireX, Cannondale OEM(CODA)
Bike Setup:
GT iDrive, Hayes, Fox Float(R\F), CrossRoc
Bottom Line:
Tested: 4 arm, 175mm, 46 tooth big ring.
Love 'em. I feel like I go faster now, thats probably because in any particular gear I'm now pushing bigger sprockets.
They look trick and for some reason havent dented to crap like the FireX's did. I often 'walk' my crank arm over large rocks when pushing through rock gardens and I'm still yet to loose the bark of the end of the crank arm. Very nice.
Shifting feels much better, in fact I havent had a single shifting problem since installation(something I was plagued with after purchase).
Using these bigger gears I hit a new personal best on dirt speed 67.8kph on a local trail.
Good for people who run out of gears on a 44 and feel like their free spinning. Good for gear mashers. Good for people who are suckers for stuff that looks cool at the LBS and -must- have it(me)...
Not good for people who look for a lower gear than granny on a steep hill :), as your little ring will now be bigger.
It's like loosing your bottom gear and getting an extra top one, in 'feel'.
I feel as though the cost is a little high considering the amount of 'weight reduction' propaganda. Weight weenies will find lighter cranks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott Anderson
a Cross Country Rider
from Papillion, NE USA Date Reviewed: August 3, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Swanson Park, Platte River State Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$225.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Stiff, light, incredibly smooth shifting
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager Comp that came stock
Bike Setup:
2001 Fuel 90-XTR crank, XTR front derailleur, Raceface seatpost, Selle Italia Prolink saddle, otherwise stock
Bottom Line:
I am 6'4", 215 pounds and I don't notice these cranks flexing at all. I bought the 180mm cranks and it made a huge difference in my climbing ability. I fly up hills and have to hit the brakes or I will rear end people I ride with. They shift beautifully, way better than the Bontrager chainrings I had before. The only downside is the $100 price tag on the large ring. I cringe everytime I hear it drag across a log. Who should buy these? Anyone looking for dependable front shifting and anyone who wants to take some time off their race route. Fantastic product.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Buzz
a Downhiller
from L.A. suburb, CA Date Reviewed: July 23, 2002
Favorite Trail:
local ridge trail "Pro level DH trail"
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
sponsor
Strengths:
They are fairly light but way too flexy for serious DH. look nice on my bike.
Weaknesses:
BB is weak, twisted 2 spindles in the course of 1 weekend at the Snow summit national and endless # on local training rides. These might work for XC but aren't worth their weight in dirt for DH.
Similar Products Used:
Changed to Profiles and have had no problems. also had good luck with Bullseye.
These are just too weak for faster or heavier DH riders. I don't know why any pro riders would use them except for the fact that they get paid. Which is probably why if you look at the World Cup bikes they all use cromoly cranks with solid spindles, not this cheap aluminum crap.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Floyd Taylor
a Weekend Warrior
from London Date Reviewed: July 13, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Box Hill
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$427.00
Purchased At:
wiggle.co.uk
Strengths:
Pose factor, spline design, light-weight (in relation to Shimano's product range), choice of cranks (DH/XC/4-arm/5-arm), range of chainring combos
Weaknesses:
Initial outlay (offset slightly by the fact that they ship complete with chainrings), specific tools required for fitment / removal, limited BB options, 5-arm obviously heavier than 4-arm but marginally lighter than XT 4-arm. Bottom bracket may or may not require 2.5mm spacers for the correct chainline which is easy to overlook until after you've fitted it. READ FITMENT INFO FIRST or pay someone to fit the parts for you as its too costly to bodge.
Similar Products Used:
2001 XT, 2000 FSA, 2002 Deore, 1999 XTR
Bike Setup:
2001 Stumpjumper M4 Pro, all XTR except Hope Mini's
Bottom Line:
2002 48/36/26 5-Arm 170mm XC version
Printed fitment sheet is hard to follow as it is multi-lingual c/w tiny type, if you don't grease the splines - don't expect the arms to leave the BB later on without hassle.
Looks the part - the finish is holding up well. Chainring wear is neglible thus far (750 miles covered). You need to use a good quality torque wrench or face tightening the crank bolts after each ride. The stiffness is a major improvement over Specialized's Strongarm II crankset but not that big a difference over Hollowtech XT's or Deore. The specific XTR sealed cartridge BB requirement is insane - you should be able to pick from Deore & XT (which can also be had in 'non-compatible' splined versions) as the difference will come down to a few grammes anyway.
On my 1999 XTR chainset the chainring bolts were prone to cracking when tightened - so am exercising caution with these and adhering to recommended torque settings throughout.
Good quality high-end crankset - NOT sure if they are worth the extra dough for a 'paying' punter - check out the specs for XT and see if you agree, particularly on the weight differences. For that reason it gets low marks on value.
I like Shimano products a lot but cannot go so far as to say that this is the BEST chainset out there but its hard to fault them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Roger
a Downhiller
from N/A Date Reviewed: July 1, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Same as many other products on the market!
Weaknesses:
Price and durability compared to other cranks.
Similar Products Used:
Many
Bike Setup:
Current bike is a specialized Bighit.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line, let me see here. First, I agree that this crank is excellent for XC "racing". Now the review JHD tells me that they were not made for DH riding. Well that may be true for the cranks that you are riding, but the ones that I rode where designed and labeled for DH use. They even came with a rock guard instead of an outer ring. (Similar to this -Hollowtech Crankset (With Downhill Chainring) - FC-M952-DH, - Look up the product yourself, that is the part number). Shimano does not only make "1" XTR crank; there are a few different models! So my review was based on my crank, not yours buddy. I ride Raceface know anyway! Peace.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ken
a Cross Country Rider
from Mammoth Lakes, CA USA Date Reviewed: June 28, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Local Bike Shop
Strengths:
Lighter and STIFF. Effortless shifting and compatibility with Grip Shift. Big rings...
Weaknesses:
Self extracting crank bolts CONSTANTLY need re-tightening. I tried a new bottom bracket with no improvement except that I discovered that XTR bottom brackets are garbage also.(and heavy) Now left side of crank shifts position on a hard crank push.
Similar Products Used:
Hershey, Coda, Race Face
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Superlight, Hayes disks and hubs with Mavic rims. XTR derailers and Grip Shift . Built for cross country on rocky trails.
Bottom Line:
i will not repurchase XTR cranks as I feel the need to replace this one very soon. a second bottom bracket in 3 months is also not what I want to be locked into. Just have to find another big ring crank and bottom brakcet.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Samuel VeraSforzza
a Racer
from Seattle, Wa, USA Date Reviewed: April 19, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Whistler XC
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$360.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Best crank set ever, light weight, fast shiftng, great warrenty, rings don't wear out like some say, I have the 26-36-48 5-arm set/12-34 XTR cassette and can big-wheel-it up climbs that would be hard on cheaper quality lower-end 32t ring. You get MORE than you pay for!
Weaknesses:
None really, aesthetcally the Race Face Next LP looks a bit cooler and comes in more colors, but who cares about looks!?! Don't buy if light on cash.
Similar Products Used:
Race Face Next LP, XT, stock Icon, Bontrager, and Specialized junk.
Bike Setup:
Several S-Works M4 hardtails (18") from last several years, I just put on Speedplay Ti Frogs on my 2000 model which droped it to just a bit under 20 lbs, I'm 5'10"/145lbs/2.7BFP so everythings gotta be SLR.
Bottom Line:
If you want the best get sponsered, chop off your pinky, or just empty the wallet, you won't be sorry. P.S. Don't abuse these (freeriders and 220+ persons), everything can break if capacity is exceeded.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe
a Weekend Warrior
from Concord, MA Date Reviewed: March 10, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
Light, Shift very well...no chain problem, and looks nice.
Weaknesses:
Replacement chain rings are f-up expensive. Shimano marketing...Why are you chainrings so expensive? They're machine made...not handcraft.
Similar Products Used:
RaceFace Next LP
Bike Setup:
XTR rear and front delrailleurs. XT brakes and shifters..Mavic wheels.
Bottom Line:
I like Shimano Products becuase they work well. I got my XTR cranset three months ago, and it is among the best. Shinamo is not a North American company ofcourse, and some of these bad reviews seem to be bias because of that. When I spent several hundered dollars (or more) on bike components, I prefer a well established company like RaceFace and Shimano, who have proven again and again to be market leaders. People often use words like "rigid, stiff, strong" to describe structural integrity of cranks. Aren't all cranks suppose to be rigid and strong? Even my old RaceFace and Shimano LX cranks are still equally strong and rigid. I wonder how many people unknowingly purpose a weak and fragile cranks? Shimano manufactured great biking components, if their products are crap, Shimano whould not be around. I only buy Shimano and RaceFace components.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
steven trottier
a Racer
from winston n.c usa Date Reviewed: March 9, 2002
Favorite Trail:
hobby park
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
came with my bike
Strengths:
lite
Weaknesses:
the are lite but don't hold up very well. chainrings just bend down.
Similar Products Used:
nextlp's, cannondale cranks
Bike Setup:
full xtr supercaliber, nextlp's crossmax's and monkey lites, king headset.
Bottom Line:
these cranks are good when you first get them. if you bash them against anything the teeth are gone and you lost your money. i am getting rid of mine beacause i have found that raceface nextlp's are better with strength and wear. the teeth on the racefaces are a he*l of a lot stronger than the xtr's. GO WITH RACEFACES!!!!!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim
a Cross Country Rider
from North Carolina Date Reviewed: March 4, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Lightweight
Weaknesses:
You give up strength and durability for the lightweight. I am a mid-size rider and completely stripped my crank out in a few months of riding. The finish was pathetic and was coming of within the first couple of rides.
Bottom Line:
No where near durable enough for the price. This is race only type stuff, and will wear out in no time under normal riding conditions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan
a Cross Country Rider
from Silver City, New Mexico Date Reviewed: February 17, 2002
Favorite Trail:
CD South
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$230.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
Very stiff, durable and looks good.
Weaknesses:
They are expensive. Replacement rings are ridicously expensive. You can almost buy a new crankset with rings for what a set of rings cost.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano LX, XT and Race Face Next
Bike Setup:
Litespeed Tanasi, XTR group, Mavic UST wheels
Bottom Line:
The crank is noticeably stiffer than the XT crank. I've bashed these cranks pretty good and aside from some scratches on the bottom, they still work fine.
The value rating is for the crankset with rings.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JHD
a Cross Country Rider
from Monaghela, PA Date Reviewed: February 14, 2002
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Strong, stiff, light, shifts great
Weaknesses:
Costly
Similar Products Used:
LX, XT, Raceface
Bottom Line:
A great crankset for XC use. The reviewer below (Roger) should stop complaining about his XTR's failing. They were never designed or overtly advertised for downhill use. XTR ARE FOR XC USE, NOT DH. Just because some DH pros (who probably got them for free)use them, doesn't mean that one should blindly do so on one's own nickel. People who stupidly use XC stuff for DH purposes should stop whining about product failure. There is no better shifting XC crankset out there than XTR.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jared Winquist
a Cross Country Rider
from Chicago, il, USA Date Reviewed: February 14, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
The Bike Rack
Strengths:
Stiff as hell, I'm 240 pounds! Shifts like a dream, even when covered in mud.
Weaknesses:
None!
Similar Products Used:
Icon (Trek house brand), XT, and my friend's Race Face.
Bike Setup:
Trek 8000, Full XTR, SID SL, Hayes hydro disc.
Bottom Line:
These cranks are awesome!! They are so stiff, I've had problems with flexy cranks in the past, but not anymore. The BB has taken alot of abuse and held up well. The shifts are so crisp and quick. These are the best XC cranks made. They are a little expensive but a Race Face set will cost you more, and the rings don't shift as well.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Roger
a Racer
from Canada Date Reviewed: January 28, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
n/a
Strengths:
They are light (and so is your wallet). Great advertisment and false promises.
Weaknesses:
P.O.S. (Piece Of Sh*t). What are rip, the splined system is a joke, they may have brought this system in, but sure don't now how to keep it working on this model. Price, 180can. for a stupid outer ring??? That is what I call, lets brain wash are customer, make them believe that saving some weight will make them win, and charge them up the ass! Please, the burrito you eat at lunch will give you more grams. The BB failed on me, and the ring cracked???? Why do you put these on DH's bikes if they can't last?
Similar Products Used:
Raceface, XT, Profile, truvativ.
Bike Setup:
Not important.
Bottom Line:
Bottom line is this, these may be good cranks, but they are over priced and shouldn't even be seen on the downhill circuit (this is my beef). I broke mine and the BB didn't even last a month. You see this "XC" cranks being used by pro Downhillers and think that they can hold up fairly well, then they perform as good as any other $50 cranks, please. I recommended that if you want to go Shimano, go with a XT, or LX with the ISIS drive. At least they improved on those models!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago Date Reviewed: January 24, 2002
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$220.00
Strengths:
Beautiful shifts, lighter than Girvin and XT.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Girvin, XT
Bike Setup:
Full XTR
Bottom Line:
I got the 8sp a couple of years ago and have never looked back. I ride year round and in summers go to Michigan and Wisconsin. This crankset has lasted through all of that as well as a week of abuse in the Smokies. I ride a Joker and this crankset handles everything I dish out without complaint. I do anything up 5 foot drops and have never needed to touch the crankset other than to clean them.
Maybe I'm just luck, but my XTR crankset shows MINIMAL wear and shifts as smoothly as new. Lucky me...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Cokeysville, MD Date Reviewed: January 24, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Seminary, Loch Raven
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
This crank gives you the ability to push harder gears then everyone else. It aids the lighter rider who can't get the speed down the hills. This crank is very durable and takes the hits very good. I would recommend it to anyone!
Weaknesses:
The color of the gearside crank arm will wear off.(Minor problem)The costs is the only other turn off.
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager Select Crank, Icon Crank
Bike Setup:
Trek Fuel 90, Hayes disc
Bottom Line:
This crank is for a rider that wants to push a 46 tooth large chain ring but the rewards are endless. The speed on down the hills is incredible and the climbimg abiltiy will leavr your friends in the dust.If you want a durable crank it is for you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kazeem Da Silva
a Downhiller
from Germany Date Reviewed: January 11, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Down the Hill/DS
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$175.00
Purchased At:
bikesport.de or something like that
Strengths:
hard,strong, bombproof in all ways
Weaknesses:
perfect
Similar Products Used:
xt,chainsaw,bmx-stuff
Bike Setup:
DS:Azonic Evo DH:Nicolai Lambda rulez,mrp,xtr
Bottom Line:
no.1 only the best - xtr rulez ,ya wanna break this cranks? show me how!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Clyde
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle, WA Date Reviewed: December 20, 2001
Favorite Trail:
any and all
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
performance
Strengths:
-Great price for the quality -Solid construction -Decent weight
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
XT, FSA Afterburner
Bike Setup:
KHS, XT, XTR
Bottom Line:
Me downhiller. Duh....(droool)....me do big jump and hurt my cranky.....duuuuh.....me fat but can ride....downhill....it not hard like cross country.
Get over it you freaks!!!!! This product is great. Bottom line!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sloane Sims
a Cross Country Rider
from Painted Post,NY,USA Date Reviewed: November 19, 2001
Favorite Trail:
anything fast
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Hillside Bicycles
Strengths:
Stiffness, great shifting,light, DURABLE.Apologizing in advance, I also feel that those having problems w/ this crank are either misusing it( they make downhill version, ya know) or have a maintenance/compatibility problem. I am a vet shop mechanic, and looking at work done by customers and untrained "mechanics" I caneasily imagine undertightening and overtightening, never checking, installing an arm off center, using the wrong bb. I have seen it all. No shimano splined crank that I have used or installed has failed or elicited any negative respnses from customers. LX, XT, XTR or 105, Ultegra, or D/A. This includes doing 6 ft wheelie drops and trials. For downhilling I reccomend Cro- moly, just like on a BMX. Oh, maybe you guys who run through rings should go out and get a Rohloff cog- checker so that you could occasionally gauge their condition. While your at it, get a Park chainstretch gauge. Replace at.75 and everything lasts a lot longer. Talk to your mechanic, that's why we are here. I also have the five arm version of this crank and it is the stiffest setup i have tried, zero windup. I also weigh 205lbs.
Weaknesses:
expensive, but on par w/ other high quality cranks
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT-splined, Race Face Turbine
Bike Setup:
GT I-drive team, w/ Duke Race
Bottom Line:
The best value for a money no object (non downhilling)crank. And the best shifting, bar none. - Ever Forward
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
DCS
a Cross Country Rider
from New York Date Reviewed: November 12, 2001
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$160.00
Strengths:
Smooth shifting, good looks
Weaknesses:
Price
Similar Products Used:
LX Hollowtech, Alvio, Raceface
Bike Setup:
Litespeed Tanasi
Bottom Line:
Many of the whiners below who are moaning that this crankset isn't durable clearly were using it for a purpose it wasn't intended for. You see many complaints about the crank stripping "after a big drop" or after someone rode around on them for days with loose crankbolts. It's amazing that these whiners can't seem to understand that this is an XC crankset -- it never pretended to be for DH types or big drops. It's great if you want to ride DH or big drops, but you have to wise up and use equipment designed for the task, i.e., something much heavier. If you're really dumb and don't do this, don't whine like pussies -- it's unbecoming and unworthy of mountain biking.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Martin
a Cross Country Rider
from England Date Reviewed: November 12, 2001
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$225.00
Purchased At:
Singapore
Strengths:
Reputation,hah...stiffness and good looks.
Weaknesses:
Creak...creak... movement between the crank arm and the spider due to poor design... the protective coating on the two smaller chainrings just drops off. These cranks are just not up to scratch, they are supposed to be Shimano's flagship but they are just not durable enough.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT... also creaked at crank/spider... Specialized S-Works...bendy but durable.
Bike Setup:
Specialized S-Works M4,Hope hubs and XC4 discs,Pace stem,Thomson post,Fizik saddle,X-lite Ti flat bars etc
Bottom Line:
These cranks are total crap...had the inner two chain rings changed under warranty due to the plating flaking off big time. Had the new ones only 4 months and is happening again. Problem is now got movement between the crank arm and the spider despite the collar being tight enough. Bad design as should be forged one-piece. This causes an horrendous creaking which cannot be cured...other than junking and moving to Race Face Next LP cranks...will now try these. My parting shot is that I am glad that I did'nt pay full price which in England is nearly $400!...do not waste your money on this product...it sucks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
d
a Cross Country Rider
from Philly Date Reviewed: November 8, 2001
Favorite Trail:
wiss
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$175.00
Purchased At:
mtbr class.
Strengths:
Cheap, stiff, provide best shifting performance.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Morati
Bike Setup:
seven sola, king hs + hubs, xtr drivetrain
Bottom Line:
I do not understand why people are b@%$hing about this crank. It is the stiffest, best shifting crank on the market. And, you can easily buy crank + xtr splined bb on mtbr for $200 - compare to race face at $400 + for crank and bb. I had my fc952 4 arm 9 speed for 2 years - I ride a lot and weigh 195 lbs. NO problems, and the best shifting. Of course, if you do crasy stuff then you brake anything.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh nieratko
a
from Forest City Pa Date Reviewed: November 6, 2001
Favorite Trail:
anything with big drops
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$254.00
Purchased At:
price point
Strengths:
the name of the product it was good for like 2 months
Weaknesses:
they constantly cracked and creeked i had the left crank arm fall off and it constantly loosened i changed to race face dh double ring this season ten times better and shimano gave me a real hard time about getting a new crank arm and bolts
Similar Products Used:
sr suntour shimano alivio lx
Bike Setup:
norco fluid marzocchi dj1 race face dh double chain hayes hydro 8" and mavic dee wheelset haro werks xcr all ritchey drivetrain raceface turbine cranks shimano xt rear derailluer marzocchi wedge fork
Bottom Line:
i think that there is a lot of people that go for this product cause they think its the best but im not one of them anymore. i think that the best cranks shimano has come out with are the xts, there lighter and they dont make that damn creeky noise. their service center wasnt the greatest but they could have improoved it over this past season im not dissing these cranks im justsaying that there are better ones on the market
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Craig Bromley
a Downhiller
from England Date Reviewed: October 23, 2001
Favorite Trail:
One that scares me
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$100000.00
Strengths:
Looks cool,shifts really well, comes with great reviews
Weaknesses:
Questionable durability, zero compatibility with other B/B including Shimano products
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT (absolutely dire) Factory OEM
Bike Setup:
Intense Uzzi SLX, & DH
Bottom Line:
Look I know that its doesn't seem to be PC to talk badly about the big S but please, I have a tail of woe that I hope will stop any rider (other than your 6 yr old daughter) from buying these products. I'm gonna moan cus I'm really annoyed. I have now purchased 1 XTR crank and 3 new XT cranks and need to replace this last crank again, not to mention numerous chains and hundreds of B/B's.
Every time the cranks wear badly at the splined part, and before you say I run on loose cranks shut up, I check these religiously. The XT cranks last 3 months max, I am heavier than the average man ie: 14.5 stone but this is no excuse. Don't get me on chains cus there absolutely useless, switch to SACHS as there excellent. As for the B/B's well if I've heard that mushy, grinding noise once.........
I refuse to purchase any Shimano items ever again there useless, less worry about weight and a little more concern for durability please...not that I care anymore.
I do a mixture of cross county and the odd DH now and again hense the Intense UZZI choice. (Awesome bike) My plee to all magazines is that just because its Shimano doesn't mean you should print a review from the brochure, have some testicals to really test the durability...cause it will fail gauranteed......Have I gone on a bit I know but why to people speak so highly when I have experience absolutely loads of failures of original and replacement parts? Maybe the people who speak well of the big S are 50 lbs or are afraid to speak out. I am replacing my 3 XT crank with Raceface Northshore XS (how paranoid is that). Oh and I've bent a couple of cassettes too, but what do you expect.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mario Clarke
a Cross Country Rider
from Merseyside Date Reviewed: September 1, 2001
Favorite Trail:
North Wales
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Middleton's
Strengths:
Light,Stiff...as in good torsional rigidity,very good dedicated bottom bracket.
Weaknesses:
chainring wear
Similar Products Used:
Alivio, STXrc,LX,XT,Campagnolo.
Bike Setup:
Rock LObster,XT,XTR,Z2,USE,517's, Bontrager,Selle Italia,Continental etc.
Bottom Line:
Shimano XTR is,to my understanding, the Flagship product from our friends in the East. It is an expensive groupset & therefore should contain three elements; structural integrity, functional excellence & longevity. There seems to be something about the Japanese that they don't understand that we, in the West, once having paid " top Dollar " for a product, expect it to last. The XTR Crankset, whilst extremely good in many ways, uses chainrings which wear-out quickly, too quickly to justify both it's price & positioning within the Marketplace. Shimano U.K say that this is a " racing groupset " . I am therefore supposed to accept it's high wear rate as the price to pay for such equipment. This is total nonsence & is offencive to the purchasers. Such a short life expectancy from these chainrings ( and be clear, chainrings are an essential aspect to the crankset ) should be reflected in the price. My inner & middle chainrings lasted barely nine months,of regular chain replacement ( Sachs PC 91 )& replacement costs for the chainrings are disgraceful. Naturally, as we are all realising with Shimano, the four-arm crankset chainrings are not interchangeable with any other Shimano rings, & so far I cannot discover another manufacturer which produces them. In conclusion, I could not recommend this product as it stands.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul Lang
a Cross Country Rider
from Asia Date Reviewed: August 29, 2001
Favorite Trail:
any trail.
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Stiff, smooth shifting, light and dependable.
Weaknesses:
Price (costs US$350 where I live).
Similar Products Used:
Kookas, Race Face, Truvativ, Shimano LX, XT.
Bottom Line:
I have the 5 arm 951's and have lasted me 2 years plus. Gone through 3 sets of chainrings but the cranks are still performing like brand new. These serve it's purposes well and would buy another set if need be. Nothing shifts better than complete XTR or XT. I haven't had much luck with mix and match. Great product - just wished the bb lived longer than it does.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Emilo Figueroa
a Downhiller
from Phoenix Date Reviewed: August 11, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
XTR cranks are the lights one around. I have the XTR dh stly with the spline BB. I am selling the cranks and BB. Both are new and never been used.
Weaknesses:
I have to sell mine because I bought a new frame and they don't fit. They will not work the a DDg chain guide
Similar Products Used:
Race face XT 454
Bike Setup:
Slammer II dh2 hayes hubs and brakes mammoth rims
Bottom Line:
I am selling the cranks with the dh ring and splined BB The lenght is 172.5 and the chain ring has 54 teeth and the cranks are Shimano spline 4 arm. I have the BB for the cranks as well. It is adjustible 68 or 73 X 112.5 I never used them. I installed them on my frame but came across a problem with the chain guide not fitting. The frame I have requires a diffrent type of BB like the Azonic 454 dh cranks. That's what I'm currently using now. I will sell the cranks and BB for $130 and buyers pays shipping. I can send them COD and I will only except a money order for the full amount. Email me at twofinefoeyou@aol.com or call me at home 602-323-2909 Thanks!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Harry
a Cross Country Rider
from Chandler, AZ Date Reviewed: July 26, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Desert Classic
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Quiet
Weaknesses:
bad, bad design
Similar Products Used:
Many different Shimano cranksets over the last 11 years. Ritchey crankset.
Bike Setup:
all XTR
Bottom Line:
Avoid this crankset. Choosing Shimano components was a no-brainer until this.
I managed to strip the teeth in the crank-arm. I guess it vibrated loose while I was riding and when I landed after a big drop, the teeth between the drive-side crank arm and the bb spindle were stripped. The drive-side crank-arm spun 180 degrees so that both cranks were aligned. It's shot.
I did tighten the crank-arm bolts the day before that ride -- I tuned and tightened everything on the bike that day. But I rode about 25 miles w/out checking it and then it broke.
I am not at all satisfied with this crankset. I've been mtn biking for like 11 years and I've never, ever had anything like this happen before. Yeah, it might be my fault because I might not have torqued the crankset to spec, didn't put any loctite on it, and didn't notice that it came loose while I was riding, but, with the old stuff, that was never a problem. Who cares if the system is stiffer and more efficient if it isn't reliable?
And what's up with the crankset getting stripped instead of the bb? The bb is a fraction of the price of the crankset. Shimano should have put the smaller teeth on the bb -- not the crankset. I wouldn't be near as upset if I only had to spend like $60 to fix this.
I expected a lot more from XTR. I don't think I'll buy a replacement XTR crankset even if I could get it for cheap. I'd rather go with something else just to spite Shimano.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick Fenton
a Racer
from Clinton Connecticut Date Reviewed: July 1, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Any one with rocks
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
www.performacebike.com
Strengths:
Incredibly stiff (remember this is the industries bench mark), it's light weight, shifts flawlessly under all circumstances.
Weaknesses:
expensive, when your chainrings wear you will be crying (EXPENSIVE) limited to only two BB's
Similar Products Used:
XT, LX, Specialized, Crank Bros., Race Face
Bike Setup:
K2, specialized
Bottom Line:
light, stiff, strong, dont worry about the bb, it's tuffer then you'd think (i've had the same one on my bike for a year and i do 4-5 foot wheely drops without thinking about it) shifting is perfect, i love these! These are the best out there, for XC and light DH
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
rei nic
a Weekend Warrior
from Hong Kong Date Reviewed: June 30, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Tai Hang
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$280.00
Purchased At:
Bicycle World
Strengths:
The way it works with the rest of the XTR drivetrain. Quality of the chainrings.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
LX crankset
Bike Setup:
Porsche
Bottom Line:
I had to special order the 5 Arm Spider. The FC-M952-5 has not been discontinued but the 4 Arm is more readily available. I don't like the 4 Arm Spider and cannot see any compelling reasons for it's introduction. The 5 Arm comes with 48-36-26 chainrings and I find the ratios this offers with the XTR 12-34 cassette more suitable for me. The crankset completed my XTR drivetrain upgrade and I fitted a new Dura-ace CN-7700 chain at the same time to avoid any problems with my older CN-7700. I've now got silent shifting throughout the entire range 27 gears so I'm pretty impressed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
david
a Cross Country Rider
from nashville, TN, USA Date Reviewed: June 26, 2001
Favorite Trail:
tsali
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
local shop
Strengths:
strong, stiff, no noise, great shifting, fairly light
Weaknesses:
expensive chainrings, grey finish is worn off, shimano proprietary bb so no ti bottom brakets are available
Similar Products Used:
grafton cranks, ritchey cranks
Bike Setup:
92 M2, full XTR, crossmax wheels, king HS, Girvin fork, moots stem, conti tires, etc.
Bottom Line:
Great all around cranks, but I hate knowing that I can't try to get over that 2' log because I may damage my rings and have to pay $120 for a new big ring. Will keep them until I find a deal on some Morarti Ti cranks
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ray Jaimez
a Cross Country Rider
from Cedar Park, Tx Date Reviewed: June 21, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Rocky Hill Ranch in Smithville, Tx
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$199.00
Purchased At:
Mail order
Strengths:
Works well with the rest of my XTR parts. Light weight.
Weaknesses:
None. Use XTR bottom bracket.
Similar Products Used:
STX,XT
Bike Setup:
Full XTR
Bottom Line:
Good stuff. Have not had any problems with the cranks or bottom bracket.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pete Carolan
a Racer
from New Jersey USA Date Reviewed: June 1, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Bear Creek
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$229.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
They are awesome looking cranks, are extremely stiff and well built and the chainrings have perfect teeth count. they are also light compared to the competition.
Weaknesses:
big gap between the $280 XTR crank and the $100 XT crank - nothing involving the crank however!
Similar Products Used:
Shimano LX, Icon Sterling, Bontrager RACE
Bike Setup:
Trek Pro 9.9 with Sid Race and all XTR
Bottom Line:
Awesome cranks, I've tried plenty of cranks and these are awesome. They are on my XC racing bike and serve the purpose perfectly. From what I hear they also work well with DH which is very cool. They are mainly for racers or weekend warriors who have the money, since they are expensive. The chainrings are awesome, and show no signs of wear even after 3 months of riding 80 miles a week off road. If your financially stable and love to bike, buy these cranks!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Richie Rich
a Cross Country Rider
from Wisconsin Date Reviewed: May 31, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Kettle Moraine
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came with my Spooky Darkside (broken),now on my Seven.
Strengths:
This is the best-shifting Shimano crankset,bar none.It comes with standard-size rings(not the subpar compact nonsense)and shifts so well it's unbelievable,even with 9-speed.I got one of the last available 5-arm,9-speed compatible models.Very stiff,flex-free crank arms.
Weaknesses:
I don't know why everyone is ranting about the splines.I have re-installed my cranks twice carefully with Loc-Tite and they have never come loose.Maybe it's lack of finesse on the builder's part..
The only real disadvantage is the price.$350 is a lot for a crankset/BB combo.
Similar Products Used:
'95 Cook Bro. E2(broke),'95 XT,'97 XT,'98 LX
Bike Setup:
Custom Seven Sola Ti
Bottom Line:
Ever since my expensive,chi-chi Cook Brothers broke,I have always bought Shimano cranks(as you can see above).I am always impressed by how well they shift and how well-designed they are.The second-gen.('96-'01)XTR splined crankset is no exception.I have heard many bad things about 9-speed,but my complete XTR group still shifts as smooth as when I first got it.No chainsuck,no degradation of performance in mud,and the chainrings and non-ti cogset show no signs of wearing out.Maybe it's a problem on the less-expensive groups.
This crank is the best-shifting and stiffest crank I have ever used.It is certainly expensive,but is cheaper than some boutique cranks out there.It shifts much better too.As far as the spiline issue goes,TORQUE THEM DOWN CAREFULLY!Reefing too much on any crank is going to break it.Use a little finesse and install them delicately.I have been riding on mine for over a year now and it's fine.5 chilies for the best crank out there..
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ken
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City, Utah Date Reviewed: May 31, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Desolation Lake
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
Stiff, light, and probably the best shifting available.
Weaknesses:
Kudos to Shimano for being the first to make splined cranks a reality, but the first iteration of XTR has too many established reliability issues.
Bottom Line:
Sure, if you install them right they'll be fine, but let's face it: you don't normally see people complaining like this, even about their old square-tapered cranks. If it's torqued less than 50 or more than 30 then the warranty is void (read: unconditional refusal of customer support). The reason is that Shimano simply made their spline teeth too small, and thus they require inordinate amounts of torquing down to keep the crank and BB properly engaged. Shimano refuses to say it outright, but this is why the new LX and XT cranks use a different spline. Inside scoop from a local LBS. Don't get me wrong, for the most part these are well-engineered cranks. If you bought them already just be finicky with the installation and you'll probably be happy. But if the new LX and XT splines are any indication, Shimano probably does not intend to support this generation of XTR much longer. If you haven't bought them yet, I suggest waiting until the next generation of XTR when Shimano has (hopefully) debugged their spline issues, or get ISIS. Just visually compare an ISIS BB to an XTR; It doesn't take an engineer to see that ISIS was thoroughly well-designed and tested from the start to be the standard for many years to come. The XTR spline is somewhat of an unfinished product in comparison.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
rob
a Cross Country Rider
from lake ariel Pa 18436 Date Reviewed: May 28, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Twin Peaks and The Pine Tar Trail
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Price Point
Weaknesses:
SHIMANO DOESN'T STAND BEHIND THEIR WARRANTY
Bottom Line:
Shimano backs themselves by saying they have a 3 year warranty but doesn't stand by by their promise. I sent mine back because of a cracking noise and both pedals fall to the ground at the same time. the first time they said that "visibly" there's nothing wrong. the second time they said that the crankarm had a crack in it and "IT'S NOT THE MANUFACTUERS FAULT". I never put these crankarms on the bike between disputes. and to top it off; I was told there's only a 2 year warranty. don't waste your money. Get TRU-VATIV or RACEFACE (RF has a lifetime warranty, no questions asked). this product would get a zero but it needs at least a 1 to get rated
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Daryl
a Racer
from Webster, Texas Date Reviewed: May 25, 2001
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Cambria Bike
Strengths:
Splined, Chainrings
Weaknesses:
No-more 8-speed 5 bolt available
Similar Products Used:
XT 5-bolt 8-speed, Race-face Turbine LP 8-speed
Bike Setup:
DEAN Colonel, Full XTR (8-speed)
Bottom Line:
First, no I am not an old-school rider. 8-speed Shimano stuff at the XTR level is really no-longer available, but I picked this crankset up along with a front deraileur, rear 3-Ti cassette and shifter/brake lever set (all 8-speed) for a steal from Cambria-bike. The crankset is the 5-bolt 48-36-26 version and it is a monster race crankset. I ride with guys that have 9-speed stuff and they always have trouble. I feel completely comfortable with my stuff and would not trade it for anything. Although I did not pay that much less than you can get the regular 9-speed for now - it was not as expensive. The rear mega-9 deraileur is compatible with mine so I should be good for many years to come. This stuff is really only raced by me and I do minimum pre-rides on it. Simano needs to bring back the 8-speed to eliminate shifting problems for other racers.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ricky Cox
a Racer
from Kettering, England Date Reviewed: May 5, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Chicsands Bedford
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$275.00
Purchased At:
Bike Live 2001
Strengths:
Strong, Light, durable, Good looking and its the envy of all my mates!!!
Weaknesses:
NONE (yet!!!)
Similar Products Used:
Next LP, XT Hollowtech
Bike Setup:
Giant MCM, XTR, SID SL, EASTON, MAVIC 317, Shimano XT 4-pots (all 2001 and very pricey)
Bottom Line:
WIKED, MAD, PUKKA, SWEET, EXELENT, the sort of thing that you dont care how much you have to spend on it your just so glad to have it. trust me I payed for a £3500(English money) bike with a paper round !!! Tis is a seriousley wiked bit of kit, there is the DH version use d by the likes of STEAVE PEAT and the cross country version uised by, well me!!! the cross country crank is so strong that I am considering putting it on my DH bike (SUPER 8)and my advise to anybody wanting to buy this product is....
IF IN DOUBT- BUY ANYWAY!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, Co Date Reviewed: May 3, 2001
Favorite Trail:
nope
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
It is compatible with the rest of the Shimano stuff
Weaknesses:
Design. The internal splined died. For those of you that will try to claim improper installation, sorry, but I worked in technical service for a major manufaturer and attended many tech clinics and seminars including shimano. When I spoke to a product manager at a major bike company he told me they had seen this before. I also had shimano tell me it was "normal" wear and tear for a 3 year old crank to become loose on the hollow spindle with the crank seated properly and the bolt fully tightened.
Similar Products Used:
I have 3 other cranks laying around. xt 7-spd, xt 8-spd, and xt 9-speed. I have used square taper for years and have never had a $300 crank "wear out"
Bike Setup:
XTR,XT,SID SL Mavic ceramics etc...
Bottom Line:
They worked fine for about 3 years. I think the reason they died is that I have always replaced my bikes within about 2 years. Keep in mind the pro riders get new parts any time they need and almost never ride the same components for more than one year. In addition, if a pro rider DID have a problem with a part, he would risk losing his spot on the team by spouting off about faulty parts from a sponsor. You are not likely to hear a pro rider badmouth any parts from any sponsor. I think there is definately room for improvement in the design to increase lifespan of the parts.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Beavis & Butthead
a Weekend Warrior
from alamo ca Date Reviewed: April 30, 2001
Favorite Trail:
dueys descent and northstar at tahoe
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Hank and Frank Bicycles
Strengths:
Stiff, shifts well, and teeth dont break too easily
Really stiff at first, but after the way i rode them, they developed a very annoying creak. the worst is when i am pulling up on the bars to pop off a curb, and they just go guurrrkkkk... GUURRRKKK... KRIK
These are really great cranks if you can get used to the creaking, but they have their own special way to attract vandalism. I parked in front of the taco bell, and i came back to the bike to find burrito crap all over it. gross. Huh huh. he thed crap! Yeah! Cool!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Abe Hurdle
a Racer
from Acton, MA Date Reviewed: April 26, 2001
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Strengths:
cool, and supposedly best on the market
Weaknesses:
they suck
Similar Products Used:
i have tested all kinds of cranks
Bike Setup:
dagger custom frame, xtr setup, hope discs
Bottom Line:
first off, the 4 bolt thing is dumb. when i got them, i didnt get the over shift pin, to prevent the chain from overshifting onto the crank. after a year, the left one spun on the bb about 180 degrees, this was due to a defect. the bottom bracket got trashed and the crank is destroyed. too expensive to break that easy
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Somxay
a Racer
from Philadelphia, PA Date Reviewed: April 22, 2001
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$200.00
Strengths:
light, great price, looks great and really stiff.
Weaknesses:
none at all
Similar Products Used:
none
Bottom Line:
I love these cranks, would not trade them for anything. Great all around cranks, light, stiff and little pedal force. What else can you say, these cranks are amazing.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick Fenton
a Racer
from Clinton Date Reviewed: April 21, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Any one with rocks
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
performancebike.com
Strengths:
The XTR is the benchmark for stiffness and shifting performance.
Weaknesses:
requires shimano bb and can't remove outer ring. Expensive to replace chainrings. ISIS is almost as good at half the cost.
Similar Products Used:
LX, XT, Raceface Turbine, and LP
Bike Setup:
K21000 full XTR and Mega Air fork, and a Ibis Mojo
Bottom Line:
These cranks are exceptional. They offer more stiffness then any other crank and are strong enough for downhill use, yet light enough for XC racing. They shift flawlessly in all conditions. They required bb is adequet, it's nothing special, it just works. These are the greatest cranks for any style of riding...well except 'north shore'. Beware of ISIS, it is getting better but XTR is still the best. I would recomend putting these on your christmas list then when you don't get them go buy some ISIS compatible cranks, they are cheaper and pretty dam stiff
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dom Caron
a Racer
from Dieppe,NB,Canada Date Reviewed: March 17, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Fredericton race
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Strengths:
This crank is simply the best. The colour is awesome. The crank i stiff and is fairly light. Its the best
Weaknesses:
Its expsensive to replace the chainrings.
Similar Products Used:
-
Bike Setup:
Trek 9900 oclv pro issue full xtr with sid
Bottom Line:
This is the best crank on the market right now for the price and the stifness.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Williams
a Cross Country Rider
from Chicago, IL USA Date Reviewed: March 15, 2001
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$299.00
Strengths:
This is very stiff crank. Beautiful lines. The spline system is a great idea.
Weaknesses:
This crank requires constant attention and maintainance. The crank bolt is comes loose constantly and if you are not vigilant the splines will be damaged. I tighten the crank bolt on the non-drive side once or twice a week. I have replaced the arm once, after the splines were damaged and I am having just as much trouble keeping the new arm tightened. My local shop has tried to warranty these for other customers but Shimano does not warranty this system, they blame it on the initial installer or poor maintainance (ha).
Similar Products Used:
XTR standard BB interface. Race Face Turbine.
Bike Setup:
Independent Fabrication 18", XTR drivetrain and brakes, Chris King headset and hubs w/517 rims, Rock Shox Judy SL
Bottom Line:
I would not buy this crank again, when this current crank arm finally goes I will switch to a Race Face Turbine, ISIS. The only people who should use this product are racers who have a full time wrench to stroke their bike contantly. I know 4 other riders who are having the same problem with both road a mountain versions of the spline system. Shimano knows there is a problem, they have redesigned the LX and XT series and are waiting to redo the XTR, the Forging is too expensive (so were the crank arm and BB when I bought them). Will the new version work better, I don't know and don't care.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
sam hanley
a Racer
from Tilburg Netherlands Date Reviewed: March 11, 2001
Favorite Trail:
citycenterisallthatsleft
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$240.00
Purchased At:
jensonusa.com
Strengths:
It is the most beutifull crank right now, with the rest of the XTR group you are getting the best shifting in bike history. It's that damn sexy grey!
Weaknesses:
It costs mega bucks.. it is way over priced, you could buy a old motor bike for the price of two crank arms! also the colour gets scrached off real quick making them look real cheap and nasty, I have a clear kevlar sticker on mine in the hopes that it will stop colour loss
Similar Products Used:
all other shimano for ten years, profiles
Bike Setup:
Pace frame and rigid forks, full XTR, race face SYstem(a+)loads of other over hyped over priced bike jewelery
Bottom Line:
very strong, very rigid, very cool, very expensive, in any real terms it's not "better" than XT, but it does feel nice knowing that what you have is the absolute best.. just like my Rolex, it's a real rip off, but then you don't see every jerk with one!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe Sobrino
a
from San Juan, PR Date Reviewed: March 6, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$240.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
Crisp and flawless shifting performance, they don't flex, very light, look really good.
Weaknesses:
The spline design could be better. A bit on the expensive side but then again so is most MTB stuff.
Bike Setup:
Jamis Dakar Pro, Full XTR drive train. The rest are Race Race components and a Rockshox SID 100 fork.
Bottom Line:
Overall I'd have to say this is one of the best cranksets out there. I really like the Race Face Next LP cranks as well but I feel the XTR is a better value for similar performance. The major weakness I can think of is that the BB spline design could have been better. HOWEVER properly installed it should not give you any trouble. The most important thing is USE A TORQUE WRENCH AND FOLLOW THE TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS CAREFULLY WHEN INSTALLING IT!!! If you do so, chances are they will work flawlessly. You will be amazed at the amount of pressure required for them to be fitted properly. It is well beyong the point where you would figure the threads on the screws would rip right off. I first tried installing them using a standard 8mm allen hex cup on a ratchet driver and tightened them as hard as I possibly could to the point the screw would simply not turn anymore figuring that would be enough. Then I got a torque wrench to set the exact recomended tightness. With the extra leverage of the torque wrench the damn screws took about 3 or 4 extra turns and the arms went in several millimeters into the spindle before the minimum required torque was even reached! The bottom line is that while I don't necessarily think all of the reports of the splines being striped off where due to improper installation, I'd say the vast majority of the cases where caused by running them too loose.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Knute Aberhanson
a Racer
from Folsom, CA USA Date Reviewed: February 28, 2001
Favorite Trail:
not telling!
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
Colo Cyclist
Strengths:
Fairly light, stiff and wear pretty well. ***Spline
Weaknesses:
True compact (22-32-44) not available on 4 OR 5 arm spider, new chainrings cost WAY too much! *** Spline
Similar Products Used:
Race Face
Bike Setup:
Ventana Fuego w/ XTR
Bottom Line:
Just a thought for those with ***spline troubles...
There are DIFFERENT splines for the different Shimano groups... (at least between XT and XTR)
Although you can get them to fit and at first may seem tight, you will soon have some play in the spline as they are DIFFERENT sizes... and if you continue running this combination, you will have NO splines.
I know, STUPID thing of Shimano to pull something like this, you'd think a spline B/B is a spline B/B... NOT SO! The only way I found out is I happened upon a Shimano Tech manual... otherwise I think only a few people know this... not even the shop that sold me the parts!
BOTTOM LINE: I have had NO problems and I've had 2 sets over the course of almost 4 years, I like 'em!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Todd Beaulieu
a
from Boston, MA USA Date Reviewed: February 8, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Lynn Woods
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$225.00
Strengths:
Light. Stiff. Smooth shifting. Purty.
Weaknesses:
SPLINE, SPLINE, SPLINE!!!
Similar Products Used:
Race Face.
Bottom Line:
I have two bikes with this crank. This crank comes loose and then the spline will wear. I don't care what the lucky few say about it being improper installation. You'd have to be a moron to install this crank improperly. When it goes out on the trail brand new and tight and comes back loose and worn, the system is poorly designed. I am giving them ONE MORE CHANCE. My replacement just came in and the shop will install it, while holding their breath. We'll see about "improper installation" this time ...
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Submitted by
Jakub
a
from London Date Reviewed: February 3, 2001
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
it stiff and lightweight. it's an XTR what else can you say
Weaknesses:
i haven't had a problem yet of i can't say it has a weakness
Bottom Line:
ok for does of you that had the spline in the crankarms grinding out. it is because of improper instulation. there is no way that this could happen if you put them on right. go on the shimano website and findout how the spline system works. if you put it on right it will never happen. think about it these are the same crank arms used for DH racing and there isn't a problem. so i don't think that i xc rider could mess them up unless he doesn't know how you put them on. i'm really sorry for anyone that messed their xtr crankset you but it's your doing not shimano's. the xtr crankset is the most used crank for racing so it was designed for going full out on it.
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Submitted by
James Valensi
a Cross Country Rider
from Northridgee,CA Date Reviewed: January 16, 2001
Favorite Trail:
the one I am on
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$220.00
Purchased At:
CBO
Strengths:
Great design, light overall weight with XTR bottom bracket, stiff construction.
Weaknesses:
Finish will rub off, tricky to install, chain rings wear out real fast, exspensive to maintain.
Similar Products Used:
RaceFace, older XTR, Cooks Brothers, old XT, Suntour.
Bike Setup:
Curtlo(the best!) steel frame with XTR
Bottom Line:
After nearly two years of regular use my chain rings are shot. The middle chain ring started to chain suck, and upon closer inspection I found the rings are worn out. A replacement set cost approximately $200-WOW. I never had a crank set loose its chain rings so fast. Shimano makes a 5-bolt adapter for the XTR crank so that old style rings can be used. That is how I am to go about fixing it. The five arm rings are readly available and are cheap. That is my only complaint. I find the Shimano stuff works well, especially if it is installed right and you don't mess with it. (don't fix it if its not broken!). As far as the tighing of the cranks bolts go... read the instructions and use a torque wrench! You will be suprised how tight they are required to be.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tom
a Cross Country Rider
from il Date Reviewed: January 15, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$249.00
Purchased At:
jenson usa
Strengths:
none
Weaknesses:
Everything from the bottom Bracket to the chainrings Shimano has the worst customer service in the world. this is not a quality part.
Similar Products Used:
race face next lp, North shore
Bike Setup:
trek 8900sl full XTR ellsworth truth all sram 9.0sl and race face next lp
Bottom Line:
the quality of the crankset sucks, I am not saying this because mine broke, but because they must have no quality control. take a close look at a couple of theses XTR crank set and you will see what I mean you can look at what is suposed to be two identical crank arms and there is differences could be poor machining or the way the extruded the crank arms. I have two of these worthless cranksets both are same model FC-M952 and the one crank arm is a great deal different than any of the other three crank arm. My one crank arm now has no splines in it they just broke off. Shimano says that is is due to improper instulation, but I feel differently about that. I have heard stories about the cranks coming lose and grinding the splines on the arms, but mine broke off in pieces that are larger than the splines on the bottom bracket itself. It was properly installed by a certified CABDA mechanic of all people and was not lose. not to mention the shimano rep had hung up the phone on me. The thing that bothers me about that is i was completely civilized and rational. I was not being rude or using vulgar language he just hung up on me. Any one that is considering this crank shold look else where. I recomend the RaceFace Next LP they look a lot better, they are stiffer and have you seen the size of the splines on the RaceFace bottom bracket compared to the shimano BB. The splines the raceface are a lot larger than the shimano, but i will let you be the judge of that one. I am sure if you take a close look at both crank sets that you will see the RaceFace is the one to go with. my bottom line is the shimano cranks suck (so do there brainless engineers) at least Raceface uses there brains when designing a product. -
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Submitted by
Dean
a Cross Country Rider
from New York Date Reviewed: January 3, 2001
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Strong, stiff and durable, looks great!
Weaknesses:
Expensive
Similar Products Used:
LX Hollowtech '00
Bike Setup:
Litespeed Tanasi
Bottom Line:
This is in reply to Zack, the reviewer below. It is unbelievable that he blames the product when his faulty installation is to blame. Zack admits that he rode around for a couple of weeks with the cranks being loose. Given that fact, is it any wonder the splines were all ground down? Face it, any crank arm -- splined or square tapered -- is going to be f_cked up if you install them incorrectly or loosely and then ride around for a couple of hours, let alone a few weeks. Personally, I'm sick and tired of crybabies badmouthing a product when it is simply improper installation that is to blame. If one only has the cranks installed by someone who really knows what they are doing (and avoids lubing the bolts), the cranks do not come loose.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zack King
a Downhiller
from USA Date Reviewed: January 2, 2001
Favorite Trail:
pipeline
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Bike town USA
Strengths:
stiff, and lightweight, looks cool.
Weaknesses:
I have had much trouble with the internal splines. they grind down, because you cant keep the crank arms tight because of the self-extracting mechanism that makes them cost so much more. This leaves a lot of play in the crank arms that really screws you up when you're doing technical stuff. Also, my freind managed to bend his left crank arm when he ghosted his bike jumping.
Similar Products Used:
although they are stiff when they arent rocking back and fourth, I cant say ive used anything quite as terrible as XTR
Bike Setup:
YETI DH 6 lawill, boxxer, hope and XTR components Gazzoloddi tires Sun rims black Double-wide 24 inch rear wheel, mavic disc front.
Bottom Line:
I spent much time looking to find the perfect crankset for me, and i finally concluded that I was going to get XTR. I got them and mounted them on my bike, and I tightened them down with medium grade threadlock. The next day i went campus croosing, and by the end of the day, the things had come loose. This went on for a couple of weeks, and finally Igot tired of dealing with it, so I got some high grade threadlock. Then i discovered that even when the crank bolt stayed tight, the left crank arm had a lot of play in it. I tookthe crank arm off, and and found out that both the splines on the bottom bracket, and the splines on the crank arm were grinded down. And the thing was, I didnt even do anything hard to them, so Idont think that a pair of XTR cranks should have done that. I suggest that nobody gets them, they are terrible. I was sad when i found out that i couldnt give them a rating of zero.
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Submitted by
Jay Hemphill
a Racer
from Silver City New Mexico Date Reviewed: December 25, 2000
Favorite Trail:
CD north
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
bike america
Strengths:
Stiff, shifting and looks
Weaknesses:
Cost
Similar Products Used:
race face
Bike Setup:
Moots Rigor Moots full XTR, with XT cranks and BB. White bros ul 72
Bottom Line:
The chainrings on these bad boys are the best! They shift like a dream. But I had to lose them because I broke too many teeth off the big ring to the point where it was almost unusable. So I found out it was going to cost me about 100 bills for a new big ring, and you can get the whole XT set up for around 120 bucks and replacment rings are half the cost for xt. So I bought the xt cranks and I cant notice any difference between the two. I know it's my fault, but sometimes you just smack a rock with the big ring a chip a tooth off. So I guess if your a perfect rider who never puts a scatch on your big ring, or doesnt ride enough to were it out then ignore my reveiw. J
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Submitted by
Aaron Lewis
a Racer
from San Jose, CA Date Reviewed: November 1, 2000
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
a friend
Strengths:
I havent had any problems with them, There super stiff, no maintnence, look cool, im have them on my bmx race bike and there awsome
Weaknesses:
none yet
Similar Products Used:
race face on my other race bike
Bike Setup:
alot of you probly dont know but a pro concept with king headset, crupi hubs and stem, xtr cranks and brakes, araya rims, answer alumilite forks, selle italia seat, ac post
Bottom Line:
I jump on these and Ive packed pretty good jumping them and I haven't had a prolem with them at all. They stay tight there super stiff the bottom bracket is realy smooth. Not as smooth as my phil wood on my other bike but pretty close for being alike 1/3 of the price. but I love them and I might even put them on my other bike. I know these cranks have to work on mountain bikes and im thinking of getting them for my mountain bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
George Johnston
a Racer
from E. Lansing, MI Date Reviewed: October 31, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Fort Custer
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
through my shop
Strengths:
looks real good, doesn't flex at all
Weaknesses:
expensive
Similar Products Used:
XT cranks, race face
Bike Setup:
voodoo w/full xtr
Bottom Line:
This crank is damn good. It never flexes, although that may be because I'm skinny. From my experience, it has held up to all of the rocks and trees I can hit with it. I've had no problems with it's longevity, and I've been racing on it since March '00. If you can get some sort of deal through a shop, I would buy it in a second. But if you don't have the hook-up, then it might be a bit pricey. Sure, it may not be the lightest, but when you go with a full xtr drivetrain, you will receive some seriously good shifting, even in the muck. Plus, it looks damn neat paired with a ti frame!
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Submitted by
Tim
a Cross Country Rider
from Islip NY Suffolk Date Reviewed: October 31, 2000
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Friend
Strengths:
It's a very strong crank
Weaknesses:
Creeking noises
Bike Setup:
Custom build Schwinn Homegrown.
Bottom Line:
Yes the crank has a creeking noise. But anyone who has ever mountain biked, using this crank, will say it's the strongest on the market.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin Montgomery
a
from Chesterfield MA USA Date Reviewed: October 30, 2000
Favorite Trail:
DAR
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
All the rocks I have hit and the arms aren't broken.
Weaknesses:
The chain rings and gone, my BB is dead, so is my rear derailleur...I HATE XTR!!!!!Buy XT, at least that lasts.
I try my best to replace the chain constantly and the chain rings are still gone, the cranks aren't even the lightest, screw Shimano, I am going for Truvativ... I think.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Fullerton, CA Date Reviewed: October 21, 2000
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
shifts well adequately stiff (although I only have as a point of reference xts and some garbage cranks botique cranks i purchased years ago)
Weaknesses:
see comments below price, altough with soem research deals may be found
Bike Setup:
all xtr. not sure what year-I think I bought the cranks when the new hollow style first came out, so 2 years of use may not be accurate. the remaining components are newer.
Bottom Line:
I scanned the reviews listed below and didn't notice anyone who had a problem with the outer chainring making noise. I know 2 other riders who have the same problem-it has been necessary to remove the ring and grease the contact point between the ring and crankarm.
I have had the cranks off my bike many times, once to switch them to a new frame; several times to grease the outer chainring; a couple of time to grease the BB, and the cranks haven't gotten sloppy like some of the other riders have experienced.
Overall I am happy with the cranks.
As far as who should buy these cranks- I'd say anyone who appreciate a product that works well, but who can handle servicing the BB(for the noncartridge users). I think that when I am forced to buy new cranks I'll try a one piece setup, such as the Race Face cranks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh Davidson
a Racer
from Campbell, Ca USA Date Reviewed: September 26, 2000
Favorite Trail:
the one I'm on
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Not sure
Weaknesses:
I don't know what other people are talking about but Shimano really dropped the ball here!!! The shifting for me was never very good from the very start and had to revert to three spacers to keep the chain suck from ruining my frame (Steelman-which rules!!). LISTEN UP: It has been one year since I got these and the chain rings are toast. There is a two month waiting period to buy replacements. My options-NONE. I have to buy a new crankset or not ride (yeah right!) There simply are no aftermarket replacements or compatible units. As much as you want people to look at your bike and say, "oooo-XTR!" Stay clear of this Piece of $%*@ waste of money.
Similar Products Used:
Older style XTR which worked.
Bike Setup:
Steelman Single track, top of the line everything.
Bottom Line:
I will never buy this crankset and if you are smart-you wouldn't either. See weakness.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
atiske
a
from brum, england Date Reviewed: August 26, 2000
Favorite Trail:
redditch
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
err! hmmm? nice colour while it stays on
Weaknesses:
with in two weeks their was play in the arms everytime I set up 4 a jump no matter what I did it was immpossible to stop the cranks working loose
Similar Products Used:
alivio,lx and dmr chieftan(sick crank, well worth it)
Bike Setup:
kona chute Z1's
Bottom Line:
I have spoke to several bike shops about these cranks and those that had tried XTR cranks had the same problem and reckon shimano will not warranty against this problem
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Somxay
a Racer
from Philadelphia, PA Date Reviewed: August 20, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Strengths:
Price, weight, and performance
Weaknesses:
Compatible with only one BB(M952)
Similar Products Used:
LX
Bike Setup:
'99 Avalanche, XTR, Raceface
Bottom Line:
I love these crankset, I got mine for only $200. It's a big difference from riding the LX crankset. What I like abou these cranks are that you don't have to put much force into pedaling. Which is great but I would like to use my own strenght as well. I have been riding with the LX for 2 years and I enjoy those cranks. But the XTR wow, they are awsome. I can see people saying that they payed too much for theirs. But you all should shop around for the best prices before you make you purchases. I enjoy these cranks I got it 5 big ones.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Craig
a Cross Country Rider
from Maple Grove, MN USA Date Reviewed: August 10, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Holzinger trail: Winona, MN
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light weigt, very stiff, 46 teeth in big ring.
Weaknesses:
Price Completely stripped out right crankarm in less than three weeks with no Shimano warranty on a failure of that nature.
Similar Products Used:
'99 Suntour XR-40, '00 Shimano LX Hollowtech
Bike Setup:
'00 GT Zaskar, XTR crankset & front der., Time ATAC pedals
Bottom Line:
I loved this crankset (but not the price) from the moment I first rode with it. I weigh 220lbs. and it does not flex. I really noticed the difference in accleration and climbing this crankset produces due to no flexing. It applies all power where it belongs...to the rear wheel. Stays stiff on steep downhills and coming down off of jumps, too.
A big problem, though. I completely stripped out the right crankarm within two and a half weeks of use. Had to shell out $140 for a new crankarm (ouch!!!!). Even though XTR components have a 2 year warranty, this type of breakage is not covered. It basically only covers manufacturer defects. Who knows if this was a manufacturer defect or not? It's hard to tell when all of the teeth of a splined crank are completely stripped out...I guess the evidence is gone.
Bottom line: This crankset works great IF #1 You can afford it #2 It doesn't break...XTR parts are not compatible with anything else and all XTR parts are EXPENSIVE!!!! For the $140 I spent on a replacement XTR crankarm I could've purchased a brand new XT crankset!
As far as who should buy this product....anyone who is sponsored and doesn't have to pay for broken parts. I don't race, but I do enjoy having quality parts on my bike. I was sick of cranksets that felt like they were made out of spaghetti noodles and this one feels really good. But, if this one break down again I may try a Race Face solution.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sam
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, AZ Date Reviewed: August 6, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Girl's Route
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Light and strong. The best shifting system when combined with the XTR differential plate front derailleur.
Weaknesses:
Shimano splined BB / crank system is a good design but has some weaknesses.
The splines on the crank arms are soft aluminum. The BB axle splines are hardened steel. The splines on the arms WILL wear out over time creating play. This is probably exacerbated by frequent removal and reinstallation. So if you can, put ‘em on and leave ‘em alone as much as you can.
I messed up a pair of XTR cranks because the splines were not seated properly. When I tightened up the crank bolt, the soft crank splines on the crank were crushed by the steel splines on the BB axle. THIS WAS MY DUMB MISTAKE, NOT SHIMANO’S FAULT (so don’t flame me on this one). I am just cautioning others that this is easier to do than it sounds. I think a design change might help. If the splines were curved at each end this would help guide things together, rather than the squared spline ends of the current design. I have heard other installation horror stories as well.
Since the cost of replacing cranks was so painful, I did not want to risk going through it all again and went to Race Face cranks with the matching RaceFace Taperlock BB. This system works great. I think the RaceFace rings, with the XTR front derailleur, shift just as well as the XTR system. You don’t need special tools either.
Many comments from others here regarding non-compatibility of Shimano splined BB. This is because Shimano would not license others to build the cranks or BB's to match their design. This obviously keeps prices higher! Race Face, Chris King and another company (don't remember which) are working on a new splined BB / crank standard. It will not interface with Shimano however. So soon you will have to contend with three systems. I always thought that the tapered BB axle system worked just fine. Aaah Progress!
Similar Products Used:
Race Face. Old Tapered BB XT and LX Cranks
Bike Setup:
Hardtail
Bottom Line:
Great shifting. Durability flaws. Go with Race Face.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jimmy olsen
a
from england Date Reviewed: July 31, 2000
Favorite Trail:
forest of dean
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
look good when new, fairly stiff, very light
Weaknesses:
weak, flexy (compared to a cromo crank), grey wears through, splines are weak and deform, bb doesnt last, too expensive.
Similar Products Used:
stx, lx, fsa, xt, profile (the only crank worthwhile, stuff the weight)
Bike Setup:
lil hardtail with z1's
Bottom Line:
these cranks are overpriced and under engineered in the spline area, and not as stiff as they need to be if your over 13st. i twisted the splines out of my lhs crank from being abusive, but ive never flat landed from more than 4ft. xc only these ones. if your tuff on kit, heavy or clumsy i think cromo cranks are the only option.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
REM
a Cross Country Rider
from North vancouver Date Reviewed: July 17, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Ned's
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Light wieght, good shifing in the stand, standard drive!, splined bb
Weaknesses:
Bad shifing on the trail, spline interface developed backlash, finish wears off easily, bent, can't adjust chainline without replacing BB spindles and spacing cups. Only one BB available that works with the cranks.
Similar Products Used:
RF Next LP's, '96 XTR, 95 XT's, LX 400, '97 LX, etc.
Bike Setup:
This crank spent most of it's life on a mountain cycle moho and a Norco Rampage
Bottom Line:
Nice crank set. I was dissapointed with the real world shifing, the cranks bending and that the splined interface developed backlash. They did serve me well though... it's just that they don't seem to be as durable (or pretty) as my pre-spline '96 XTR cranks. I wouldn't bother getting another set, especially for the north shore riding that I'm doing now.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Guy
a Racer
from Quebec City Date Reviewed: July 16, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Mt Ste-Anne
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Perfect shifting, Stiff, Light
Weaknesses:
Expensive
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager Race Lite
Bike Setup:
Sugar 1, stock except for the crank.
Bottom Line:
I spent an entire evening trying to adjust the front deraileur to work with the Bontrager crank without success. Shifting was totally unpredictable. When Performance advertized the XTR for $199.00 I decided to go ahead with the upgrade and I am glad I did.
After the installation, it took me 60 seconds to adjust the front deraileur and now I have perfect shifts. I was surprised at how stiff this crank is. I'm 145 lbs so I did not tought I would feel much difference in stiffness but you can feel it right away.
4 chilis for value (The sensible thing to do is to buy the new XT Hollowtech crank for less than $100. which is probably just as good but I wanted XTR for so long..) 5 for overall; there can't be a better crank.
$ 340.00
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