Submitted by
Tyron
a Racer
from Washington US Date Reviewed: January 29, 2008
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$135.00
Strengths:
Looks nice! 7075 chainrings dose not flex. Bolts are strong. Light and sturdy. I'm a racer, I've been using this for more than 2 years hasn't failed me.
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Similar Products Used:
Race Face and Crank brothers.
Bike Setup:
Titus, Sram, FSA stuff
Bottom Line:
I would recommend this FSA crankset rather than Shimano to my friends.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris johnson
a Cross Country Rider
from Madison, WI, USA Date Reviewed: August 20, 2005
Favorite Trail:
one with no chain suck
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Bottom Line:
This is a follow up to my 7/9/05 review. I was getting chain suck from the afterburner, just about every kind: one ring (without shifting, the ring would not let go of the chain, and suck); two ring (while shifting from small to middle and middle to small); and, whatever you want to call it when the nuts for the chain ring bolts pick up the pins in the chain and....suck. I called FSA and told them my deal. They were suprized to hear about the chain suck, but sent me some shorter nuts. And, AND, a set of new rings. (The 44t was even an upgrade.) Very cool of them. When putting on the small ring, I found that a bolt had been cross threaded (at the factory) into the spider. Nothing a longer cromo bolt did not fix. But, even with the new rings, a five minute ride on pavement gave me a couple cases of two ring suck. I called FSA back. They had me send in the whole drive side. I got a new one back in about a week. Very cool of them. I did a rather easy 25 mile xc ride with no chain suck. Then I did a rather difficult 30 mile xc ride, which gave me a very nasty case of single ring suck on the small ring...just pushing hard up a hill without sifting, and the chain gets carried around and suck. So, I am thinking the cause is the ring design.
I would not buy this product again, although I think it is very cool, at least to look at. It works very nicely when not taking all the paint off my chain stay.
But, I must say, all the people at FSA, especially Bryan, have been very cool and very helpful. They pretty much have done everything within reason, although I still have the problem. They have not given me a hard time. They are trying to make it right. I have a lot of FSA stuff on three different bikes, and all have been great except for the afterburner. These other parts, and the folks at FSA, still provide me reason to buy some of their other stuff. Just not another afterburner.
I am going to try a 22t cromo ring and see if that helps.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Johnson
a Cross Country Rider
from Madison, WI, USA Date Reviewed: July 9, 2005
Favorite Trail:
the dirt one
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
They are all negated to zero by the weaknesses
Weaknesses:
The nuts for the chain bolts that hold the largest and middle rings in place are in direct line with the pins in the chain links when the chain is on the small ring. The nuts stick out enough so as to catch the pins, in just about any gear in the back. And when you are out bouncing around, and the chain is bouncing around, every gear. This seems to be the case when in the middle ring also. The pins are getting picked up by either the bolts, or the ramping pins. So: Chain suck. Even in the bike stand. I have never had chain suck before, but now, in pretty much every gear. The worst chain suck I or anyone else has ever seen. It makes the bike, well, stay in the stand, until I can get a new crank. But now I am stuck with this one which is worthless. It seems to just be a terrible design. Worthless. It is on a new frame (with a very hashed up chain stay thanks to the crappy crank) with a new chain, new cassette, new bb, and new front and rear mechs. The afterburner simply does not work.
Similar Products Used:
stx, lx old and new, xt, fsa vdrive extreme
Bike Setup:
Gunnar Rock Hound, Velomax wheels, bar end tape...like I can even ride it now.
Bottom Line:
Don't put this product on your bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Geoffrey Tudor
a Cross Country Rider
from Sequim, WA, USA Date Reviewed: November 29, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Resurrection Pass, AK
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$65.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Super positive response to pedal forces, NO flex (and I'm a225 lb.-er!), lightweight and, finally, gorgeous in both design and execution!
Weaknesses:
Black powdercoat shows wear/scratches easily, but a little model paint touches it up; laser-etched graphics are so shallow, they'll wear off.
Similar Products Used:
First ISIS crank, but not last! Otherwise, XT taperlock is std. for my rides.
Bike Setup:
Hardtail, handbuilt from frame, lotta Ti where it counts, XTR D's, old-school Control Tech S/P & stem, Hugi/WTB wheels.
Bottom Line:
I DIG these cranks! When I stand up and tromp, they just plain GO! No more creaks, no more flex, just power-to-the-pedal, and what more could you ask for (did I mention the light weight and the beauty factor)? Super sweet upgrade!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Igor Matheus
a Cross Country Rider
from Ibicarai,Bahia,Brasil Date Reviewed: November 27, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Trilha do Caldo
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$160.00
Purchased At:
Pedal Power
Strengths:
Look, Strengh, Black Color, Durability of the rings
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano Deore LX, Truvativ
Bike Setup:
Scott Comp Racing, Rock Duke XC, SRAM X.0, Hubs e Nipples DT with Mavic and Ritchey rims, XTR Pedals, Easton EC70 Handlebar
Bottom Line:
I think that I used my crakarms about 30.000 Km. I don't ride only off-road, but, 70% are off-road and the rings are perfect. The paint is wearing out, but, are two years ... This crank have a good price for the weight and durability.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew
a Weekend Warrior
from Airdrie Alberta Canada Date Reviewed: June 20, 2003
Favorite Trail:
P. Waste
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
look nice and strong
Weaknesses:
stripped the crank were the pedal goes in off of a two foot drop. Lots of flex. THey are CRAP!
Similar Products Used:
Truvative Husselfelts
Bike Setup:
2001 norco drop. z1 dropoffs. FUNN stem and handlebar. anti snake bite wheelsets.
Bottom Line:
They are crap. Busted em off of a 2 foot drop. Good for cross country though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ian (in London)
a Weekend Warrior
from the UK Date Reviewed: February 7, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
0
Strengths:
Light, stiff, nicely machined quality, includes self-extracting bolts.
Weaknesses:
As per all coloured cranks, the paint wears down, and who decided that Torx30 bolts were a good idea??! Get some 5mm allen bolts in there before you have a problem on the trail and no tools!
Similar Products Used:
Ringle, XT, LX, Strongarm II (awful), XTR
Bike Setup:
FSR XC, BETD, Chris King, XT, Fox
Bottom Line:
Why do some reviewers cite the weight as heavy? Mine weighed 629 grammes when I installed them!!
Stiff, nicely machined, and good quality rings. In the UK in the winter, they wear out fast if they are lesser quality as it's muddy as hell. These appear good. The crank is notably stiffer than the one it replaced (LX), runs true, I have bent the BB and the cranks were fine and it's light.
Not bad value either, unless you pay full whack for it, but here in the UK there are some killer offers on the square taper version, which I got for about half price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
nathan carlson
a Weekend Warrior
from asheville Date Reviewed: June 5, 2001
Favorite Trail:
kitsumah
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$180.00
Strengths:
it was at first a stiff crank very stiff and felt good good looks
Weaknesses:
it got wallowed out now i have a 1/4-1/2" of play on the richt crankarm. not some thing i wanted to happen when i spent $180 i'm as mad as a cat with a stick up its butt
Similar Products Used:
sugino impel shimano altus( at least it didn't wallow out
Bottom Line:
i can't believe that it screwed up like this this crank was supposed to be bombproof, but a 145 lb. rider screwed it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tom martin-harris
a Weekend Warrior
from england Date Reviewed: February 14, 2001
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$100.00
Strengths:
They look great, ride incredibly, very solid
Weaknesses:
none! I love these cranks
Similar Products Used:
LX cranks
Bike Setup:
Brisa-Trials set up
Bottom Line:
These cranks are ultimatly great for trials, i have been using mine for a while and they have not scratched loads- like cranks do whe you r ridin trials! They r very solid, no flex, and for trials you can adapt spiders so you can run a monty style plate as the spider bolts on ad off, and so forth-m THE BEST TRIALS CRANKS- must be good for other stuff too.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
coop1
a Downhiller
from nc Date Reviewed: October 9, 1999
Favorite Trail:
not sure
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
this crank looks awesome, works awesome, it's heavy so it's awesome. it's not a skimpy little twig it is burly.
Weaknesses:
the only weakness is it's on my friends bike, and i don't have one for mine yet.
Similar Products Used:
XT, LX, and other shimanos Sugino, White Industies, and many more.
Bike Setup:
his bike is a kona kilawea with an upgraded marzocchi Z3, full XT, soon to have a brand new set of sun mammoth rims. this bike is upgraded really nice.
Bottom Line:
this crank is awesome. it works nice, and looks nice. you can slam it, and it won't bend or crack, like everything else he's busted on his bike when jumping.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sean
a Weekend Warrior
from Tokyo Date Reviewed: April 21, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Six Foot Track, Blue Mtns
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
stiff, strong, blah blah blah
Weaknesses:
Heavy, crank bolt comes loose
Similar Products Used:
LX
Bike Setup:
Kona
Bottom Line:
If you like the machined look, then its trick. Weighs a ton, it's really for the downhillers I reckon. The bolt attaching it to the BB comes loose, although the actual crank does not. Also the middle and outer are rotated slightly, relative to each other, so splines and ramps may not work as well as they are designed to. Other than that, sweet.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Richard Utting
a Racer
from Ipswich, UK Date Reviewed: March 30, 1999
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
strength, looks, 3ring ok
Weaknesses:
only available in ATB
Similar Products Used:
ac dh, shimano xt, xtr, lx, race face, middleburn
Bike Setup:
rotwild rdh02, boxxers, custom rear shock, hope biguns and disks, azonic cockpit, fsa afterburner cranks with ac chain device.
Bottom Line:
strong. Will do the job. There are other good cranks out there but i like these because the slot for the BB doesn't wear out like some. Good build. I've been running them for two years, no probs, which is rare. Highly recommended
Overall Rating:
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