Submitted by
mcmoonter
a Cross Country Rider
from Scotland Date Reviewed: October 31, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Anywhere in the Cairngorms
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Came on a bike
Strengths:
Stiff, light, exceptional shifting.
Weaknesses:
Pedal tread insert came loose.
Similar Products Used:
Race Face Dues, Shimano XT
Bike Setup:
Turner Flux
Bottom Line:
This is an awesome crank, despite the loosening of the pedal thread insert. FSA replaced it by return of post, no questions asked. A fantastic company to deal with. I'll be using their products again in the future.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jawndoe
a Cross Country Rider
from Norcal Date Reviewed: July 30, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Hole In The Ground
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Ebay (used)
Strengths:
Looks good at first. Lightweight, and plenty stiff for me. Oh yeah and is like a Timex watch takes a beating and keeps on ticking.
Weaknesses:
Looks ugly after being used for a while. Bottom bracket bearings blow.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano LX, and XT.
Bike Setup:
02 Specialized S-Works FSRxc w/XTR etype FD, XO rd and shifters, SRAM PG-990 cassette and SRAM PG-991 Cross step chain.
Bottom Line:
I love this crank. It has taken plenty of hits and it shows, yet is still strong. Several mechanics that I know say its still good to ride despite some of the cosmetic scratches to the clear coat. Its stiff (I weigh 140lbs (give or take 5lbs depending upon day and season) and is easy to pedal. The bearings in the bottom bracket are crap though. I am probably going to be upgrading them to full ceramic soon!
If you can find a good deal these are worth the purchase.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ajh800
a Cross Country Rider
from UK Date Reviewed: July 23, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Dalby Forest
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Looks good, bike bling porn - probably really good for pure XC riding. Excellent warranty.
Weaknesses:
Threaded pedal inserts are a weak point, shame otherwise a good set of cranks.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth Epiphany, XO, Chris King, Thompson, more bling etc etc
Bottom Line:
The crank does what it is supposed to do. BUT, if you want to do any riding other than XC, get a different set of cranks. Any pedal knocks will eventually leave the crank with a pedal flopping around, due to the threaded insert coming loose in the carbon fibre crank arm. FSA warranty is really good but I've gone back to XT cranks and will be putting the gleaming new FSA replacements on E-bay. 3 Chilis due to outstanding warranty, but no better than you would expect for such a bling item.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
x_trailJunkie_x
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago Date Reviewed: July 16, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Palos system
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
stiff, light, great rings, didn’t wear out at all.
Weaknesses:
Pedal insert on non drive side came out, but this is after 3 years of hard core xc.
Similar Products Used:
shimano truvativ
Bike Setup:
Cannondale prophet 4000 stock FSA carbon products. Top of the line
Bottom Line:
FSA - hands down best company to deal with great customer service.
First let me say the crank is a great performer since the beginning, never had a problem not even a worn ring after 1500 miles!!! Beginning of this season the pedal insert on the non drive side arm came out. Called FSA and they gave me a new crank!! FSA ROCKS!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Erik
a Weekend Warrior
from Bklyn Date Reviewed: May 18, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Blue Mt
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$500.00
Strengths:
looks only
Weaknesses:
pedal inserts came loose again
Similar Products Used:
second pair of same cranks
Bike Setup:
ellsworth moment
Bottom Line:
great customer support and warranty. good thing cuz these bling bling carbon beauts dont last.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Erik
a Weekend Warrior
from New York, NY Date Reviewed: January 5, 2007
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
gift
Strengths:
Great product support
Bottom Line:
FSA came through with bells on. The new cranks (the entire kit arms, rings, BB and tools) came in under 5 days.
The pedal inserts don't look any different then the originals from the outside but that doesn’t mean they aren’t different on the inside.
With this freak winter of record heat Ill be on the trails straight through to spring and summer. Let’s hope these beauties are up to the job.
More flaming turds for great product support.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Erik Balay
a Weekend Warrior
from NY, NY Date Reviewed: January 4, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Blue Mt. - Stuart Airport
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
gift
Strengths:
STIFF as all HELL, and the PIMP/TRICK factor Tops all others.
Weaknesses:
oh that pretty fininsh... kiss it good bye after one muddy gritty ride. Most important is the pedal inserts. The early production run has issues. They come loose.
Similar Products Used:
XTR / Race Face / Rhino Lite / Speed Wings / Profile
I don’t ride light, I am 215 and 6'+. These cranks have kicked ass for over a year and change. The power is awesome especially with the exterior bearing on the BB. One bolt to attach or extract the crank arms is pure heaven.
Not sure what the other review below (Mark) is referring to about a 10 year warranty but FSA only has a 2 year policy. Getting FSA on the phone is not easy (9 attempts) but once they picked up easy and friendly.
I was told that the early production had issues with the pedal inserts coming loose due to contamination weakening the carbon. Mine shows cracks all around the insert on both arms. They assured me that the new inserts have been re-engineered and loosening will no longer be a problem. As of now I am just waiting for the new replacement cranks to be shipped to me. Everyone should get a second chance. If the new set holds up FSA gets more flaming turds.
Peace
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ben smith
a Racer
from sydney,australia Date Reviewed: September 14, 2006
Favorite Trail:
convict trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$305.00
Purchased At:
online store
Strengths:
looks great when first on brand new
Weaknesses:
my first and main problem is that like many other riders the threaded pedal inserts have worked loose in the cranks. meaning that the cranks is now a throw away item. before this i also got a cricking sound when loading the pedals (standing with the crankarms parrallel to the ground)and then rotating them 180 degrees and loading them again.
Similar Products Used:
xtr crankset
Bike Setup:
santa cruz blur classic, mostly xtr
Bottom Line:
dont buy this crankset, you will regret it after 3 months you dont expect topshelf product like this to be fit for the bin. too many other reviewers are adding the same feedback. fsa should not be offloading poor quality/faulty equipment like this
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom
a Cross Country Rider
from Ventura County, Ca. Date Reviewed: August 14, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Light wieght, beautiful looking, and what appeared at first to be a nicely engineered crankset. Good warranty service...I hope!
Weaknesses:
First the bottom braket went south and replaced it. Was told they had improved them...apparently they had as the BB is still OK. Second, the aluminum fixing bolt failed...the load bearing flange has cracked! Third, there is now excessive tolerance in the spline assembly. And last but not least, I get a cricking sound when loading the pedals (standing with the crankarms parrallel to the ground)and then rotating them 180 degrees and loading them again. I suspect there is slippage between the CF and metalic inserts.At first I thought it was due to the tolerance in the splines but upon further investigation I discovered a slight movement of the metalic insert within the CF.
Similar Products Used:
This is the first set of CF MTB cranks I've ever tried!
Bike Setup:
Ventana X-5, Fox Talas fork, RP3 rear shock, Hope brakes, XTR drive train, Easton CF seat post, FSA stem, Easton CF bars, Swiss 240 hub/Mavic 717 rims Weighs in just under 28 lbs and is a dream to ride!!!!
Bottom Line:
When I built my Ventana X-5 12 months ago I thought I'd try the FSA K-Force MegaExo CF cranks to see if they could hold up to the riggers of mountain biking. 12 months later I've got my answer....couldn't cut the mustard!!! I've never had a problem with my FSA CF road bike cranks however!. I weigh in at 175 lbs @ 5'11" and ride four days a week...not a light weight but not a clidesdale either. Anyway, I'm hoping FSA will warranty these units and will make improvements to the above mentioned cranks. For now, I would not recommend these cranks to anyone over 150 lbs. And as one might suspition I have replace the MegaExo cranks with XTR! Finding a happy compromise between reliability and light weight parts is always risky business when it comes to finding serious mountain bike parts. Don't get me wrong....I still think FSA makes some great stuff! They do however need some engineering improvements on the MegsExo CF cranks if they expect them to live on a mountain bike with a 175 lbs rider!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan
a
from Lafayettes, Ca, USA Date Reviewed: May 17, 2006
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
They look amazing, are very strong, the shifting is superb, and they are extremely lightweight.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
The new XTR.
Bike Setup:
Intense 5.5 with a Marzocchi AM1 blah, blah, blah...
Bottom Line:
These cranks are great. They are smooth shifting, and in use. The look compliments my bike well, as does the lack of weight. And none of my friends have 'em, nor do the geeks I know. I havn't had any problems with the pedal thread insert at all, but it's covered for a long time anyways. Buy it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Naglack
a Racer
from Northern , Italy Date Reviewed: March 5, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Mtb Marathon
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Colorado Cyclist
Strengths:
Lighweight & great shifting
Weaknesses:
Pedal thread inserts have come lose from carbon arm.
Similar Products Used:
Kooka, Shimano XT
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Blur XTR
Bottom Line:
Great crank until I noticed the loose pedal this past weekend. Not too happy with the overall crank after this find. I will probably down grade to an XTR to prevent this from happening again. I have sent my crank set back to Colorado Cyclist to see if FSA will exchange them. They have a 10 year warrantee so we will see how they treat me. I feel that Colorado Cyclist should give me the 100% satisfaction guarantee that Performance bike gives. This will probably be my last purchase from CC. More to come once CC responds...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
shiny_car
a
from Australia Date Reviewed: December 28, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
gorgeous finish; light and stiff; easy to install; excellent shifting
Weaknesses:
overly expensive (subjective opinion) retail price makes it poor value; reports of weak pedal attachment but covered by long warranty
Similar Products Used:
FSA V-Drive w/MegaExo
Bike Setup:
Giant NRS; SRAM derailleurs; XTR chain
Bottom Line:
this is a beautiful crankset; i bought it secondhand off ebay, making it good value; i've had good experience with the alloy V-Drive crankset and the K-Force proves as good in shifting and a step up in lightness and build quality; however, unless you're a weight-weenie and/or have the $$, the K-Force is not fantastic value and i consider the far-cheaper V-Drive to be a better choice in this regard; but if you can afford it, go for it! it looks awesome onboard a carbon frameset =D
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
T.N.T.
a Cross Country Rider
from Boulder Date Reviewed: November 19, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Hall Ranch
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$349.00
Purchased At:
Kims Bike on Ebay
Strengths:
Stiff, Light and Smooth Shifting
Weaknesses:
Looks great when brand new, but clear coating tend to get scuffed easily.
This crankset is very stiff and light, it can take the beating of any trail that I ride. Very smooth shifting, I'm very impress by the quality of this cranks. The only thing is that the clear coating gets scuffed real easy. I guess I can try to buff it out, but what for this isn't for a road bike. A little bit of a rough look doesn't hurt it, long as it performs well I'm happy with it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
AR
a Racer
from Seattle, WA Date Reviewed: October 15, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Light, integrated
Weaknesses:
There is a weak link at the pedal attachment. Three friends of mine had this fitting shear completely out, leaving them stranded!
Similar Products Used:
XT integrated cranks/bottom bracket
Bottom Line:
FSA needs to shore up the attachment between the crank arm and pedal. The glue that holds the fitting with the pedal threads are not strong enough for those who mash pedals in extreme conditions. (I am not sure if their aluminum cranks are tapped or if they have a fitting like the carbon ones.)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve Marshall
a Cross Country Rider
from Steamboat Springs, CO Date Reviewed: August 20, 2005
Favorite Trail:
all of them
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$375.00
Purchased At:
GearGurl
Strengths:
Lighweight, stiffness, ease of removal for cleaning
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Price could be if you pay MSRP ($499.00) but they are on eBay for avg. of $350 from reputable sellers.
Similar Products Used:
XTR, XT, Race Face Next LP.
Bike Setup:
2005 Moots Cinco, PUSH'ed Fox Talas RLC/Fox RP3, XTR dual control shifters, XTR 952 rear derailleur, XTR 11-34 cassette, XT front derailleur, XT calipers, XTR rotors, Galfer kevlar/carbon composite pads, Moots ti seat post, Thomson stem, Maxxm hi-rise bars, Oury Lock-on Grips, WTB Lazer V seat, Rohloff ST-99 Chain, two sets of wheels: one is a set of DT 4.1d's with DT 240s disc hubs, DT triple butts, other is a set of Mavic 819's w/ XTR hubs, 14 gauge spokes, various UST tires according to the terrain, Candy SL pedals.
Bottom Line:
Great cranks, ultra stiff, very durable (I had doubts about carbon, but so far they have survived Moab, Fruita, and multiple rock strikes with no cracks), no leaks, bearings still great after 8 months of riding, smoothest shifting cranks I have ever ridden; so smooth I look down sometimes to make sure I have shifted between the 3 rings.
So easy to remove for cleaning, too; just a one-key wrench pops off the non-drive crank and the rest just slides through the BB shell.
Just be sure you get the new blue crush rings from FSA vs. the old rubber o-rings sold until December 1994; otherwise very hard to get them tight without binding and inhibiting the crank from turning easily.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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