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Submitted by
Gromit_dog
a Weekend Warrior
from Surrey, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: November 21, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Switchback Trail, Golden Ears Park | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | South Shore Cycles | | Strengths: | Cool looking, decent weight only 50g penalty over XT. No trouble. This review is for the Hollowtech II crank. | | Weaknesses: | Painted/annodized in a cool gun metal grey and i think its starting to rub off, which sucks cause it will look battle worn but i guess that's the price of riding my bike. | | Similar Products Used: | Older XT cranks like the 737's and the ones before the 737's (cant recall 730?). | | Bike Setup: | 2008 Trek Fuel Ex 8. Pretty much stock except for removal of the lame stock tires | | Bottom Line: | Very good value, no issues, no bolts coming lose, all is good. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Seenitall
a Cross Country Rider
from Boise ID
Date Reviewed: May 22, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Bob's | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$120.00 | | Purchased At: | Geoge's - Boise | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | I Have had nothing but problems with this crank/chain ring/bottom bracket set-up from the begining. Flat out junk.
I had it overhauled 3 times. It squeeks all the time. | | Similar Products Used: | Race face bottom bracket/rings/cranks. | | Bike Setup: | George's Boise ID | | Bottom Line: | It is shameful that any bike shop selling upper end bike's would think of putting on that garbage. Spending more than 2300.00, there should be no problems for at least the first year. I did learn one thing, I will never do business with them again. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Connecticut
Date Reviewed: April 29, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Black Mtn, Canberra Australia | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Strengths: | I can't believe that the LX cranks are only getting 3.48 out of 5... these cranks are GREAT! Especially for the money. Great value, great cranks! | | Weaknesses: | None really. | | Similar Products Used: | Truvativ, Race Face, and most other Shimano cranks. | | Bike Setup: | Currently running GT i-Drive 5 1.0 XT/XTR. | | Bottom Line: | Great cranks! If I ever break my XT cranks, I wouldn't waste my money buying anything better than the LX. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, CO
Date Reviewed: March 19, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Apex | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$55.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | Reasonably lightweight. Very durable. Common size for replacement chainrings. | | Weaknesses: | Flex? I don't notice it. | | Similar Products Used: | XT 110/74 crank | | Bike Setup: | Waltworks custom steel 29er frame, rigid fork, triple crank and seven-speed cassette. Lots of old XT and LX stuff. Mavic and Sun rims. | | Bottom Line: | I've got the 5-arm version from 1995. I've been using it continuously since then! Finally wore out the middle ring this past year. I replaced it and the granny, so I could get a smaller ring on the granny to go with my 28 big cog in the back. Since the granny was steel, it wasn't yet worn out. I replaced the middle ring with an exact replacement Shimano 32 tooth ring. Cost under $20, can't complain.
The only problem I've had was that a year or so ago the crank started creaking. I had a bit of trouble locating the source of the creak, but found out it was at the interface of the two crank parts, the spider part and the arm part. I dripped some blue Loctite down in there, and it shut right up. I use it with a UN-72 bottom bracket. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric W.
a Weekend Warrior
from Henderson NV.
Date Reviewed: December 7, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Dirty ones | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$175.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson | | Strengths: | I've used the same crankset, for three years, on two bikes, with three middle rings, two granny rings and I just recently put on the second bottom bracket. | | Weaknesses: | Wish the LX middle rings were still steel, like the old M-570 ones. | | Bottom Line: | These things are legendary. The overall score is low, because MTBR never updated the list of cranks to reflect the M-580 Hollow Tech 2 cranks. If the M-580-581 cranks were in a separate listing, they would have a score that is much higher.
These cranks are very durable. After more than three years of hard riding at Bootleg canyon, I finally replaced the bottom bracket. The truth was, the stock BB that came with the crank was working fine, I just felt paranoid about a 3+ year old bottom bracket out in the desert.
I've lost track of how many miles are on this crank, but it's probably at least 6000. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
TrailMaker
a Weekend Warrior
from Vestal, NY. USA
Date Reviewed: September 1, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Any one I've made! ;-) | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$85.00 | | Purchased At: | ???? - Major Mail Order | | Strengths: | Light, Stiff, Cheap | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager Race Light ISIS, old Shimano square drive | | Bike Setup: | '05 Heckler, 5th Coil, Vanilla RLC, Thomspon X4 w/Easton, WTB Duals w/ 2.5s. Heavy Duty. | | Bottom Line: | I was really looking at the XTRs at first. Then I saw the XTs. However, when I compared the cost (2-3x+), and weight, (not much difference from XT), it was a no- brainer. I chose the LX, and have not been dissappointed.
I used to go through a BB per year minimum, if not 2-3. The brand and type didn't matter. I even drilled the crank hanger. The bearings just did not last in the muddy, rocky Upstate NY climate.
The LX Hollowtech system was a snap to install and adjust. I used pipe dope on the threads to seal them, installed and adjusted them, and have not touched them since. They are just as smooth and tight as the day I put them on.
I weigh 240lbs, and my favorite riding spot (2-3x week) has 9 creek crossings, plenty of mud at times, and tons of rocks, roots, and generally rough technical terrain.
These cranks have been flawless. I wish I had bought TWO sets! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lowell
a Cross Country Rider
from Brunswick, ME
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Bradbury mountain, Boundary Trail | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | Cambriabike | | Strengths: | Hasn't broken, light, stiff, cheap. | | Weaknesses: | Required a 121mm spindle, which sets the pedals a little wider than they need to be to fit my bike (about 1cm on each side), but I don't notice the difference while riding. | | Similar Products Used: | Old specialized oem on my 1996 rockhopper. | | Bike Setup: | Jamis Dakar Sport (1997) with xt/lx drivetrain, Manitou Skareb fork, crossmax/crossride wheels, good ol' v brakes. | | Bottom Line: | This is for the octalink hollowtech LX crankset. I am reviewing it earlier than I usually do, but I just raced with these cranks and I was going down a very fast rough section of trail at the start of the race in a tight pack, and all the sudden I hear this really loud 'crack!' from the guy right next to me, and one of his crankarms is dangling from his shoe at 25 mph. Another dude coasted through the finish holding half his fancy integrated bottm bracket crankset in his hand. Point is, it works and takes a beating, no worries. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew
a Cross Country Rider
from Orange, CT
Date Reviewed: April 24, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | West Rock Ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | light, rigid, looks nice, easy to install | | Weaknesses: | i dont think you can get them in different spindle lengths | | Similar Products Used: | shimano STX | | Bike Setup: | 07 Spec Epic expert, Rock Shox Reba team fork, XTR/LX drivetrain, all the good stuff | | Bottom Line: | i bought the 2007 model with the integrated spindle. it cuts back on the weight greatly by integrating the entire bottom bracket into one unit. i bought the Race Face Diablous cups separate and these babies work great! i like the wide arms too. only thing is that they only come in 113mm lengths (i think), but most new bikes come with that setup anyway.
5 chilis for being affordable (go eBay!)
5 chilis for being a great, reliable product that lives up to Shimanos name | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michaelblade
a Racer
from SoLag,CA. USA
Date Reviewed: March 23, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$110.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance | | Strengths: | Kind of Bombproof for any rider under 160 lbs.Real easy to install.Plenty of rings that fit. | | Weaknesses: | I'm not a heavy enough body to find any.I'm working on it though.Trying to Jillflirt these cranks. | | Similar Products Used: | OEM on my old bikes that got sold | | Bike Setup: | Rattle Snake AM frame Freeride heart.XTR RD & shifters.MZ Drop Off 2 fork 20 mm.Romic R shock.8 spd.XT Cass. Specialized FR hubs & rims. | | Bottom Line: | Not much.If I was 180 lbs.I would be breaking alot more components.I haven't raced MTB yet but I was MX for 5 years so Yeah I'm a MF'n racer.I trust these cranks for my 150 lbs. Also thanks to everyone for taking the time to post here.I check here to see what works the best.That's why I'm giving an honest opinion. I run a rock guard, so with only 2 rings the set up on a 68mm BB is fine.Bigger riders need stronger set-ups for big drops and rough landings.So read the reviews. FTW Lets Ride | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan
a Weekend Warrior
from Crown Point, IN
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Strengths: | Stiff and relatively light. A great crankset for serious recreational use. | | Similar Products Used: | Some Suntour crank from the factory that I broke. | | Bike Setup: | 07 Trek 4300 with LX Crankset, M520 Pedals, Deore Front Derailuer. Rest is factory. | | Bottom Line: | This review is for the new LX580 Hollowtec crankset. If you are looking for a replacement crankset and on a budget, this is one of the best around. I like the design of the outboard bearings and is considerably lighter than a lot of factory cranksets. There is no flex with this setup, and paired with the M520 pedals, the power transfer is amazing. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J
a Weekend Warrior
from Northern Ca.
Date Reviewed: June 16, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Briones | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Came with the Bike | | Strengths: | 1 year of hard xc riding and its still holding up! I weigh 230 lbs! | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Similar Products Used: | all kinds | | Bike Setup: | Spec. Epic | | Bottom Line: | Good all around crank for the money. Not light, but strong. All of Shimano's crap is over priced! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex
a Cross Country Rider
from Marengo illinois US effin A
Date Reviewed: May 11, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | better than the older ones with the square peg system. ok after extensive work | | Weaknesses: | the bolts constantly come loose, i had to weld my bolts to the arm, ruining the BB. but it works! and i stripped an arm out. | | Similar Products Used: | old square peg spindle crap on my old deore | | Bike Setup: | surly instigator, Z.1 Fork, rhino lite XL's | | Bottom Line: | its good if you have no problem putting some work into it, i personally like it better than my old setup but still sucks. there needs to be a better system, if i can strip a crank arm there is a need of a better setup | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex
a Cross Country Rider
from Marengo illinois US effin A
Date Reviewed: May 11, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | better than the older ones with the square peg system. ok after extensive work | | Weaknesses: | the bolts constantly come loose, i had to weld my bolts to the arm, ruining the BB. but it works! and i stripped an arm out. | | Similar Products Used: | old square peg spindle crap on my old deore | | Bike Setup: | surly instigator, Z.1 Fork, rhino lite XL's | | Bottom Line: | its good if you have no problem putting some work into it, i personally like it better than my old setup but still sucks. there needs to be a better system, if i can strip a crank arm there is a need of a better setup | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff Powell
a Cross Country Rider
from Anchorage,AK,USA
Date Reviewed: May 6, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$175.00 | | Purchased At: | R.E.I. | | Strengths: | Great feel and design for the money.Very similar to the XT.(This reveiw is for the new LX580 hollow Tec.)Shifts great !! | | Weaknesses: | None I can see yet. | | Similar Products Used: | Truvative triple D, that came stock on my bike.Poor shifting peice of junk !!! | | Bike Setup: | Rock hopper comp disc.Weak stock parts being slowly weeded out. | | Bottom Line: | It seems like unless you spend over 1000.00 these days on a bike, you get a crappy low end crank,(guess they gotta cut corners somewhere).The LX is a real nice upgrade without spending a fortune on some of the high end cranks out there.Would have given this 5 chilis if I had ridden it longer. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric W
a Weekend Warrior
from Henderson Nv.
Date Reviewed: March 22, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Bootleg | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$160.00 | | Purchased At: | jenson | | Strengths: | This review is for the 05 Hollowtech II version.
Looks good, stiff and reliable. | | Weaknesses: | Aluminum middle ring wears a bit fast here in the desert. | | Bike Setup: | Its made it from a Jamis Dakar XLT (POS) to a new Mountain Cycle San Andreas Classic. Old school rules! | | Bottom Line: | I've put about 3000 miles on these things in about 18 months and everything is still original except the middle ring which is neading replacing again. This crankset has taken some bad abuse that it was not designed for and just keeps going like the Energizer Bunny. It even still has the original bottom bracket bearings, I just kept the high pressure water off the bearings like I was told.
The 05 LX Hollowtech rules for extreem XC and all mountain.
Later, Eric W.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
matt
a Cross Country Rider
from lala land, ca
Date Reviewed: December 18, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | light, looks good, seems pretty well made | | Weaknesses: | shimano engineering. incompatible with other brands of bb. | | Similar Products Used: | sugino, sr suntour, stronglight | | Bike Setup: | KHS alite 4000, marzocchi marathon, easton bars, sram drivetrain (wish they made cranks) | | Bottom Line: | i like this crank, and it seems pretty good with a few exceptions... the small chainring has tabs that extend too far inward from the bolt holes, thus scraping the bb shell of my new alite 4000. it took 20 minutes with a dremel tool to shave enough metal off the chainring to make it fit on the bike. from a design or engineering point of view, this extra material makes absolutely no sense. it does not make the crank stronger, and is a waste of weight. it is though shimano had a random test bike at the factory that the crank fit on, so they gave it the thumbs up and didnt check to see if it fit other bikes as well. my other gripe is that when i took off the bolts for the small chainring, one of them took the threads of the alloy crank hub with it. this is a steel bolt attached to alloy with gorilla force and no thread lube or anything. if it sits in there for a while, it is going to corrode a little and cause problems like this. now i have a brand new crank with only 3 bolts solidly on the chainring and the other just lightly sitting there. if i tighten it any more it will take out the remaining threads. bad shimano---you are supposed to be better at design than this. without these probs, i would have given it 5 smelly turds. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kyle Veal
a Downhiller
from Wausau, Wis, USA
Date Reviewed: December 17, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | Place of Employment | | Strengths: | this crank treatsme good. I am 220 pounds and ride my single speed agressivly, and this crank is good too me. | | Weaknesses: | none, zilch, nada | | Bike Setup: | SS GT chucker 1.0 with LX crank, LX/XT hydros the rest sucks | | Bottom Line: | Good crank!!! Stop belly aching about chain alignment. If you were a real mechanic you could find a way to fix it. Ad for those of you who thisnk this crank is too wide, stick that where the sun don't shine you sound like a freakin roadie. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kyle Veal
a Downhiller
from Wausau, Wis, USA
Date Reviewed: December 17, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | Place of Employment | | Strengths: | this crank treatsme good. I am 220 pounds and ride my single speed agressivly, and this crank is good too me. | | Weaknesses: | none, zilch, nada | | Bike Setup: | SS GT chucker 1.0 with LX crank, LX/XT hydros the rest sucks | | Bottom Line: | Good crank!!! Stop belly aching about chain alignment. If you were a real mechanic you could find a way to fix it. Ad for those of you who thisnk this crank is too wide, stick that where the sun don't shine you sound like a freakin roadie. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kyle Veal
a Downhiller
from Wausau, Wis, USA
Date Reviewed: December 17, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | Place of Employment | | Strengths: | this crank treatsme good. I am 220 pounds and ride my single speed agressivly, and this crank is good too me. | | Weaknesses: | none, zilch, nada | | Bike Setup: | SS GT chucker 1.0 with LX crank, LX/XT hydros the rest sucks | | Bottom Line: | Good crank!!! Stop belly aching about chain alignment. If you were a real mechanic you could find a way to fix it. Ad for those of you who thisnk this crank is too wide, stick that where the sun don't shine you sound like a freakin roadie. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Horatiu
a Cross Country Rider
from Cluj, Romania
Date Reviewed: November 16, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | came with my bike | | Strengths: | Light, good looking, strong, very efficient | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | SRSuntour, Truvativ Hussefelt | | Bike Setup: | Altrix Cougar XT, sram X9 drivetrain, deore lx crankset, avid juicy 5 brakeset, sun mach IV rims w. novatec hubs wheels, etc... | | Bottom Line: | I felt a great improvement in pedalling when switching from Suntour to Hussefelt, and another improvement when switching to the new Hollowtech II LX. It takes me less effort to climb, and that could be because of the rigidity of the system and the performance of the ball bearing.
I would recomand it for any XC rider. Maybe for more extreme activities you should get something stronger, but if you do not abuse it I think it will work fine for many years to come.
I had absolutely no problems with mine until now. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter
a Cross Country Rider
from Auckland
Date Reviewed: October 18, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$120.00 | | Strengths: | This is for the Hollow Tech 2,smart looking,very strong,easily assembled/disassembled(after buying the correct tools) | | Weaknesses: | Compromised design,bearings more venerable to dirt. | | Similar Products Used: | earlier LX and XT | | Bike Setup: | Giant Trance | | Bottom Line: | The trouble with these cranks is that they are designed for the widest BB option possible and cannot be reduced to fit a standard 68mm BB(the difference is taken up by plastic spacers!!) This means it is impossible to repeat the same chain line that was on your bike previously(even with all 3 spacers on the L/H side-not recommended).If you do not mind your cranks being 15-20mm wider than necessary and an incorrect chain line then buy them. They are cheap enough. I removed mine. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam
a Weekend Warrior
from Edmonton, Alberta
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Cambodia Trail | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$110.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay | | Strengths: | Weight, Stiffness, Finish, Sexyness (05 hollowtech II) | | Weaknesses: | Old LX cranks gave me a reason to upgrade when I got bored of them. I'm afraid these are too well built for that | | Similar Products Used: | '99 Shimano LX | | Bike Setup: | 99 Fisher paragon w/Z1 freeride, lx/xt drivetrain, hayes hydro discs, sun/xt disc wheelset. Basically, It's built for my 200 pound body. | | Bottom Line: | Damn these cranks are beefy for LX. I chose these because I could not justify spending an extra $80 for XT which was only 50 or so grams lighter (Since I started to build my bike for my riding style it has gone from ~23lbs to over 30...) and appear to be of equivalent quality. Shifting is excellent and I cannot yet feel the cranks flex significantly while hammering on them. These cranks are exactly what my bike needed. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean
a Cross Country Rider
from Nottingham, UK
Date Reviewed: July 6, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | chainreactioncycles.com | | Strengths: | Looks fantastic;
Low-price for Hollowtech II;
Light weight | | Weaknesses: | With the Hollowtech II system, the chainline on my Marin Wildcat isn't perfect | | Similar Products Used: | '00 XT, 02 LX, Truvativ Blaze | | Bike Setup: | '05 Marin Wildcat AXC (only the chainset is non-stock) | | Bottom Line: | Great looking chainset (just compare it to the awful blue-grey colour of the old LX). Much lighter than the Truvativ power-spline setup that came with my bike. The see-through bottom-bracket on the Hollowtech II system is something else.
However, I can't comment on the rings - I swapped them all for Blackspire Super Pros before even fitting it on the bike.
Only problem I've found is that the chainline is a little out, and can't be adjusted. This might be less of an issue with a narrower 9-speed chain (I'm still on 8). This isn't so bad, it just means I get some rub-noise when in fairly extreme combinations (which I shouldn't be using anyway).
If you want a great looking, light weight, stiff chainset using the latest BB technology - look no further!
(4 chilis because of the chain-line issue) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
amor587
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 13, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | BackBone | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | Bicycle Wherehouse | | Strengths: | Great Shifting, stong, and decent weight. Got a pretty good deal on cost so that's a pretty good strength. | | Weaknesses: | Weird Bottom Bracket sizing, but after installing who really cares. | | Bike Setup: | 2005 Trek Fuel 80 with these cranks | | Bottom Line: | Replace stock Bontrager cranks (which were crap cranks) with these and improved the performance of my bike dramatically. Got rid on sloppy shifts and chainsuck. Now I can ride in joy. Trek should of put these cranks on the Fuel 80 as a stock item. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ruben
a Cross Country Rider
from Madrid, Spain
Date Reviewed: June 13, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | La cuesta de la muerte | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$130.00 | | Purchased At: | Bicycles | | Strengths: | Stiff, light, durable, looks impresive | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | Acera, Alivio, Deore, some Taiwan Crap | | Bike Setup: | Merida Matts Speed 2003, Avid S.7 brakes, Marzocchi Marathon SL | | Bottom Line: | This is a review for the Model 2005 Hollow-Tech II
I´m very happy with this Crankset. The product is very well built and works well with Shimano M 540 pedals.
It gives the perfect amount of stiffnes, lightness and Performance.
I´ve done around 4000 Km intense XC / Enduro riding with it, 3-4 times every week, with mud, rain, snow...no problem, no service needed.
I am very happy with this Crankset and I would buy it again
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mike
a Weekend Warrior
from UK
Date Reviewed: June 10, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$130.00 | | Purchased At: | cycleexpress.co.uk | | Strengths: | CCFAN: This is an update of my LX II chainset review...
After three months i have not had any problems, the bike has been back to the LBS for a check of the bolts and absolutely no problems experienced. The biggest compliment i can give this chainset is that i take it for granted, just get on the bike and pedal, without thinking baout the chainset. This bike is used for a daily commute which means that the components have to work in ALL conditions, not just a Sunday off road jaunt if the weather is good.
Got a very good deal on the price, shop around and don't pay too much! | | Weaknesses: | None found so far but i did have the chain (LX) replaced at the same time and this seems to be wearing at an alarming rate, the weekly degrease/clean/lube shows a lot of metallic paste being produced which i can only assume is a combination of road grime, oil and metal wear and tear. I would urge everyone to check the chain length at regular intervals to avoid replacing items more expensive than your chain...... | | Similar Products Used: | This replaced the old LX, and bottom bracket. | | Bike Setup: | Trek ZX8000, XT derailiers, LX brakes, LX II integrated chainset/bottom bracket, Clark cables, Panaracer Fire XC 1.8inch | | Bottom Line: | No problems after three months, it's a Shimano, if there were problems i would be VERY dissapointed! I forget it's there, it does what it says on the tin. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mike
a
from UK
Date Reviewed: March 24, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$130.00 | | Purchased At: | cycleexpress | | Strengths: | VERY well made, with integrated bottom bracket, can't imagine XT being worth the extra money. Replaced the old LX chainset and bottom bracket after bearings started grinding and outer chainring worn out. Looks like a much more expensive piece of kit than the old LX which only gave me problems towards the end of it's much neglected life. | | Weaknesses: | Have only just had it fitted, will keep you posted. | | Similar Products Used: | Old LX bottom bracket and chainset. | | Bike Setup: | TREK ZX8000, XT front/rear derailliers, old LX (parallelogram) v-brakes, 2005 LX integrated Chainset/BB, LX chain, Clarks cables. | | Bottom Line: | LX gear has always been the poor man's XT and has benefitted from XT/XTR technology, albeit slightly watered down. I was very happy with the old LX (came with bike) and am sure the new LX (2005), installled by LBS, which looks very well made, will be just as impressive. The bike is used in all weather (UK) and not cleaned as often as it should be, will keep you posted... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Smitter
a Racer
from Grand Rapids
Date Reviewed: March 15, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | egypt valley | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | This crank is stiff and can handle the rigors of riding hard day after day | | Weaknesses: | NONE!! | | Similar Products Used: | shimano stx-rc, sugino 900 | | Bike Setup: | Custom Kona Cinder Cone built to 23.5 lbs | | Bottom Line: | OK, I am writing this review because reading the other reviews are pissing me off!
-If your chainring teeth are being snapped off:
-Learn how to go over logs without hitting them
-If you are not hitting logs and saying they ware fast
or the teeth break, Check your Chain, replace it after
every 1000 miles!
-Shut up about color, its your fault for picking it!
-Creaking?
-Use a toque wrench!
-if the chainring bolts are coming off:
-Use locktite! never trust factory, it is ment for the
consumer to check and make sure it is properly setup
-I'll agree the BB and chian line are screwed up, but learn how to ride in the second and third rings, anyhting can be climbed with a 32 chainring with a 30 tooth cog!
I am a bike shop employee and have had seen hundreds of LX cranksets, with no problems. I am really wondering what some of you people are complianing about.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Llloyd
a Weekend Warrior
from Cebu, The Philippines
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Bottom Line: | Just a tip... if you hear noises/squeaks during pedalling try to remove the pedals and put grease on it... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric W.
a Cross Country Rider
from Henderson Nv. U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: December 31, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Bootleg Canyon | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$160.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson U.S.A. | | Strengths: | Rigid, light and shifts great.
$100.00 cheaper than XT 760 and still looks hot . | | Weaknesses: | Chainline on mine is slightly off. Its 51.5 mm.
The chainline does not seem to be keeping things from opperating propperly.
Chainline is not adjustable. | | Similar Products Used: | Many cranks over the years, but none that are outside bearing...until now. | | Bike Setup: | Jamis Dakar XLT. | | Bottom Line: | I would like to say right off, this is a new 05 LX Hollowtech II crankset that I'm reviewing.
It's a very good crankset so far, although this review is to early for long term things like the bottom bracket longevity.
I dissagree with the other Eric below, that said this thing isn't for 200 lb people, I'm 210 ( 99 kg ) and am having no issues so far, even though I ride at Bootleg Canyon.
I don't ride anything but the XC stuff, but the crank has been very rigid and not needed any adjustments for the bearing tension, or needed the left crank's pinch bolts retightened. I should add, at Bootleg, you can use 4.5"s out of five inches travel on some of the "XC" courses.
If this new crankset is reliable, Shimano may lose a lot of XT hollowtech II sales, because this thing is really nice and is $ 100.00 cheaper.
I hoped it would come with the tools, like the XT stuff has, but it doesn't.
If Shimano would make the threads longer, on the left side cup so I could adjust the chainline by moving one of the "A" spacers from the right side cup, I'ld be in heaven.
As it is, its a much better crankset than the Truvativ one it replaced.
Later, Eric W.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
eric
a Downhiller
from nm
Date Reviewed: December 11, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$138.00 | | Purchased At: | fat tire cycles | | Strengths: | this review is for the 2005 hollowtech II cranks.
awesome stiffness, super light, smooth bearings, cheap price | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Similar Products Used: | heavy and flexy specialized big arm cranks | | Bike Setup: | 2002 specialized big hit comp with 8 inch conversion kit fox vanilla rc, 2003 monster T, 2005 hollotech II cranks, titec el norte bars, e-13 chain guide, azonic 40t chainring, azonic loveseat, odi lock-on grips, sun singletracks, deore rear hub, spec stout front hub, hayes hydraulic disc f/r, arrow racing wide bite 3.0 rear, maxxis minion 2.7 front. | | Bottom Line: | i am 160 lb rider not a heavyweight, but these cranks are really stiff with the outboard bearings. these cranks use the same bottom bracket as the saints. i recommend these cranks to the lighter riders. those that are 200 plus might want to get the saints. but it seems shimano has finally got the their cranksets right. for 160 retail you cant go wrong | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James Mitchell
a Cross Country Rider
from NH
Date Reviewed: December 6, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$90.00 | | Strengths: | Light, strong, good looking | | Weaknesses: | Q-factor, special sized bottom bracket needed | | Similar Products Used: | This product is in a class by itself | | Bike Setup: | GF with mostly Deore LX | | Bottom Line: | Review is for the m572 Deore LX Crank. The one that uses 121 or 126mm bb spindles. This crank seems good, but it has a major flaw. With the recomended bottom bracket, the Left and Right Q-factors are not the same. Called shimano three times and I was given false information once and hung up on twice. Bike shops seem to this this is fine and normal. On my bike the left and right q-factors differ by 7mm, or a quater of an inch. And I have calipers and know how to use them. That is actually more than the lateral float in my pedals can compensate. Review would be a 5, but because of the bottom brackets that are almost imposible to find in a bike shop and the off centered q-factor, I give it a 1 | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
opie
a Weekend Warrior
from indianapolis
Date Reviewed: December 6, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | ones with dirt/mud | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$85.00 | | Purchased At: | pricepoint.com | | Strengths: | maybe the crank arms | | Weaknesses: | everything...weak chainrings | | Similar Products Used: | other Shimano sh*t, Bontragger junk | | Bike Setup: | GT Rebound with some stuff on it | | Bottom Line: | ...yea i thrash my bike pretty hard but damn...these things didnt last me but maybe 5 rides. broke a tooth off already. bottomed out w/out a bashguard and gnawed down another 3 teeth almost totally smoothe. This thing is cheap metal, good if u ride easy.
for road/light riding, ...Value, 4 chilis
Overall 4 chilis
for the way i ride look below for ratings | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt Nicolosi
a Cross Country Rider
from Oakland, NJ
Date Reviewed: October 20, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Cannonball | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$180.00 | | Purchased At: | Cyclesport | | Strengths: | Strong, light | | Weaknesses: | n/a | | Similar Products Used: | cannondale stock cranks (no good) | | Bike Setup: | 2002, Cannondale Terra Hardtail. 80mm fatty front shock, xt brakes, lx crankset, lx front derail/deore rear derail. | | Bottom Line: | This product has worked great for me. The cranks have been strong for two years of pretty intense CC riding. I'm 5'10 185 and I've put the hammer down on these things.
They are good. Worth the money. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter
a Cross Country Rider
from NYC
Date Reviewed: September 18, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | NYC city streets | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | nashbar | | Strengths: | clean shifts, reasonably priced | | Weaknesses: | BB compatability, creaking (loose bolts) | | Similar Products Used: | other shimano | | Bike Setup: | Klein Attitude | | Bottom Line: | I'm a clydesdale at 190 lbs. Don't do so much trail riding anymore, but I ride serious mileage on New York City streets. I put on the LX after 5 years on my last crank (XTR), after my testacles warned me that metal fatigue was going to snap it in half sooner or later and that would really hurt. Hard to find the right BB. I don't have the special tool for the hollow BB, so it's hard (but not impossible) to remove the crank arms. And, the bolts come loose. Big, hard riding trail riders will suffer with this crank, but its working fine for me. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Roberto
a
from U.S.
Date Reviewed: September 2, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Strengths: | Value. Good shifting performance. Only grams heavier than XT. | | Weaknesses: | That blue/gray color is horrible. Now available in black.
But here's the big one: this whole 121mm BB thing. The new LX requires the ES51 BB (the lighter and more reliable ES71 is not available in 121mm).
The original hollowtech LX (the ones with the straight crank arms, as opposed to the current flared arms), used the same 113 or 118 BB as XT and Deore. Why did they change?
The ES51 BB is only available in 121mm (& 126mm for 73mm shell widths) and it only fits the new LX (flared arm) cranks. This is just causing compatibility issues. Nothing else will fit this BB and nothing else with fit this crank. Why is there even an Octalink standard then???
| | Similar Products Used: | I've been using LX cranks religiously since '95 because of their value, shifting performance, and durability (with proper care, of course). No more. Perhaps this is the end of an era for me. | | Bike Setup: | SC Blur | | Bottom Line: | Get the Deore Octalink instead (40g heavier) and spend the extra money on a good 113 or 118mm splined BB (like the ES71, which will make up 23g of that weight difference) and upgrade to a nice crank later.
The problem with that 121mm Octalink BB is that this is the first time it has been used and it is very likely no one will be stocking it (our store stocks ONE!) and future availability will be a problem because LX is going integrated for '05 (like the new XT). They could have stuck with the same 113/118 setup as Deore and XT and they would have gotten a five chili value rating, but...
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mark
a Cross Country Rider
from novato, CA
Date Reviewed: June 26, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | the tall rocky one with big bends in it | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | performance | | Strengths: | cheap, strong. | | Weaknesses: | shi$#y info re BB - not a criticism of the product which is good for the $50 I paid - just of available info re minimum spindle length required for the BB. | | Similar Products Used: | XT | | Bike Setup: | one thrashed piece of Shi*e hardtail, cheap components. | | Bottom Line: | nice crank, good weight, stiff, but why don't Shimano (or the LBS guy) let you know a 113 spindle ain't long enough. Sounds from other reviews that I will need a 121? I know I can pick one up from JensonUSA for $20 but I am a tight fisted bast$#rd. I would recommend crank to anyone but DH/FR's. For trail riding this thing is pretty decent - as long as you are not paying $120 like some have. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eli
a Weekend Warrior
from Florida
Date Reviewed: May 7, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Misiry | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Used | | Strengths: | Really good but the color | | Weaknesses: | Likes to bend the spindek in the bottom braket. | | Similar Products Used: | ? | | Bike Setup: | XC/DJ | | Bottom Line: | Overall the product is very well built and works well with wellgo platform pedals and will hold up under presure. this product is very stiff and it works well. But I would say if you have teh money go for the XTR's. They are lighter and better but don't ude them for dirt jumping and will hold up alot longer. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eli
a Weekend Warrior
from Florida
Date Reviewed: May 7, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Misiry | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Used | | Strengths: | Really good but the color | | Weaknesses: | Likes to bend the spindek in the bottom braket. | | Similar Products Used: | ? | | Bike Setup: | XC/DJ | | Bottom Line: | Overall the product is very well built and works well with wellgo platform pedals and will hold up under presure. this product is very stiff and it works well. But I would say if you have teh money go for the XTR's. They are lighter and better but don't ude them for dirt jumping and will hold up alot longer. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eli
a Weekend Warrior
from Florida
Date Reviewed: May 7, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Misiry | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Used | | Strengths: | Really good but the color | | Weaknesses: | Likes to bend the spindek in the bottom braket. | | Similar Products Used: | ? | | Bike Setup: | XC/DJ | | Bottom Line: | Overall the product is very well built and works well with wellgo platform pedals and will hold up under presure. this product is very stiff and it works well. But I would say if you have teh money go for the XTR's. They are lighter and better but don't ude them for dirt jumping and will hold up alot longer. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Monterey
Date Reviewed: March 25, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Downieville - Big Boulder | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Light, Stiff | | Weaknesses: | Poor finish, weird BB sizing, Weak bolts, noisy, color. | | Similar Products Used: | Raceface turbine | | Bottom Line: | The FC-M572 cranks came as part of the build kit on my Santa Cruz blur, and I immediately started eying it up as a good candidate for an upgrade.
For one (...and call me vain if you like) I'm really not too fond of the color. If you happen to have a blue-grey anodized bike, this crank will look great with it... If your bike is ANY other color, it will probably look out of place. What's wrong with plain old black or silver?
Within a couple of rides, I noticed that the "LX" logo on the crank arms was quickly wearing off. Within a few weeks, the anodized finish was going too. Within a couple months the arms each had a strip of polished silver on them where my shoe occasionally rubs. This also happened with my old raceface turbine crankset, but it took four years as opposed to a couple months.
Performance-wise, the cranks also have some faults. My crank creaks a lot. I guess I was foolish to believe that the splined interface was supposed to stop this. I question the durability of the chainrings. One of the hollow crank bolts that came with the crank broke in half when I tried to remove it... Good luck finding a replacement bolt if this happens.
As another reviewer put it, Shimano really is the Microsoft of bike parts. This crank requires custom bolts, custom tools to remove, a BB with a custom spline pattern, and from what I read here, even custom sizing for your BB. I've got a new turbine crank coming in the mail.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ron
a Racer
from Everett, Wa
Date Reviewed: March 15, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | Local Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Weight, Price | | Weaknesses: | Occasional creaking from loose crank bolts. | | Similar Products Used: | Race Face Prodigy, Truvativ Team Stylo, Bontranger Race | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Hardrock Pro, SRAM chain, XT rear deurailer. Eggbeater pedals. | | Bottom Line: | Even though I like the ISIS setup better, this has been a great crank for the $$. It shifts well from the middle to lower chain ring in both directions. The middle chain is still going after 1 year (I clean my drivetrain after every ride). You do have to check the crank bolts periodically (the infamous creak/click noise). This crank is a great value for 60$. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Trevor
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Cruz
Date Reviewed: March 11, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Fast and Furious | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | light and strong. | | Weaknesses: | must use with specific bottom bracket. When you go to remove crank arms the crank bolts always come off really easy. Makes you wonder if they will rattle off someday. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT, LX, STX | | Bike Setup: | I-Drive 1.0 | | Bottom Line: | light strong and has lasted for a season (3 rides per week) in all conditions without any significant tooth wear that I can see. I do clean my chain at least every two or three rides. Left 3 chili's overall because of the required bottom bracket issue. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter
a Weekend Warrior
from D.C.
Date Reviewed: February 26, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | any | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$64.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson | | Strengths: | Cheap.you can afford to get these babies every year. strong. no complains about weight either.haven't heard any creaks yet. | | Weaknesses: | If you aren't getting a bash, forget about the outer ring.This thing is soft like butter.One good hit and is totaled and it wears like the tires on the nascar.some earlier models come in really ugly colours/especially the black and gold one,what the hell?/but that's just cosmetics...in the end all is the same mud colour. | | Similar Products Used: | some other shimano models,one raceface set,which I dearly miss,one truvatriv and one Bontrager / last 2 were unbelievable crap!/ | | Bike Setup: | 2002 trek 4500,some upgrades/avid 185 disk, xt hubs,the lx crankset,maxxis larsen tt tires. | | Bottom Line: | this baby is worth the money, but is not the best. If you are a heavy or very agressive rider, only the best is for you my friend,everthing else is a finacial waste. i'm 75 kg which is is something like 145 pounds, and thats not heavy,I know... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kerry Garrett
a Cross Country Rider
from Garland,Texas,USA
Date Reviewed: February 11, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Isle DuBois | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$180.00 | | Purchased At: | Don Jole's Bike World | | Strengths: | Power, Stifness, Strong outer ring. | | Weaknesses: | The long cranks hit the ground/rocks/roots more than I am used to. | | Similar Products Used: | This is my first crank upgrade. I did have a Shimano 590? bb before this upgrade. It was tapered and wouldn't fit in the LX Octalink. | | Bike Setup: | 2001 GT Agressor 3 frame. Mavic 138 rims, Sun hubs, IRC Mythos Tires, LX rear cassette, SRAM Chain, My favorite Trico Spring Gell II seat, and so on. Not much original equipment left. | | Bottom Line: | My bike had the original equipment Shimano SIS pos that I had ridden for two years and beaten and bashed to the point of no return. I wanted the best but the best is way too expensive. This is the perfect upgrade for a good frame with cheep parts like the Aggressor 3. I did have my LBS install it for me so I am not having the same issues that other folks have mentioned. I took it to Don and told him what I wanted and he made sure it all fit.
I love the 175mm crank arms. I had 170mm on the old set and I felt like a weakling. Now I can climb hills like the big boys. The aluminum outer chain ring is super strong. I can go over logs and hear the teeth saw through the wood. I got the smaller outer ring, 44 teeth I think. It is silver and the two inner rings and the cranks are black. It looks great on my blue bike with black and white stripes. The hollow bottom bracket and cranks took about a pound off the bike. The kids love looking through the hole. I recommend this crank to people who ride often but don’t ride a high end bike. My trails are filled with roots, rolling hills and gullies. The only downhills we get are the ones that start at the top of the hills we just climbed. These cranks are perfect for my trails. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben
a Racer
from Austin, TX
Date Reviewed: February 10, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | City Park, Austin | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$75.00 | | Purchased At: | jensonusa.com | | Strengths: | Stiff, cheap, same basic design as XT | | Weaknesses: | Configuration of BB difficult to dial in | | Bike Setup: | Tracer, 5th element, SRAM XO, XT, Marta, FOX F80X, American Classic hubs, Easton, Thompson, new XT/integrated BB crank on the way | | Bottom Line: | Hollowtech design is same a more expensive XT crank. New Octalink BB improves stiffness. My original crank was 68*113. After trying lengths of 113, 118, and 121, I figured out that 121 is the way to go. This is a great buy for the money, just make sure you get the right length of BB otherwise many bad things can happen. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
rob
a Cross Country Rider
from england
Date Reviewed: January 22, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | cannock chase | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | www.woollyhatshop.com | | Strengths: | Light, stiff, shifts well, everything is made for shimano it seems. and it was only £42 from woollyhatshop.com. | | Weaknesses: | Colour! what the hell happened to the raw metal look?
Mine came in the horrid slate blue, which will show up scratches on the crank arms in the near future. The new splined bb cartridge will force you to buy a special shimano tool if you wish to self-service. | | Similar Products Used: | Sugino Giga, Shimano Altus. | | Bike Setup: | lightweight hardtail easton alu frame, deore lx / avid, sub 10kg. | | Bottom Line: | Scope around mail order specialists and you can get this almost half the price than high street shops.
Brings bike weight down, rides/shifts well, should last 5 years, but hate the colour. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason Breault
a Weekend Warrior
from newark, de , usa
Date Reviewed: January 15, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | anything technical , preferr flat or downhill. | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Price Paid: |
$62.00 | | Purchased At: | our dear shop | | Strengths: | lightweight, stiff, strong, reliable. | | Weaknesses: | none that i know of | | Similar Products Used: | shimano tourney, xt | | Bike Setup: | custom full suspension alum frame,suntour fork, hayes hydro rear, avid mech front, alivio detraileurs, redline mx pro pedals, sram hollow pin chain, lizard skins all around | | Bottom Line: | I do some parts ordering at our shop and i sat for hours between a number of catalogues and decided on the lx, as it looked like a good compramise between the xt and the plain deore model. im not much of a weight weenie so i didnt care about the weight. im mainly posting this to provide information on the proper bb to use for this crank, in all of our catalogues, the shimano ES51 is reccomended for the lx crankset, its got a 121mm spindle. comes in both 68 and 73mm case widths and is the standard octalink hollow chromo spindle.
im happy with what i got but i havent had a chance to really test them out. so far the short rides thrut he woods off some 4 foot drops have gone well, with no loosening or creaking
figured id make that info available since theres such a lack of information on the proper bb to use.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stinky Wiz
a Weekend Warrior
from Santa Barbara, Ca,
Date Reviewed: November 14, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | we're not that close | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$120.00 | | Purchased At: | Bicycle Bobs | | Strengths: | Stiff arms, Cheap. | | Weaknesses: | Soft metal, loose crankbolts. | | Similar Products Used: | Raceface Turbines, LX of olde, Acera, Specialized strongarm, olde XT | | Bike Setup: | 03 Heckler, Z-1, avid mechs, reliable, functional. | | Bottom Line: | Ok Here's the deal. Read some posts. Notice the length of use. Listen.
I've had RaceFace Turbines (square taper). Love them. Still have them on hardtail. I'm 220lbs & they are the stiffest, longest lasting (4 yrs +) cranks made & they look the part. I don't care, you can feel it instantly.
I got the Lx's to replace them. I needed a new crankset for hard use due to the gradual boring out of my Race face set, in turn, due to my constant removal & reinstallation (after 4 years mind you). The LX & BB cost about what it would take to replace my 5arm rings (for the 4th time) + I needed a 3rd new BB.
I ride hard. I ride tech. I am big. I have come to an understanding with these cranks.
They are cheap. They are much stiffer than the pre-hollowtech LX units. Have your LBS install the BB & crank for you; that way, they have the proper dimensions installed before you ever see it (or you've got someone to fix it for free)!
I used to bend LX cranks like buttah back in the day, but these, you need to watch the amount of torque applied to the crankbolts. Just enough to fit them snugly, no more, & check after every fourth ride at least. The creak comes from the crank/BB interface & the metal of the crank is soft enough that it is easily deformed, meaning that if you torque them down too tight....foggeddabbouddit, you will never have a proper fit again without resorting to the black arts.
I'm sure this is only a temporary solution, as you need to incrementally increase torque to get them to fit snugly, but you get what you pay for & I'm saving for my next set of turbines (ISIS) now.
Oh, & the rings wear down quick, especially the big ring when grated against rocks on drops! Guess I should get a bashring.
Still on there after though I'm ready with the debit card when the day comes....dang it, it will probably be the day I have to replace chain, cogs & rings! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Cletus
a Weekend Warrior
from WA
Date Reviewed: October 24, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Nashbar | | Strengths: | Light... | | Weaknesses: | confusing on setup with bottom bracket....creaking? | | Similar Products Used: | square taper lx | | Bike Setup: | commuter raleight | | Bottom Line: | First thing is axle length.....i had the same problem mentioned in other posts......i used a 110 mm square taper......and ordered a 113 mm figuring that would be close enough.....i put the bottom bracket in and the crankset on and turned the cranks and they would only move a quarter of a turn..because the inner chainring bolts hit my chainstay...so i went and got a 118 mm xt bottom bracket at local bike shop..seemed to work okay...then after a few days of light riding, i hear the chain hitting every half pedal....like a bent a chain ring...it was the crank coming loose...tightened it..now i have creaking and cranks are coming loose again....i just read a post about xt bottom brackets not working with lx cranksets...i hope that's the problem although my cranks are probably already trashed....i miss the ole eight speed...it was easier to dial in...shimano is the microsoft of bike parts, they force you to buy whole new parts and tools for the parts...i am not impressed with the nine speed setup...maybe they just needed to make up something to sell....next year they'll have the new and improved eight speed and you can buy all new parts again... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Winchester, MA
Date Reviewed: September 22, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | New England | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | Pricepoint | | Strengths: | Very light weight. Stiff, shifts like a bandit and a great value. Works for hard hammering and racing. | | Weaknesses: | None at this time, although I am not crazy about the blue/gray color. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Deore and BB-Awful! | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain Elevation with Shimano XT/LX/Deore | | Bottom Line: | This is a review for the 2003 LX Hollowtech. This a great value in a crank. It is almost identical to the '03 XT except for the crank arm bolts and a steel granny gear,which I prefer. Weight is only a few grams different. With a new LZ chain, BB and cog set you have a balanced system that works on a par with products costing substantially more. Looked at Truvative FireX and RF Progidy XC and am glad we went with this. NOTE: bottom bracket sizing is different for this particular crank and many dealers/vendors don't understand how it works. For a traditional 78/113 BB, you have to use a 121 lengh. Q factors etc remain the same. The XT BB will not work with this. The Octaliks will match but it will be too short. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dennis calapit
a Cross Country Rider
from batangas city, philippines
Date Reviewed: September 15, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | any trail | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | distributed locally | | Strengths: | splined, lighter, proven by some pro reviews - more still and durable than square tapered. | | Weaknesses: | i don't see anything, maybe a couple of years of rugged abuse. | | Similar Products Used: | suntour, shimano deore | | Bike Setup: | cross country hardtail | | Bottom Line: | it's cheap, durable, light and stiff, i recommend it to any riders who have a tight budget on componentry. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan DeLong
a Cross Country Rider
from Bethany, Oklahoma USA
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | the kind that curve around stuff and go up and down | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Purchased At: | jensonusa.com | | Strengths: | Hollowtech design, price/weight ratio | | Weaknesses: | haven't found any yet | | Similar Products Used: | bontrager crankset | | Bike Setup: | '98 softride frame, SID SL fork, Fox float vanilla rear shock, Bontrager select rims, LX crank and cassette, XT/XTR derailers, Bontrager crowbar steering, Titec stem and seatpost, Deore shifting and braking, Geax Beaumont specific tires | | Bottom Line: | Love this Crankset. The performance for the money can't be beat. It may not be as light as the XT or XTR but it performs almost the exact same. Shimano sure does know what they're doing. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill
a Cross Country Rider
from Bethesda MD
Date Reviewed: August 17, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | trails in Quantico | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | came on bike / Performance | | Strengths: | Decent price, OK performance for the $$ | | Weaknesses: | Might be creaky as others tell you.
2003 model (FC-M572) not backwards-compatible.
| | Bike Setup: | GT i-drive and Specialized hardtail | | Bottom Line: | Be super-careful about buying the new LX as an upgrade or replacement crank. Big problems with chain line. You need a much longer BB vs. earlier LX model years, and the BBs aren't readily available.
My sob story: canibalized my broken GT and built up a hardtail so I could ride while I waited for a miracle. When I finally got a frame replacement on the i-drive, I decided to build it back up so I needed some more cranks. Woe is me. Thought I'd save some $ and go with original equiment. Got a good deal on LX cranks, but they turned out to be 2003 FC-M572 (bulge in crank near spindle), not the same as the '01-or-so FC-M571 that I had moved over to my hardtail (no bulge). The FC-M572s sit so much closer to the BB that, on the ES-70 bottom brackets that work fine with the FC-M571, they snug against the shell on the i-drive and won't turn. They will turn but are too close to the seat tube on the Specialized for the derailleur to work. Saw that the "compatability notes" on performance's web site said the new LX cranks use the ES-71 or -51 BB. No change in dimensions on the -71 relative to the -70 - another useless part. And despite this weird geometry, they're still only available in most places in 113 and 118 lengths. I'm using the 73x118, and it looks like I need to get to about a -126 for it to work. Rumor is that a -121 and 126 are available, but so far too hard to find.
BTW, Shimano web site doesn't even list the -572 LX crank as a product, and has nothing in FAQs about this. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken
a Cross Country Rider
from Wethersfield Ct.
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | The kind that have dirt | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | came on bike | | Strengths: | Shift well, fairly stiff,havent noticed an flex | | Weaknesses: | none noticed | | Similar Products Used: | other Shimano, TruVativ | | Bike Setup: | GT I-Drive 3.0 with many up grades | | Bottom Line: | After 2 years of solid service the middle and granny rings need to be replaced. I was thinking about changing the crank and BB but Nashbar has the rings on sale. Bottom line is its a good XC crank set, not sexy but got the job done for an 225# fat guy | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Guy
a Cross Country Rider
from Fareham, Hampshire, England
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | ones with lots of downhill sections | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | chainreactioncycles.com | | Strengths: | Very good value for money. Nice design. relatively lightweight. High performance. sheer quality!!!!! | | Weaknesses: | Do creek sometimes, usually solved by grease.
not much other than that. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Hardrock 01', LX/XT components, Mavic 517 CD's & Mavic D521's, Mitchelin Wildgrippers. | | Bottom Line: | Very good value for money. execellent for a starter crankset.
My View: Go Get one NOW!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ed Tellechea
a Cross Country Rider
from Tallahassee
Date Reviewed: July 6, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Red Bug | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | Joe's Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Inexpensive, stiff, relatively lightweight, I never notice its there. | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | XT, RaceFace | | Bike Setup: | Haro Werks 3.0, Duke SL 80 mm, XT/XTR/SRAM drivetrain, | | Bottom Line: | I have an understanding with my LX crank, it does what it is supposed to do without complaing and I don't replace it. I have no crank issues because it just downright works like it isa supposed to. I ride 90% cross-country but I ride some pretty technical root-infested trails. And I do drop off occassionaly. So it ticks a beating especially when you consider that I weigh 225! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul
a Cross Country Rider
from Bristol, UK
Date Reviewed: June 16, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | Woollyhatshop.com | | Strengths: | Look great, seriously light (644g) only a few g heavier than XT probably due to steel nuts and bolts rather than alloy. | | Weaknesses: | No BB availibility, and very limited information from shops. | | Similar Products Used: | 1995 stx RC 7spd, 1999LX 8spd | | Bike Setup: | Zaskar LE, Xt / LX | | Bottom Line: | If you are tempted by the new gold and black ones make sure that you can get a matching bottom bracket. I got the new FC-M572 cranks, the bike shop told me that due to an increased offset with these cranks they need a longer BB axle (if you normally use a 113mm long axle, you'll now need a 121mm). The bike shop only had a 68mm shell XT BB in this size, I need 73mm. I ordered them anyway, thinking I could get a decent BB elsewhere. In the 20 shops I phoned only 5 new about the increased axle length requirment despite many of them selling the newer crankset, and only 2 had the a suitable length BB in a 73mm shell. Both of these were ES30 (worse than deore). None knew when they would be able to get an XT or LX BB of the required length. 15 shops were unaware of the increased axle length requirment and 3 effectivley told me that I did not know what I was talking about, despite Shimano stating this issue hidden way in their FAQs on the website.
Come on Shimano, why sell people cranksets when you can't supply them with a BB that will last for more than 10 rides? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brown Teeth
a Cross Country Rider
from Morro Bay, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 3, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Over 2000 miles and only had to replace the center ring cause I let my chain go out 1/8 inch. If installed with greese these inexpensive yet light crankset last well and is trouble free. I'm 200 lbs and 6'$" and ride 1000 miles of mostly broken rocky trails | | Weaknesses: | Hard to find one, spline system works well but not burley enough for hard freeriding Tor trails and XC they are in the best buy category and if there was a weakness it would be their lack of snob appeal | | Similar Products Used: | I got 18000 miles on my sugino cranks on my '84 mtn bike, but they are worn out as they should be! Works well as a beer hauler though. | | Bike Setup: | Marin Trail pro, z-1 forks and loads of goodies | | Bottom Line: | Hard to beat the price and they hold up, at least this set has, ordering another for a new frame. That says it all | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a Racer
from Virginia
Date Reviewed: May 24, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything at Snowshoe | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance | | Strengths: | Lightweight, inexpensive, Great shifts | | Weaknesses: | You have to grease the piss out of it or it will squeak. Put a lot of grease on it and torque it down twice a week for 2 weeks and you'll be straight. | | Similar Products Used: | RaceFace Turbine LP, Old school shimano.
| | Bike Setup: | Cannondale Jekyll, Rockshox duke, Hand built mavic 517 and hugi hubs, titec 118, xtr derailleurs, rocket shortys, eggbeater s pedals (sweet looking and liiiight), Mythos front tire, mosquito 2.0 rear, XTR brakes with Avid Ti Levers. Kick butt bike!!!!!! | | Bottom Line: | These cranks work well without having to shell out 200 or 300 bucks, they're light weight and race worthy. I did have to replace the middle ring but it had some miles on it. Install this crankset with plenty of grease and get it torqued and you will have zero problems. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chuck
a Cross Country Rider
from Fort Worth
Date Reviewed: May 14, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Price, weight. | | Weaknesses: | Chainrings. I continually bust teeth off of the middle ring (and I'm not doing it by shifting while climbing).
'02 is flexy.
'03 compatibility with BBs.
Squeeeaaak; must continuously carry around a torque wrench to keep the things tight and squeak free. | | Similar Products Used: | LX, '02 and '03; XT '03; Icon (defunct) Obsidian. | | Bike Setup: | SRAM chain, XT front/rear derailler, XT cassette. | | Bottom Line: | I just can't recommend either the '02 or '03 LX cranks. I wanted to like them. For the '02 crank, I continually busted off middle chainring teeth; I went through 3 rings before I gave up. I think it may have just been my crank; maybe it was just was not aligned well or maybe it is just that flexy. I never could see anything out of alignment, but for whatever reason the quality wasn't there.
For the '03, they definately feel stiffer than the '02, but the compatibility that used to be there between LX and XT BBs is no more. You MUST use the LX bottom bracket for the LX crank. Why? Just so that Shimano can make you buy another BB when you want to upgrade to XT.
I know that the main difference between the LX and XT is supposed to be one more aluminium ring, but for the '03, the XT also is self extracting and can use the XT BB. I would suggest going with the '03 XTs (they look better too).
Although the price is cheap, how can I give the LX anything but low marks if they are useless and not upgradeable without upgrading the BB as well. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Downhiller
from Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: April 16, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance | | Strengths: | Light!1! Strong and affordable. With the hallowtech technology these are as light as the XTR cranks and a fraction of the price. | | Weaknesses: | Visually, they scrape up easily. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano stock | | Bike Setup: | 2001Kona Nunu frame, XT deraillures, XTR/Mavic 517 wheel, XTR Brakes, Bomer fork. | | Bottom Line: | Great product especially for the price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tipsy Russell
a Downhiller
from Pawcatuck CT
Date Reviewed: March 30, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | My back yard trials course | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | My friend gave them to me | | Strengths: | Everything. Strong, light, good looking, cheep (for me at least) | | Weaknesses: | Umm...i think i have older ones because the big ring is riveted on. .... thats ok, i have a chisel... | | Similar Products Used: | Deore | | Bike Setup: | GT Agressor, nothing stock but the frame and forks. Panaracer tires, new GT bars, Look stem, Sun Ringle Ditch witch rims. | | Bottom Line: | Very good cranks. If your whining about looseness or squeaks-learn how to do things right, or have the shop put them on for you. THese cranks are good for anything. I used to have them on my DH bike but i did a 20 and the bottom bracket shell gave out and the whole crankset fell out of the bottom of the bike. Now i use them on my trials bike and with the worst of landings they still hold up strong. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Buckley, Wa usa
Date Reviewed: March 28, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Hers.... I'm always chas'n. Oh thats tail. | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Jenson Usa | | Strengths: | Price of course is why I got them. They are holding up to everything I do. No noise. | | Weaknesses: | The middle ring that comes with the cranks. Teeth break. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized forefingers. | | Bike Setup: | 3 bikes. Freeride 67 Weyless, specialized HT Enduro, Specialized Expedition modified. | | Bottom Line: | I have these cranks on all three of my bikes. One pair for longer than a year and the other two for a few months. The same guys at my bike shop put them on and I have not experienced any noise. I have made sure to check for looseness which wasn't a concern after a few rides. Now I just check them periodically. I have no complaints yet. I am big at 215lb and torque hard on the drivetrain. Lots of lunging over things and grinding hills. I haven't done any hucking, nothing over 3 to 4ft drops either. I just got the freeride 67 though and I will probably test the limits of the cranks with it when I get nervy. I don't care if I break them on it though. These are xc cranks as far as I'm concerned. Later! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott
a Weekend Warrior
from Edmonton,Alberta,Canada
Date Reviewed: February 21, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | RVC | | Strengths: | Light for the price you pay, strong. | | Weaknesses: | Shimano wouldn't share the octalink. | | Similar Products Used: | Other shimano, race face, truvativ. | | Bike Setup: | First bike:gt i-drive for xc
Second bike:devinci magma dh/freeride | | Bottom Line: | To all the people who complain about these cranks comming loose or making too much noise: if you can't install cranks get a compatent mechanic to do it. For the price these cranks can't be beat. I've done everything from racing xc to trials to big hit freeriding on these and I've had no problems with them. Once I've installed them I can ride them all year without them comming loose or making noise, they're light enough for xc but can still take mutiple 10'+ drops. I'm not recomending them for freeride(I only weigh 140lbs)but an xc rider should have no problems regarding strenght and the only excuse for them comming loose and making noise is improper installation. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a Weekend Warrior
from Tempe
Date Reviewed: February 20, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Indian bend wash | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$120.00 | | Purchased At: | Tempe Bicycle | | Strengths: | ummm, it did work a bit | | Weaknesses: | lots, the thing is flexy as hell, I thought it was the bolt and was continually tightning it. After a while I couldn't tighten it any more. It got flexier still, and finally to the point where I could hit both sides of the deraillure cage. I tried to take it off, stripped the bolt head, numerous JB weld attempts later I spent 6 hours with a dremel cutting the damn thing off. During this time I discovered that it was the damn spider that was flexy. It's held on with a second spline thats thermal fused at one end, catch is the fuse doesn't go very deep on the spline. The reason the bolt would come off was that the flange went right through the cheap aluminum on the crankset side spline and fused to the bottom bracket, I still can't get it out. | | Similar Products Used: | 8 speed LX (a good product) 9 speed no name steel el-cheapo (a very good product) | | Bike Setup: | '01 GT i-drive 5.0 with tons of replacement parts, mega 9 sucks | | Bottom Line: | cuttin gdown on weight isn't always a good thing mega 9 drive traines (gears and chains) have half the durability of the old 8-speed stuff, I'm giving up on shimano gears and chains, good riddance | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andy
a Weekend Warrior
from Hamilton Ma
Date Reviewed: February 10, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | lynn woods | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Western cycle Danvers | | Strengths: | not the color | | Weaknesses: | I have owned two pairs of lx cranks and have had zero problems with them. | | Similar Products Used: | xt..sold them on ebay and bought lx cranks and a pair of crupies with the change. | | Bike Setup: | LX everything! Save your money for BEER! | | Bottom Line: | Components have come along way and the price and durability of LX is getting better! Mountain biking is full of coolguys and posers! image is nothing ride LX!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ward
a Cross Country Rider
from vernon, b.c.
Date Reviewed: February 7, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Purchased At: | sun country cycle | | Strengths: | light, strong, and well designed. | | Weaknesses: | none really. | | Similar Products Used: | all types of cranks. | | Bike Setup: | doesn't matter | | Bottom Line: | I see a lot of people posting saying that these cranks are heavy, or "flexy", or they broke. Heres the deal, the manufacturing systems that we have devised for production of items is not perfect. Every once in a while someone going to get a defect. I've had xt cranks that broke after a year of riding, but I still think there good cranks up to the point that they broke, I chalk it up to a small flaw. Now the guys who are taking 12 foot drops and stuff and complain that the lx cranks "wimped out", what a surprise!! You launched off a 12 foot drop, what did you expect from a cross country type crank. If you have a downhill bike and love doing that stuff, get a down hill crank. These cranks hold up well under xc racing conditions for me.P.S. xt cranks are only 9 grams lighter (thats a stick of gum) is that going to make a difference? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Raymond
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas, TX
Date Reviewed: February 5, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Lake Grapevine North Shore | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$85.00 | | Purchased At: | Richardson Bike Mart | | Strengths: | Looks Good, shifts well, dependable | | Weaknesses: | wish the large cog was bigger | | Similar Products Used: | Suntour Crankset | | Bike Setup: | 2001 Giant Iguana, extremely modified with XT drivetrain minus the crank. | | Bottom Line: | For the money, it's adequate. I've ridden XC all over Texas in addition to various trails in Colorado and no complaints. Unless you're a serious racer I can't see spending the extra cash to upgrade | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tony
a Downhiller
from Tucson, AZ USA
Date Reviewed: January 22, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Fantasy Island | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$55.00 | | Purchased At: | Nashbar | | Strengths: | Inexpensive, Lightweight, clean looking | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager, Truvativ | | Bike Setup: | Home-built Hardtail | | Bottom Line: | Best bang for your buck. If you want to do 10-foot drops, then do NOT buy a $55 crankset, and complain that they bend. It shifts SMOOTH with other Shimano drivetrain components. It doesn't skip a beat. It's a perfect crankset for XC use and those wanting something great for very little money. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a Racer
from Alabama
Date Reviewed: November 28, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Oak Mtn. | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Cheap | | Weaknesses: | Flexy, decals came off the first ride, chainrings wear down quicky, ugly color. | | Similar Products Used: | Race Face | | Bike Setup: | Specilized M4, Manitou Skareb Super, LX/XT POS Shimano LX crank | | Bottom Line: | This crank sucks! Dont buy it, wait a little longer and save up money and get something else. If you wear out the middle ring buy a Race Face ring.(thats what I did and race face is MUCH better, but it sucks that i had to buy a shimano for the big ring because it was the only one that fit). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Frank
a Cross Country Rider
from denver Colorado
Date Reviewed: November 9, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | all hard ones | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Wheat Ridge Cyclery | | Strengths: | Strong and lookes great, not shore how it works with over 100 pound people. | | Weaknesses: | none, alittle heavey for my taste | | Similar Products Used: | old sh*tty shwinn crank | | Bike Setup: | Yeti, XTR rear derr, Manitou blach comps, avid machanical discs | | Bottom Line: | Good hardy crank. just fine for begginers. i want a lighter crank though. There is no problem with my 100 LB's. it is not to expensive compared to some, and is a intermediat crank. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeremy
a Weekend Warrior
from Littleton, Colorado
Date Reviewed: September 1, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | performance | | Strengths: | not too expensive, good for people on a budget | | Weaknesses: | flexy and weak, the spindle hole started to bend due to the torque i put on the crank | | Similar Products Used: | truvativ race face and other shimano stuff | | Bike Setup: | Rocky mountain DH team, jr t, hope disc, xt driveline, | | Bottom Line: | i bought this crank when i needed a 9 sp setup badly. It is a good crank for people who aren't going to beat the bike up. i have broken the rear end of the bike 2 times already and the crank held up pretty well. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Derik Hinz
a Weekend Warrior
from Cary, NC
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | Jensonusa.com | | Strengths: | Cheap, easy to install | | Weaknesses: | I thought I was getting a great deal on this crankset at $60. Not the case! The first time out the things began squeaking like hell at the top of each pedal stroke. I tightened everything down and greased it all up. No luck - still creaking w/ each stroke. What a peice of garbage! The stickers also peeled off after only light use. | | Bike Setup: | K2 Disco Monkey w/ LX drivetrain, Chris King headset, Avid Disc breaks, Rock Shox Psylo. | | Bottom Line: | Total junk even @$60 - I should've sucked it up and bought the RaceFace crankset - live & learn I guess :( | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Blacksburg, VA
Date Reviewed: August 12, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$55.00 | | Purchased At: | jensonusa.com | | Strengths: | lighter advertised weight than XT cranks, stiff, shifts well, and the price is right. | | Weaknesses: | I snapped a tooth off of the middle chainring and the color is kinda wierd if that sorta thing bothers you... | | Bottom Line: | I have the updated version with the ES-70 splined bottom bracket. They are plenty stiff for all of my 145 pounds and have held up well except for one broken tooth on my middle ring. That might be my fault- I know I am wicked to my drivetrain. If you like to force a shift or power shift then this might not be the set for you. The only other wear after a year of abuse is the LX logo is wearing off of the arms (I know, boo hoo right?). But fo 55 bucks I would definitely say it is worth it. I would suggest this set for lighter riders and riders who know how to shift correctly. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Patrick Jordan
a Cross Country Rider
from Aptos,CA,USA
Date Reviewed: July 20, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | All of Them | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson USA | | Strengths: | Light weight and good shifting. Very stiff with the splined bottom bracket. | | Weaknesses: | Chainring seem on soft side as the chain seems to gouge easily. There is also no way to remove the crank from the spider to rebuild as it is press fit together. | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager Race,XT forged(old) | | Bike Setup: | Fisher Sugar 3 with a 4" Xvert up front. | | Bottom Line: | Performed well for 8 months then developed creaking on hard climbs. Tryed to rebuild but could not per above. Unusable piece of junk now. Would never have bought it if I had known this. I suppose it was cheap, You get what you pay for. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter
a Cross Country Rider
from Cambridge, MA
Date Reviewed: July 18, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$135.00 | | Strengths: | Not sure. Haven't used many other cranks. | | Weaknesses: | Feel apart after a year of light commuting around Boston. Shimano wouldn't replace it under warranty. As someone said, the bolt works itself lose pretty easily. At that point, the crank arm falls off (potentially very dangerously). The arm is ruined, and you need a new crankset. | | Bottom Line: | Crappy product. Reasonably light, but unreliable. If you don't mind unreliable, you're better off with a cheaper crank. Otherwise, you're better spending more, and getting something that'll last more than a year of light use/few months of heavy use. You'll have a better, safer crank and since it'll last several times as long, it'll be cheaper in the end. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
scott
a
from colorado
Date Reviewed: July 5, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Light, durable, shifts well, splined, Hollowtech. | | Weaknesses: | none yet | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager comp, Shimano deore, stx | | Bike Setup: | Joker | | Bottom Line: | For the money it has to be one of the best cranks on the market. It is very close to being as light as XT, XTR, or Race Face Next LP cranks and they are a fraction of the cost. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Makumba E-S
a Cross Country Rider
from Toowoomba, Australia
Date Reviewed: June 25, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | cheeseburger | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Strengths: | Very light and strong. An excellent crank for general xc use or light freeriding. Very reliable shifting, as long as your derailleur is adjusted properly. | | Weaknesses: | As the big ring is an alloy ring, the teeth are slightly prone to bending when grinding over logs and roots. | | Similar Products Used: | Suntour MD-300 | | Bike Setup: | Giant h'tail w/ deore & LX bits | | Bottom Line: | An excellent crank for its intended purpose and great value for money. Worth every cent. Do not buy these if you are into drops over 4ft. Go for a DH crank. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nate
a
from Rocky Mountains
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | lots | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Strengths: | This crank is strong and light. It is not made for jumping off 6 foot drops, so get a different crank if you ride that way. I ride many technically difficult trails pretty hard in the Colorado and Wyoming Rocky Mountains, and it has held up fine. It has remained very stiff and the bottom bracket this crank uses is smooth. | | Weaknesses: | The chainrings wear somewhat quickly, so you might have to replace the chainrings as they get older. | | Similar Products Used: | many | | Bottom Line: | Get this crank if you want to ride hard but not stupid. It is not a freestyle, trick, or race crank, so don't treat it as one. This crank will hold up in many difficult conditions if you ride with a little brains. I give it a 4 because the chainrings do wear a little quick, but those are easy to replace. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben
a Cross Country Rider
from Suffield, Ct
Date Reviewed: June 18, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | anything but uphill | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$157.00 | | Purchased At: | with bottom bracket, at state line cycles | | Strengths: | um... it was better than the coda i stripped... thats pretty much it... oh yeah, its pretty cheap | | Weaknesses: | flexy, really loud, poor fit and finish, fragile | | Similar Products Used: | XT, XTR, race face next LP, race face north shore DH, and who can forget coda.... i wish i could. | | Bike Setup: | i have the LX on my cannondale superV 900. the only mods ive done to it, other than the drive train (which except for the crank arms and bb. is all XTR) are some XTR v-brakes. | | Bottom Line: | not very good, its weak, heavier than XTR (but what isnt) it was actually pretty good for a while, then it started having this awful creaking noise, but i put a different crank in, and it stopped. so i guess you could say that it wears out very quickly. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean
a Racer
from Santa Clarita
Date Reviewed: April 28, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Nature Center | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Strengths: | no creaking and very good... for about a month | | Weaknesses: | One of the two that I have had just falls off when I am riding. Today, it cost me a race. | | Similar Products Used: | xtr race face | | Bike Setup: | expensive | | Bottom Line: | After 6 months, I have gone through two. These cranks were stiff, but they do keep falling off during races. It takes only 4 miles for the baolt to completely extract and the crank to fall off, they suck. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nick
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver, WA
Date Reviewed: January 3, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | no name | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | free-came on bike, light | | Weaknesses: | flexy, sprokets bent, bearings fell apart, cheaply built | | Similar Products Used: | GT | | Bike Setup: | Mongoose, Shimano front disk, Risse rear shock, stock fork | | Bottom Line: | Good for street riding or light trails, bent-broke first major drop and I only weigh 155, bearings are POS!!! threads strip very easily, ends of crank bent at pedal. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter
a Downhiller
from Lynchburg, VA
Date Reviewed: December 6, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Snowshoe Mtn. | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Bikes Unlimited | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | Everything. Won't stand up to a 4.5ft stair drop. Crank was bent to hell. I got it because I stripped out my left side Race Face Prodigy( crap too). Also broke the BB spindle | | Similar Products Used: | Azonic 454 3-piece cranks. Race Face Prodigy | | Bike Setup: | '02 Santa Cruz Bullit- Rock Shox Psylo SL, Sun Singlewides, Fox Vanilla RC....etc. | | Bottom Line: | This crank sucks. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan Lemmers
a Cross Country Rider
from Ft. Gordon, GA
Date Reviewed: September 28, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Pisgah NF | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | Pricepoint | | Strengths: | Light Weight, Looks Cool | | Weaknesses: | Brittle | | Similar Products Used: | Coda Crankset | | Bike Setup: | '98 C'dale F700 upgraded to mostly XT drivetrain | | Bottom Line: | The first thing I noticed when took this crankset for a spin was its light weight compared with the stock Coda crank set I replaced after I bent some teeth on the small chainring. I am overall quite pleased with the crankset despite losing a tooth here and there on large and medium cookies. It hasn't affected the performance of the crankset...yet. I would actually prefer that the teeth break off, rather than bend as this keeps the odd angles from ruining your chain. For $70 I wasn't expecting something to last forever. I wouldn't recommend this crankset for the longhaul but for a rider on a budget it'll get you by. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
andrew
a Cross Country Rider
from fairmont wv
Date Reviewed: September 15, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1150.00 | | Strengths: | work well, what more can you ask for for a crank? nice finish out of the box | | Weaknesses: | anodizing (or anodized looking paint) wears off reallly quickly. if you want the neato LX logo or the faux xtr grey finish, itll wear off quick. (mine are turning shiny silver now) | | Bike Setup: | bike with wheels and stuff | | Bottom Line: | works well.... cant ask for anything more. cant justify upgrading. i guess if you are a poser, you would look more "core" if you wore the finish off your cranks eh? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Connor
a Weekend Warrior
from Colorado
Date Reviewed: September 13, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Transparent function. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | '96 Trek 970/modified Judy XC | | Bottom Line: | I have used this stock crank on a daily basis for 5 years/3000+ miles for commuting to work daily and XC riding in the Rockies. They have functioned flawlessly. No creaks, bends, loose hardware, missed shifts, etc. I still have the original chainrings which have outlasted 2 chains now. Keep it clean, the chain cleaned/lubed (Krytech) and it will probably last forever. Cheap, reliable, troublefree-I don't think you could ask more of a mountain bike bike component. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chance
a Weekend Warrior
from Fayetteville, AR, USA
Date Reviewed: May 24, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Yes, I do have one. | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Light. 9 grams heavier than the XT and lighter than both XTR's. Seems to be pretty durable to me, improved my shifting. | | Weaknesses: | Haven't really seen any yet. But, I can only compare it to my old crank... | | Similar Products Used: | Yes. | | Bike Setup: | Tassajara with multiple upgrades. XT front and rear, LX cassette, crank(obviously), longer seatpost, time pedals, tires, blah blah blah. Fork is stock.
| | Bottom Line: | These work fine. Looking at the difference between these and the XT I couldn't justify spending more money on the XT. Believe me when I tell you I can usually justify extra expenses on my bike. Besides, I think the XT teeth will fit on this crank if that's what you're worried about. As for flex? Haven't noticed. With my weight I can't put a lot of pressure on this crank. Might be why I'm one of the few who haven't noticed the low end fork on this bike bottoming out. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Tulsa, OK USA
Date Reviewed: May 18, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Big Rocks and/or Steep Downhill | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS (Used) | | Strengths: | Inexpensive, reliable, steel small ring | | Weaknesses: | Not as light or as fancy looking as the more expensive cranks. | | Similar Products Used: | Sugino 700x, other entry level shimano cranks | | Bike Setup: | Hardtail, 7 speed (yeah I'm using 8/9 speed cranks because there is not a noticeable difference) SRAM PC-48/now PC-68, IG Cassette, XT front der, LX rear der | | Bottom Line: | It works, hasn't broken, flex is not noticeable. I weigh in at 260lbs and work out at around 300lbs on squat. I ride rock gardens, do small drops, and a few small jumps as well as some steep climbs for my weight. I have yet to be able to detect flex in this crank. Some of these guys must be really sensitive to flex.
I got the used LX as a temporary to replace the Sugino 700x I ripped apart until a new ('99) LX crank made it in from Cambria ($50). That was nearly 3 months ago. I'm still using the used crank. I removed and cleaned the small and medium rings last night. I touched up the teeth using my Dremel with a fiber wheel (Basically a mini grinder) as a deburring tool. I then reinstalled all of the chainring bolts with Loctite (Blue) and torqued them down.
This is one point I would like to add on to. Check your chain ring bolts regularly. I've seen two folded small rings in the last 3 months. One my Sugino (I would say this may have been a loose bolt, but it was also a CHEAP Crank) the other was a higher end Specialized (It was definitely due to loose bolts) It's easy to take a 5mm hex wrench once a week and check 8 to 15 bolts. Check OEM torque though because these are aluminum and will crack when over torqued.
And on the subject of bent large chain rings, if you ride XC the way I do the big ring is nothing but a rock guard to protect your weak aluminum middle ring anyway. I would be better off grinding all of the teeth off and adjusting my shifter to not go that high so that the teeth don't bend over and start grabbing my chain when I'm in the middle ring (go ahead and laugh, but with the rocky trails We ride I saw this happen just a couple of weeks ago on a friends bike) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City, Utah
Date Reviewed: April 18, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Desolation Lake | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Has lasted longer than I expected, perfectly functional, not offensive looking, not grossly heavy, way cheap. | | Weaknesses: | Yes, they are flexy. | | Similar Products Used: | Sugino, XTR, RaceFace, LX Hollowtech | | Bike Setup: | RM Instinct | | Bottom Line: | It was $30 on mail order and I figured I could use them until I could get Next LPs with the ISIS drive. I didn't expect to have to wait this long for them but in the mean time the LXs have done better than I expected. They're nowhere near as stiff as their Hollowtech brethren or RaceFace but they shift okay and they haven't fallen apart (my LBS has got great mechanics). Actually the middle ring looks like a Sugino; I honestly wonder if the mail order guys swapped it before sending it to me especially given how many reviews complain about the Shimano middle rings.
It may sound funny but I think these are the best-looking Shimano cranks second to XTR. I can't stand the dirty, yellow-tinted metallic hues on the new LX and XT. As if mountainbikes aren't gaudy-looking enough as it is, Shimano may as well go to pastels--but please don't.
There are much better performing cranks out there(I'm still waiting to get that RaceFace), but these work fine. Ain't nuttin' wrong with dat. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
raven raven
a Downhiller
from vancouver
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | North Shore | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | local shop | | Strengths: | Cheap | | Weaknesses: | Soft metal bends and rounds with heavy DH or FR riding | | Bottom Line: | XC they are fine, they do the trick.
Any more hardcore action needs Race Face or Kooka DH | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Devin
a Racer
from Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: January 28, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | The Normac | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Purchased At: | My bike shop, came with my bike | | Strengths: | It works...thats about it | | Weaknesses: | Its heavy, it flexes, it made a creaking sound on the first ride out of the shop, it clicks, it scratches easy and the decals came off on the first ride. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized, XT, XTR, Alivio | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain Oxygen Race with XT/LX, bomber Z4 and upgrades | | Bottom Line: | I guess this is ok for the price. It will definetely upgrade to raceface. If you are looking to upgrade, DONT BUY THIS CRANK! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Willie
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco, CA
Date Reviewed: January 14, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$39.00 | | Strengths: | Best under $200 crankset on the market | | Weaknesses: | Not enough 'flash' for posers | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XTR
Race Face
Ritchey
Specialized/Sugino
| | Bike Setup: | 1997 No-name Sandvik Ti hardtail, built from frame
1996 AMP B-3
1999 Diamondback FS | | Bottom Line: | The 8-speed 1996 & 1998 LX Shimano crankset is the best-shifting under $200 crankset on the market, bar none. There is a reason that this crankset SOLD OUT quickly at all mailorder houses once Shimano introduced 9-speed. There isn't anything else that shifts remotely as well. I haven't had any durability issues with Shimano cranksets at all, and I ride hard; anything can and will break with enough abusive treatment, but no one's going to tell you they smashed their $300 aftermarket crank on a rock b/c they'd look stupid. Some expensive aftermarket cranks still shift worse than $50 STX units. I stocked up on cranksets & rings so I won't ever have to purhase narrow 9-speeds or make do with inferior 8-speed products.
Every 6 months there is a current poser crankset of choice, but when I test other people's stuff I still find it shifts the same or even worse than low-level Shimano stuff. No one else has researched tooth profile and chain/cogset interaction as much as the big S, and it shows. I definitely get better performance with all-Shimano: chain, crankset, cogset/cassette. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
George
a Weekend Warrior
from Hamilton
Date Reviewed: December 10, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Strengths: | Cheap | | Weaknesses: | flexy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! they strip way too easily. get chunked and scraped like hell | | Similar Products Used: | RaceFace turbines | | Bottom Line: | king of the a$$factory, worse than sugino
don't buy them if you have the slightest love for your bike | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ben seltzer
a Racer
from boulder colorado usa
Date Reviewed: October 12, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | not gonna tell | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Purchased At: | dont remember | | Strengths: | none thats the problem there not strong. at all. not even a little bit.
| | Weaknesses: | well besides that they are shimano, They bend. they strip. and they break. If you ride anything harder then moderate save er bills by buying something better. and no i dont mean
| | Similar Products Used: | other types of shimano and some bmx stuff. | | Bike Setup: | single speed haro, z1cr, xt brakes, surly hubs (nice hubs) | | Bottom Line: | If you ride anything harder then moderate save er bills by buying something better. and no i dont mean xt or xtr they are the same, pieces of sh*t. Buy race face or something.
Im gettin profiles, they are stiff as hell and burly to the point of overkill. Save some cash and ante up the first time.
if only you could do zero flamin chunks o' flesh.
sorry to sound bitter, if only you could see my left leg you'd be bitter, after you stopped hurling that is. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Trav
a Weekend Warrior
from Ct
Date Reviewed: September 13, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | finding new ones | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | bike shop i work @ | | Strengths: | good arms-nice shiny prety strong | | Weaknesses: | the rings-first day upped one rock and good by 3 teeth on the 3rd ring..can we say bash gaurd? | | Similar Products Used: | specialized cranks | | Bottom Line: | decent arms...get rid of the rings use possibly race face if you want to invest in them..don't buy these as an upgrade..they are good quick replacements but thats about it | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
brandon
a Weekend Warrior
from houston
Date Reviewed: September 3, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | anthills | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | JensonUSA | | Strengths: | Price
Quality
Lower gears - 22 & 32 teeth | | Weaknesses: | high gear - only 42 teeth | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano SIS | | Bike Setup: | Motobecane frame, Mostly LX components | | Bottom Line: | A great crank for the money (I got the '98 model at JensonUSA.com for $45) and it shifts great. It is semi-lightweight and looks wonderful. My only comloaint is that there are only 42 teeth on the top gear... oh well. 5 flaming rodents tor the LX! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle WA
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Tiger Mountain | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Inexpensive, Shimano shift pins and ramps. | | Weaknesses: | Fashion conscious riders opt for more expensive crankset because they think it will make them a better rider. | | Similar Products Used: | xt, xtr, race face | | Bike Setup: | Gary Fisher Mt. Tam Xt with lx cranks and brakes
rebuilt Trek 850 (commuter) xt with lx cranks | | Bottom Line: | I use Lx cranksets on my mtn bike and my commuter bike and have for the last 6 years. I work part time at a bike shop and have heard all the arguements about rigidity etc..... and to be honest there is not that much of a difference. I also get parts at cost so the money is not the reason for my concern.
Most people would agree for xc riding Shimano cranksets shift the best.....So that takes out the fashion brands (race face, etc)
If you have to buy something "cool" please dont waste your money on a set on Race Face Next Lp.....I know you think they look pretty and they match that carbon seatpost you just couldnt live without but they are nothing more than eye candy.........Waste your money on the Turbine LP they are two ounces lighter (dont believe what Race Face says I put them on the scales side by side at the shop) and they will cost you a hundred less.
XT vs. LX
Read the Shimano literature and you will find that the only difference between the XT and LX cranksets is that the LX has a steel granny ring and the XT has an aluminum one. A WEIGHT DIFFERENCE OF NINE GRAMS.....
Please.....Dont waste your money
Spend it on a better frame, a better fork or for trail work on your favorite trail.... but dont fall for the name game. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
The Wise Rabbit
a Racer
from Virginia
Date Reviewed: July 21, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Panorama | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Great value, long lasting, relatively light, relatively stiff, shifts well. | | Weaknesses: | Not as light as the lightest, not as stiff as the stiffest. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Acera, XT, Icon Torq, Specialized Strongarm, | | Bike Setup: | (Drivetrain) 98 LX Crankset, ESP 9.0 Shifters and Rder, XTR everything else. | | Bottom Line: | Very good Crankset, and the best you can get for $45. If you've got the money, it's worth going up to an XT Hollowtech (I'll be doing that soon) but these cranks will never let you down as they never have me. Why am I switching- the weight this one weighs around 740, the 00 XT around 645, plus the saved weight by the splined bottom bracket. Still, you can't go wrong with these. Definitely the best value out there. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Downhiller
from B.C. Canada
Date Reviewed: July 2, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | dirk diggler | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | its really cheap
some what stiff | | Weaknesses: | breaks with little drops from 5-6 feet to flat landing | | Similar Products Used: | raceface LP, north shore, DH LP
XT,XTR | | Bike Setup: | shimano LX BB
3" rear travel | | Bottom Line: | it was a good crank for along time untill i got heavily into DH and big drop north shore style and urban riding
its super cheap but id say but something a bit better cause it broke on me and it was constantly getting loose
after the one side broke i took the other side off and it was starting to get sheared away at the BB | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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