Submitted by
NaughtyPanda
a Cross Country Rider
from France Date Reviewed: September 21, 2009
Favorite Trail:
XC
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Came on the original
Strengths:
It is cheap... And it does look good.
Weaknesses:
It didn't even survive a ridiculous 1 meter drop... And no, i'm not riding a hardtail...
I got some replacement parts but the whole thing was just beyond repair.
The list of things that went kaputt is :
- Main aluminium bolt which holds the left crank (The drop)
- Groove on the left crank (gradually in the following months)
Now the left crank keeps getting loose and has to be retightened every 15 minutes.
Similar Products Used:
Stronglight/Shim cranksets
Bike Setup:
Type FSR VPP with 130mm travel
Bottom Line:
Do. Not. Buy. This. Piece. Of. Junk.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
morgan1819
a Cross Country Rider
from Kalamazoo Date Reviewed: August 10, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Fort Custer "The Fort"
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Great when installed properly.
Weaknesses:
For some reason SRAM's instructions indicate a spacer is needed on the driveside of a 73mm bb shell. NO SPACER IS NEEDED.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT
Bike Setup:
Turner Burner XT. Trek STP400 carbon.
Bottom Line:
These have worked flawlessly for a couple of years now on my back-up bike (yes, it gets used a lot - especially in bad conditions). I'm wondering how many people below installed the 2.5mm spacer when using the GXP BB and Firex combo. If the spacer is installed on a standard 73mm bb shell, you will not be able to get the crank to seat properly, and all sorts of things will (of course) start going wrong.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Velo
a Cross Country Rider
from UK Date Reviewed: May 6, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
On a new bike
Strengths:
None
Weaknesses:
Everything
Similar Products Used:
The usual
Bike Setup:
Singlespeed
Bottom Line:
I weigh 170 pounds, I ride hard XC but no jump monkey. As I'm an engineer I know about installation torques blah blah. The most poorly engineered product I have ever had the misfortune to come across in 15 years of MTBing. Absolute garbage. Avoid. Zero chillis. My first experience of any SRAM product - never again by choice.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Clements
a Cross Country Rider
from San Luis Obispo, CA, US Date Reviewed: May 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Morning Glory
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Cambria Bicycle Works
Weaknesses:
design of bolt securing crank to spindle
Similar Products Used:
various road cranks from shimano
Bike Setup:
Felt RXC x-country
Bottom Line:
As others have reported, the bolt securing the left-side crank to the spindle repeatedly loosened; torquing it up to the recommended 55 Nm worked for a while, but then they began loosening again. When I couldn't keep them tight for the first 20 minutes of a ride, I had them replaced under warranty; we'll see if the replacement (the first set was OEM) lasts any longer.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JP Taberdo
a Cross Country Rider
from Brisbane Date Reviewed: August 4, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Majura Pines
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Brisbane Bicycles
Strengths:
Works. Has lasted for ages without any problems.
Weaknesses:
Not super-light, but pretty good for the price
Similar Products Used:
race face
Bike Setup:
LX front der, X.7 rear. x.7 shifters. XTR chain.
Bottom Line:
Works sweet. No problems at all, and i've done almost 6000km on the bike. Seems to be stiff enough for XC stuff.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Spencer Thayer
a Racer
from Chicago Date Reviewed: June 16, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Chicago Streets
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$120.00
Strengths:
None.
Weaknesses:
This is perhaps the worst Truvativ product on the market. These will fall apart if you use them for more than a month everyday.
Bike Setup:
Hybrid
Bottom Line:
This product fell apart on a very busy Chicago street.
They were literally almost responsible for killed me.
AVOID THIS PRODUCT!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Buford, GA Date Reviewed: June 4, 2007
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Adventure Cycles
Strengths:
Strong, great looks, fairly light weight.
Weaknesses:
None so far. I didn't have to tighten the crank bolts once. I am 235 pound rider and haven't had any problems.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano
Bike Setup:
Mid-range MTN bike.
Bottom Line:
This Shimano that came on my bike broke within six weeks. The Truvativ has been great for almost two years. I can't think of one complaint. I would recommend this to any rider over 200 pounds. For the money you can't beat it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
boun khang
a Cross Country Rider
from Troutman Date Reviewed: March 29, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Salem Lake
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
None
Weaknesses:
Bearing creaks, pops, you name it, it's got it all,bolts coming loose evry 3 to 6 miles
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT, Specialized Strong Arm
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper Pro, XT componens except the stupid crank, Mavic Crossride, Manitou Minute 1:00, Swinger 3 way rear
Bottom Line:
Don't buy this crank. It a piece of crap. All the negative things in these reviews, I experienced them too.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dave
a
from usa Date Reviewed: January 28, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
it held up for a few rides
Weaknesses:
it lossened up and stripped out within three rides. i took it back to the store for the guy to tell me i need a new one that wouldnt do the same thing, it did. this product sucks
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
haro v3
Bottom Line:
do not get this product, its a piece of crap
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
J Cote
a Weekend Warrior
from ottawa Date Reviewed: September 1, 2006
Favorite Trail:
chelsea
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$110.00
Purchased At:
bike on line
Strengths:
JUNK
Weaknesses:
JUNK. THESE GUYS SHOULD GIVE UP BUILDING CRANKS. I HAVE AN ELITA CRANK AND THE DAMN BOLT CAME LOOSE AFTER 3 LONG RIDES ON MY CX. JUST SUCKS THESE CRANKS DO. ONE BOLT HOLDS THE CRANK ARM AND THATS IT. ALL THE FORCE IS AGAINST THIS ONE LITTLE BOLT. WHO ENGINEERED THAT!!!!???? JUNK
Similar Products Used:
XTR, XT, LX, STXRC, FSA, others...
Bike Setup:
TItus racerx XTR blizzard XT
Bottom Line:
JUNK. GO BUY XT OR LX. FITS SNUG AND TIGHT. TRUVATIV JUST JUNK!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Denis
a Weekend Warrior
from White Rock Date Reviewed: August 18, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
came on bike
Strengths:
looks.crank arms seem strong
Weaknesses:
External GXP BB is absolute junk
Bike Setup:
stock Jamis XLT2.0 2006
Bottom Line:
I had Race Face Evolve DH on my switch with external bb and thought it was the cats adss, which it was. When I got this bike, it had external as well which I really like from previous experience. I had the bike fopr just over three weeks and developed a nasty creaking. Took the pedals off, bb and the plastic sleeve that connects the two cups was buckled and cracked everywhere. It took me an hour to get the bb out of the shell, which should be a under 5 minute job. I am selling them on Ebay. 1 flammin turd for value, and 2 because they look good.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alastair MacGregor
a Cross Country Rider
from Adelaide, SA, Australia Date Reviewed: February 21, 2006
Favorite Trail:
chambers gully
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$110.00
Purchased At:
OE on Iorn Horse, Warrior Race
Strengths:
they haven't snapped quite yet! although they sound like they are almost there.
Weaknesses:
developed a severe clicking on their second long XC excursion, would not shut up despit repeated pull-downs and re-tightening. Hit them with loc-tite, just to have them still click and creak away despite being tightened to damnation. The mongrels won't settle down at all.
Similar Products Used:
Nothing quite as bad since snapping a pair of Alivio's in half..
Bike Setup:
XC hardtail, full XT drivetrain (including crankset soon)
Bottom Line:
Won't deal with any truvativ cranks again. Go the XT.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Martin
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas, TX Date Reviewed: February 20, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Grapevine
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$75.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Stiff, strong.
Weaknesses:
shifting under load
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Strongarm, Tioga Revolver, Shimano LX
Bike Setup:
kona muni-mula w/ goodies
Bottom Line:
Good cranks. Solid, stiff, no problems. I'm a big guy, about 210, do some urban and freeride but mostly cross country. Some drops, 3-4 foot regularly, no bending, creaking, or loosening. Solid, could shift a little better though that's why overall is only 4.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jonny
a Downhiller
from banchory Date Reviewed: January 4, 2005
Favorite Trail:
scolty freeride
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$70.00
Strengths:
used downhill a few times and still in good shape
Weaknesses:
none so far
Bottom Line:
good chainset
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
greatwhitemocha
a Weekend Warrior
from Manila, Philippines Date Reviewed: October 17, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Sta. Rosa
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Smooth as silk shifting... light as hell
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
truvativ FiveD (total CRAP!)
Bottom Line:
Totally worth the money. can not say anything bad about this crankset. i am totally regretting not shelling out the cash for this and bought a fived... those were total CRAP!!! believe me, you will not regret getting these cranks
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
George
a Cross Country Rider
from Dublin, CA Date Reviewed: July 19, 2004
Favorite Trail:
any trail
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Price Point
Strengths:
Great looks, shift great, very light, aluminum chainrings, comes in black.
Weaknesses:
None, except I had to tighten down the cranks a couple of times.
Similar Products Used:
Mostly Shimano, other Truvativ cranks, Race Face.
Bike Setup:
Supergo Access XCL 18 inch black hardtail with Avid mechanicals, mostly Shimano.
Bottom Line:
I've had no problems with this cranks except to tighten down the crank a couple of times. It's light, shifts great, and looks good. I use the old style taper BB because ISIS BB bearings don't seem to last. I use a Shimano UN-73 bottom bracket which seems to last forever.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Truvativ Sucks
a Weekend Warrior
from Tucson, AZ, USA Date Reviewed: June 16, 2004
Favorite Trail:
anything with dirt
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
OEM on bike
Strengths:
They are fun destroy with a plasma cutter.
Weaknesses:
The crank arms wallowed out after the damn screws came loose. i tightened them up and they would not stay tight. i looked at the square part of the crank arm, and the edges were ROUND!!! the crank moved back and forth as well as side to side, even when the bolt was as tight as it went. threadlocker could not hold the bolt on. the teeth on the gear wore out quickly, and now whenever i give it torque, the chain will skip. they are way to flexible, and i only weight 130! the bb leaks oil like mad, and is very noisy.
Similar Products Used:
Walmart, which lasted longer than this crap.
Bike Setup:
One that no longer uses truvativ anything.
Bottom Line:
if i could give them negative flaming chilis, i would. get a raceface.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
GMS
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada Date Reviewed: May 6, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
The cranks are good and strong, take smacks off rocks with ease. The ISIS spline seems strong to keep the crank on the BB
Weaknesses:
THE BOTTOM BRACKET! Its junk! Had it for a week and the thing came loose, no matter how many times it got tightened up, it still came loose till eventually the berrings went at approx 500kms or 4 months old. Droped in a FSA BB and no more problems!
Similar Products Used:
FSA
Bike Setup:
Haro Escape 8.1
Bottom Line:
Good cranks-Bad BB Mine looks awsome with a Blackspire bash guard on it, although you loose the 44t gear, you dont tear your pants and clean up the look of the bike greatly!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bilbao Mofonofo
a Weekend Warrior
from Northern Cal, USA Date Reviewed: April 12, 2004
Favorite Trail:
BJ Betty
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At:
nashbar
Strengths:
Tough to find 28-38-48 city bike sizing, looks, weight, price
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
Hollowtech LX, Sugino
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Hybrid 400, completely pimped
Bottom Line:
Since my road bike is completely pimped, and I didn't want to start getting redundant with my urges to fix something, I got a Hybrid bike to cruise the neighborhodd with my girl. Even though it's a sweet Cannondale (beautiful welds), it had some ca-ca components and I had to pimp this biyatch too (the bike, not the girl). I got rid of the ugly, heavy Sugino cranks that came with the bike, and got the Truvativ Firex "Trekking" 28-39-48 crankset from ghetto-ass Nashbar for $70. Even though this larger "Trekking" version is 200 grams more than the stock ATB version, at 860 grams, it's still pretty good for a city bike's cranks. It's smooth, more than durable for city riding, and looks nice on my g-ride. It's really hard to find a high quality crankset in this gearing range and the only other comparable cranksets in my opinion are the XTR which comes in a 26-36-48, and the Turbine which comes in a 22-34-46. The XTR and Turbine are $250+, and although I'm a big baller, I don't ball out of control and the XTR and Turbine are a little too boughetto for trips to the local pub. Truvativ Firex "Trekking"-me likey
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Elan
a
from gtown colroado usa Date Reviewed: January 2, 2004
Favorite Trail:
i donno yet
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$79.00
Purchased At:
performance cycle < sucks
Strengths:
everything
Weaknesses:
chainrings
Similar Products Used:
race face prodigy.
Bike Setup:
zoo piranha trials, soon this crank is going to be on my kona stinky primo
Bottom Line:
i am now taking these off of my zoo, and putting them on my kona! hard core..these cranks are awesome strong. awesome light, and awesome inexpensive...unless yo uare a grammie, yppie XC rider, i dont see the reason to buy anything else other than these, unless of course its a cheaper deal on liek some race face next or somtin like that.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mark b.
a Weekend Warrior
from fort wayne, in Date Reviewed: September 13, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
OEM on bike
Strengths:
shimano 64/104 bcd compatible
Weaknesses:
square taper, weight, disocvered all kinds of flex!
Similar Products Used:
deore, lx, xt, RF prodigy
Bike Setup:
stock -- soon changing!!
Bottom Line:
you need to pull the rings off to match xt's weight, forget about stiffness, found enough flex in it to twist crankarms sideways with my hands! with a foot on the pedal, not much more than the weight of my leg will start the flex. rings wear too quickly -- deore lasts twice as long. i'm putting these on my sister's bike and getting xt
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Elan C
a
from g-town, Colorado, USA Date Reviewed: June 4, 2003
Favorite Trail:
trails suck
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
don t remember that either
Strengths:
all!
Weaknesses:
none.... except for chain rings... buy a steel 22 tooth, and a bash guard and ride trials!
good stuff... i bought these for my kona XC, rode the hell out of them, started doing trials on my kona, broke the frame, took off the firex, and put them on my zoo! ... yay
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mike
a
from marlton, nj Date Reviewed: May 23, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
came with the bike
Strengths:
i fell of the bikem twisted my foot in the clips and twisted the left arm
Weaknesses:
week, too week
Bike Setup:
diamondback 2003 apex, oem with wtb speed v comp, seat, and 2002 rockshock susp seatpost
Bottom Line:
switch to shimano deore same bottom bracket
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jacob O'Neall
a Downhiller
from Eubank,Kentucky, USA Date Reviewed: March 17, 2003
Favorite Trail:
any thats rough and technical
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
came on bike
Strengths:
Light, strong, good looks, good shifting, good stiffness
Weaknesses:
none that I've found in over a year of use
Similar Products Used:
Truvativ Firex SL ISIS splined, Truvativ 5-D square taper, a few stock cranks, like SR, Cyclone
Bike Setup:
2001 Mongoose Pro Black Diamond Valient, 2002 Rockshox Psylo, WTB Motoraptor 2.4, WTB Speed Disk XC hubs/ Sun Mammoth Rims, Formula activa Mechanical disks, Kore Chain Reactor
Bottom Line:
These cranks are lighter than Shimano's best(XTR), shift just as good as anything else out there, and what ever Truvativ's secret alloy is made up of, it really is stronger, and lighter than almost anything else, and at a fraction of the cost. I had this set of square-taper models(They are really the XR version, OEM only) on my bike since I bought it over a year ago, and I just now had to replace them after a year and 2 months of use. By "use", I don't mean cross-country, I used these for freeriding, dirtjumping, urban riding, and alot of downing. These mid price tapered cranks withstood 4-5 foot drops( I have a mini North Shore in my backyard!) and one 8 foot drop that I had to try one to many times. I can't think of a better crank for the money.(except for the ISIS version) I use the ISIS version on one of my bikes that has a 68mm BB, but the bike I have that these came on has a 73mm Bottom Bracket, and only Shimano E-type front derailler compatible, and I can't find a bb to fit it. If anyone knows where I could get one to fit, e-mail me at mountainbikerider_pc@msn.com
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jon
a Cross Country Rider
from uk Date Reviewed: March 13, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$60.00
Strengths:
looks
Weaknesses:
everythin utter sh*t
Bottom Line:
sh*t cr*p
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mark b.
a Weekend Warrior
from fort wayne, in Date Reviewed: February 10, 2003
Favorite Trail:
the one i'm on!
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
stiff enough to do the job, looks good
Weaknesses:
doesn't quite shift as clean as Shimano
Similar Products Used:
Deore
Bike Setup:
OEM
Bottom Line:
the cranks are good enough to keep on the bike until I wear out a chainring or two (should take awhile!), and then upgrade to ISIS. I weigh 235, and I don't feel much of anything in the way of flex. A turn of the crank means forward motion, not a chain reaction caused by tensile elasticity.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jon tingle
a Cross Country Rider
from england Date Reviewed: January 27, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$56.00
Purchased At:
eBay uk
Strengths:
everything except for the looks. the cranks are very strong and are in just the right position for comfortable riding. also the extra two teeth on the outer chain ring make a big difference, gets great speed very quickly. also came with bashguard which made me a very happy man
Weaknesses:
the only weakness is the looks its great until u put a bashguard on it however thats only cosmetics and u get used to it
a good cheap cheap chainset satisfied me much better than deore i would recommend it for a not too demanding rider
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Denis
a Cross Country Rider
from Alameda Date Reviewed: January 21, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$59.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint
Strengths:
good value for the money. It weighs around 640 grams in the same range as the XTR crankset. TrueVativ does not release the alloy composition, but it has to be decent stuff to be light and strong, so go figure.. good looks as well, well machined.
Weaknesses:
so far none, it has not bent or given in as some other reviews suggest it might and I am riding hard. I mounted a Shimano high end chain with it and there was a noise for a while which went away after few rides when the chain and the rings were breaking in together
Similar Products Used:
coming from a Shimano LX
Bike Setup:
SuperLight XT. Marzocchi MXR100 fork
Bottom Line:
I built my bike to be a good ride for a good price and with that crankset, I was able to achieve this. My plan is to upgrade some components eventually, we will see how this one passes the test of time, but so far, so very good.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from USA Date Reviewed: January 15, 2003
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
STOCK on bike
Strengths:
These cranks seem stiff and are functional. They shift well when everything is set up correctly.
These cranks came stock on my bike. THey have held up well to a 190 lb rider for two years. They have taken many hits off of rocks and several falls. I race with these cranks and haven't noticed any excessive flex. 5 Chilis overall. I don't know what the people who break these are doing to them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cameron
a
from toronto, canada Date Reviewed: December 18, 2002
Favorite Trail:
almost any
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At:
jonesbikes
Strengths:
none what so ever
Weaknesses:
cheap cheap cheap. made with crapy almunium. bent and broke after 1 or 2 rides. im only 14 years old and i dont ride to hard. i do a bit of urban and freeride
2001 K2 Zed Team, Duke SL, 9.0 Sl rear, 9.0 front and levers, Avid SD25, EA70 bars, RoshShox post, Orbit XLII headset, Sun Rhino Lites, Panaracer trailblasters, blah, blah blah!!!!!!
Bottom Line:
Sweet crankset for the money. I was looking for something decent that didn't break the bank. The Firex SL is it. I'm about 185 and have had no noticable problems with flex. The shifts are smooth and the polished finish looks cool on my ride. I'm so happy with this crankset that I don't think I can justify an "upgrade". WORTH EVERY PENNY!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
a a
a Downhiller
from Newcastle Date Reviewed: October 23, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Look ok if your abit tastless!
Weaknesses:
Broke after one ride
Similar Products Used:
Shimano LX, DMR Chiefton (now thats a crank!)
Bike Setup:
GT Ruckus 2001
Bottom Line:
They broke on my first ride doing only small jumps and drop offs. Cheap aluminium rubish.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom
a Cross Country Rider
from Newport Beach, CA, USA Date Reviewed: October 20, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Lynx
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came on bike
Strengths:
Value
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
Shimano LX, Topline
Bike Setup:
GT XCR LE
Bottom Line:
I don't notice any flex. They look good and shifting is smooth on the chainrings. The chainrings tend to get dings and scratches pretty easily, but this has affected the performance.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stephen Smith
a Cross Country Rider
from Georgetown, IL, U.S.A. Date Reviewed: October 12, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$60.00
Strengths:
Best Quality/weight/dollar(for me)
Weaknesses:
still waitng
Similar Products Used:
stock
Bike Setup:
Fully Rigid Trek 850, no original components-all upgraded, Mavic/SRAM/Easton/Avid/Truvativ
Bottom Line:
This is only the second set I've had on this bike, original was the last thing to get upgraded. Looks/performs great so far. For the money nothing else can touch the weight, design and quality. I could have easily spent two or three times as much and not had as good as I do.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Dearborn, MI USA Date Reviewed: September 14, 2002
Well built crankset; stiff as all get out (even under my fat a@#). I had a problem with creaking and emailed Truvativ with a question about how I could achieve silence. To my surprise, they had me send it back to them & they not only replaced the crankarms, they upgraded the BB. Presto, no more creaks. Way to go Truvativ!! (If only all bicycle companies were so up-front; take note and learn Ritchey components.) Just like most reviews say, watch the crank bolts as they tend to back off. Overall, Truvativ is producing quality stuff so you can't go wrong with the Firex.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
marshall hersey
a Weekend Warrior
from presque isle, ME USA Date Reviewed: September 7, 2002
Favorite Trail:
all of em
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
www.jensonusa.com
Strengths:
barely any flex.. chainrings are strong.. (so far anyway).. somewhat light, and good looks.. dresses up a bike well
Weaknesses:
its no stylo team.. however, i have had no problems with it at all, and i ride hard.
Similar Products Used:
stock specialized crankset..
Bike Setup:
Haro Werks xcr hardtail.. xt brake levers, xt rear der.. lx front, lx brakes, rhyno lites on lx hubs.. 2001 marzocchi z3 100 air.. fun bike
Bottom Line:
this is a very good crankset for the money.. i am a big guy and i havent hurt it whatsoever.. buy it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris in MI
a Cross Country Rider
from Grand Rapids, MI Date Reviewed: August 18, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$65.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA
Strengths:
Good value, decent weight, stiff and strong for intended application
Weaknesses:
Need to carefully install on bike - see below
Bottom Line:
The bottom line on these cranks is that they have a specific application: cross-country or light freeride/urban riding for a lighter (sub 190 lb.) rider.
These cranks are not intended for higher weight riders, downhilling, or trials riding with insane jumps, tricks, etc.
When installing the cranks, be sure to grease the ISIS splines, tighten to torque specifications, and check the torque on the bolts periodically for the next 100 miles. This is standard procedure for EVERY CRANK.
All that said, I've ridden my '02 Firex SL matched to a RaceFace Evolve SRX ISIS bottom bracket. I do some cross-country, urban assault (stairs and gaps), and general riding around. These cranks are stiff and allow instant chain engagement. They look sharp on the bike, and after an initial break-in period, require only a damp rag to wipe them clean. Nice work, Truvativ.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Murray Lambert
a Weekend Warrior
from Hanwell, CANADA, eh! Date Reviewed: July 16, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Cambria
Strengths:
see previous review, plus strong support from Truvativ
Weaknesses:
some softer parts getting upgraded in 2002-03
Similar Products Used:
Shimano LX/XT
Bike Setup:
see previous K2 Zed Team
Bottom Line:
This is an update to the problem I had with the soft granny chainring. Talked to Truvativ and they are sending not only the granny but a replacement for the 32 tooth ring as well! Way to go Guys! According to them, the new inner rings are harder and stronger and now made from chromoly. Should fix up my OEM FireX XR crank for sure. Very pleased with promised service. My son also freerides the Hussefelt Noth Shore model, Truvativ knows its products.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Murray
a Cross Country Rider
from Hanwell, CANADA, eh! Date Reviewed: July 10, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Cambria
Strengths:
Light, good looking, bash guard (plastic), shift well with the SRAM chain.
Weaknesses:
Soft middle and granny rings. I have the OEM Firex XR model, not SL but no other place to warn anybody.
Similar Products Used:
LX, Alivio Shimano stuff
Bike Setup:
K2 Red/White/Blue (YEAH!) Zed Team with Judy XC 100 and Shimano XT derailleurs, Deore/X221 red anod. wheelset, Bontrager post, WTB saddle, Ritchey Rise Pro bar, etc., great for fast XC riding
Bottom Line:
Thought I was getting a bargain on these and some good reviews below on SL. About my third month out on an easy trail going uphill my chain wrapped around my crank and jammed when shifting??? Got back and noticed 2 teeth on granny ring bent way out of shape. Did not hit this on anthing other than MAYBE a piece of root or small fallen branch. Should never have bent. Bent teeth back in place with a rubber hammer (that easy!). Will see what happens next, but not pleased with this quality. Contacting TRUVATIV to see what is problem.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim
a Weekend Warrior
from Brisbane, Australia Date Reviewed: July 3, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Nirvana, Daisy Hill QLD
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$50.00
Strengths:
Look nice, finish was good, shift well.
Weaknesses:
Flex badly and the square taper rounded out in 3.5 weeks. Large chainring bent badly on first ride, straightened easiuly though.
Similar Products Used:
LX, XT, XTR, Now using Hussefelt which are awesome
Bike Setup:
Custom built raceline with manitou black elite100/120, hussefelts, sun mammoth rims on LX hubs Raceface elsewhere.
Bottom Line:
Cranks performed well for the first two weeks then the square taper rounded out. I ride pretty hard 3 days a week and weigh about 240 pounds so i suppose i should have expected this though. I now have a set of isis drive hussefelts which are awesome, they have nothing at all wrong even after 6 months of really hard riding.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Conger
a Cross Country Rider
from Bristol, UK Date Reviewed: June 29, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Bought on bike so unsure of actual cost
Strengths:
Best Crackset I've used to date. Stiff, durable and strong. no warping, bending and seem to handle the load. I'm 210lbs and ride kinda heavy. Stepping on the pedals haulin' ass uphill has bent a few cranks in the past. this one stands up the pressure well.
Weaknesses:
None at all! Honest!
Similar Products Used:
Tried Shamino stuff and XT and XTR is good but their cost is a turn off.
Bike Setup:
Middle of the road $1200 hardtail!
Bottom Line:
Most satisfied indeed. I'd recomment these to my Mother if she would ever need them! Conger gives 'em 5 chilis.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe Shmoe
a Weekend Warrior
from Maryland Date Reviewed: June 29, 2002
Favorite Trail:
anything medium-tecnical with good jumps or drops
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Good teeth, Good Stiffness, Good durablity.
Weaknesses:
Nothing found.
Similar Products Used:
Lots of junk stuff of pacifics and low end treks
Bike Setup:
XC HARDTAIL
Bottom Line:
I have my bike thats was clearly desinged to do XC riding. However Seeing thats I am 14 and about 105 pounds I decided to take it FRing. These Cranks have held up very nicley even when my friend did a 4 foot tall jump(the ramp was bout 3 1/2 feet tall but it launches you up about 4 1/2 feet and you jump bout 10 feet or so) who weighs 150. This may not mean much to you hevey weights but for a person about 150 will be fine to do jumps or whatever. Im going for a 9 foot ledge soon.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada Date Reviewed: June 6, 2002
If you stick to easy cross country trails these cranks would be great. However if you like to mix it up with a little FR or DH stay away from these! Spend a litle extra and go for the Hussafet series instead.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
RON H.
a Weekend Warrior
from DENVER,CO. USA Date Reviewed: May 28, 2002
Favorite Trail:
whats in front of me
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$89.00
Purchased At:
e-bay new in box
Strengths:
light,looks good,the finish is tough,cost,shifting(up or down)
Weaknesses:
OUTTER CHAINRING (44T) BENT FOR NO REASON
Similar Products Used:
XT,LX,CODA900
Bike Setup:
C-DALE SUPER-V-700,FATTY DL 70MM,XTR-V'S,TRUVATIV DH ISIS B/B & FIREX CRANK,RACE FACE POST, SRAM P69 CHAIN,RIGIDA WHEELS W/CODA HUBS,SACHS GRIP SHIFTERS.
Bottom Line:
I WANTED A CRANK WITH LITTLE OR NO FLEX THAT WOULDN'T FLEX MY WALLET OUT OF SHAPE. WELL HERE IT IS!! YOU GET THIS CRANK WITH THE ISIS DH B/B AND YOU CAN "SAY" FLEX, BUT YOU WILL NOT "FEEL" FLEX, AND I WEIGH 250 lbs. I RIDE ANY PLACE I CAN IN THE COLORADO ROCKY'S, AND THEY CALL THEM THE ROCKY'S FOR A REASON, AND I HAVE HAD ONLY ONE PROBLEM. I DON'T DO 20ft. DROPS BUT I DO COME ACROSS THE 3 TO 5 FOOTER FROM TIME TO TIME. AND AT MY WEIGHT THATS SAYING SOMETHING. ONE WORD TO THE WISE THOUGH. WHEN YOU INSTALL THE CRANK BOLTS USE A DAMN TORK WRENCH. TORK TO SPEC'S AND USE SOME MED. LOC-TITE ON THE BOLT AND IN THE SPINDLE. OH YEA USE THE WASHER FOR THE PEDALS AND GREASE THE HELL OUT OF THE SPLINE IF YOU HAVE AN ISIS B/B.IF YOU DO THIS YOU SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH CREAKING OR THE ARMS GETTING LOSE. THE ONE PROBLEM I HAVE HAD IS THE OUTTER CHAINRING(44T) BENT OUT OF SHAPE FOR NO GOOD REASON. BY "GOOD" I MEAN I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING WITH IT OR DID NOT DROP IT ON ANYTHING. I'M STILL WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FROM THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPT. ON THAT. I'LL KEEP YOU POSTED ON HOW THAT TURNS OUT. IF YOU WANT A CRANK SET THAT WILL DO THE OVER ALL JOB THIS IS THE ONE YOU WANT. IF YOU WANT SOMETHING TO HOLD UP TO 20ft drops then go get a sponsor that will give you new stuff every time you ride. IF YOU PAY FOR YOUR STUFF AND YOU RIDE HARD BUT RESPONSIBILY THIS IS THE SH*T YOU WANT. END OF STORY!! RIDE ON AND RIDE LONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob
a Cross Country Rider
from Katy, TX Date Reviewed: May 22, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$75.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
Good price, not too flexy, pretty light, very good chain rings
Weaknesses:
A bit flexy
Similar Products Used:
Shimano
Bike Setup:
2001 Sugar 4, XT hubs, Bontrager Mustang wheels, Avid 7 brakes and levers, Bomber 5, Cane Creek AD5, Mythos Kevlars, Specialized seat, Cane Creek C2 headset, Shimano XT BB
Bottom Line:
Replaced the stock Alivio cranks with this one. I found that the arms did loosen after each ride until I cleaned the threads in the BB and on the arm bolts, used Loctite blue on them and torqued them to spec. Now they don't move. Pretty good value. Had to tinker with them a bit but I'm happy now.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Logger
a Cross Country Rider
from Sherman Oaks Date Reviewed: May 14, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$65.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint.com
Strengths:
Lightweight and strong. Excellent matte finish Well balanced machining
Weaknesses:
Uneven teeth dont know if it is shipping issue or factory issue. No other problems
Excellent crank for the price. Why spend more on Raceface when your not sponsered. This a great upgrade on stock cranks like specialized. I hve not experienced looseness as mentioned below, have mech. install them for 15.00.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Simon
a Weekend Warrior
from Dallas Date Reviewed: April 24, 2002
Favorite Trail:
He he....
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$65.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
I bought the new ISIS FireX after owning the square FireX for about two years. After a few rides, the new ISIS FireX is fine. Tight bolts, no problems. The square FireX was fine too and never gave me a problem. Simply, this crank is without issue. Shifting is fine, chainline is fine, and they are plenty stiff. The square began to feel worn out after 2 years and would get cranky in particularly dusty conditions (chainsuck) so I figured, well, I can have a whole new crank for $65 bucks and buy and fancy ISIS BB for $40 – cool. I don’t jump off cliffs so take my comments as XC only.
Bike Setup:
I weigh 230 lbs, and ride an XC hardtail on moderate/rocky Texas terrain. XT shifters/drivetrain save cranks, XTR/Aeroheat wheels, 23" Schwinn Moab Frame (yeah, cuz its big n strong, Raceface Air Alloy Low Riser, 01 Judy SL (all aluminum before they downgraded the whole line with too much heavy steel)
Bottom Line:
I have trouble imagining how someone less than 200 pounds could complain about stiffness for these cranks. Buying big buck cranks like XTR seems absurd to me (would not if I raced, perhaps) when I can buy so much cool stuff for $230 bucks, including new shifter/levers, a new handlebar, and an ISIS BB and FireX cranks. XT seems odd since they weigh about the same, cost more, and I have never been particularly fond of XT or LX chainrings. I am very price/performance oriented. If you are, buy these cranks, be happy. Look nice in black, finish has been fine.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver, BC, Canada Date Reviewed: February 9, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came w/ bike.
Strengths:
Give you the ability to pedal. Mine haven't come loose yet, thanks to just slightly over-torquing (JUST). Cheap, can be wrecked without caring.
Weaknesses:
Extreme amounts of flex.. these things are sort of like wet noodles.
Similar Products Used:
Shimanos.
Bike Setup:
Firex.
Bottom Line:
Not too bad for the price. Allow you to move your bicycle forward without pushing it. Pretty dern flexy, but what are you going to do for this price?
I think my next set of cranks will be some nice 3 pieces.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
chippa
a Cross Country Rider
from hobart tasmania australia Date Reviewed: January 21, 2002
Favorite Trail:
anything hard
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
phantom cycles
Strengths:
look great light strong
Weaknesses:
notin yet
Similar Products Used:
none yet
Bike Setup:
giant xtc
Bottom Line:
these thing kick asre, other jockers reckon that they r week and crap quallity but i think that they r the tops.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg W
a Weekend Warrior
from Suffield CT Date Reviewed: November 20, 2001
Favorite Trail:
everywhere
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Strong Looks nice
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Crappy no name stuff.
Bike Setup:
Mongoose Vailiant with Avid Disc beakes and a bash guard.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice crank. I've takin 5 foot drops and jump all the time. It's still like new. I somehow bent the middle chainring, I have no idea how, but it was very easy to bend back to narmal.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andy G
a Weekend Warrior
from Colorado Springs Date Reviewed: November 5, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Cheyenne Mountain
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
Strong, light, ramped/pinned for solid shifts.
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano LX, XT.
Bike Setup:
B*stardized Marin hardtail.
Bottom Line:
Bought these to replace my Shimano LX cranks after I went through a few sets of chainrings. I had actually tried to order an XT crank from Supergo, but the part was out of stock and I got tire of waiting for the slow boat from Japan. I am still running 8 speed and I bought the new 8/9 speed compatible model along with a new Sachs chain. Anyway, I've been using them all summer and no complaints. Shifts are correct, no creaking, no broken/bent chainrings and they have a cool finish (I opted for chrome and black). I have at least as good if not better shifting than when I ran an all Shimano driveline. Will definitely buy more Truvativ products in the future.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
narlus spectre
a Weekend Warrior
from planet earth Date Reviewed: August 23, 2001
Favorite Trail:
more carnage
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
these cranks came w/ my bike (aeon joker i bought as a demo from airbomb). i've ridden these fairly hard since i've gotten them, including some 5-6' drops and a few days of DH'ing. no problems at all, aside from the non-drive crank loosening a couple of times.
Weaknesses:
they are 4 bolt pattern, which means i need to stock another type of spare chainring (every other bike i have uses 5 bolt).
Similar Products Used:
syncros steel cranks; race face lp ;shimano xt; AC;
Bike Setup:
aeon joker w/ '01 jr T; king headset; thomson post/azonic lounge seat; shimano bb, kooka bashguard, fire-x cranks; protaper bar, azonic 75mm stem, 8 spd esp shifters and der, hope O2 brakes, hope bulb hubs, 321 rear/singlewide fr rim; tires depend on terrain ridden.
Bottom Line:
i've been happy w/ them. cheap, work well, no real problems. when these die, i'll like go w/ the ISIS design, and see no real reason to spend the extra $$$ for race face rather than sticking w/ truvativ.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Neil
a Cross Country Rider
from The Jaw, sask Canada Date Reviewed: August 10, 2001
Favorite Trail:
havent decided yet
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$59.00
Purchased At:
Icycles.com
Strengths:
They look cool.
Weaknesses:
Left arm keeps falling off, teeth bend and break easily, chainrings come loose every ride.
I bought these granks becausi i had heard good things and got a good deal. As an upgrade i thought these would be great from the alivio junk that came with my bike. Unfortunatly on my first ride, just a quick road ride, the left arm came off. Since it was tightened to spec i thought it was a bit strange, after closer inspection the crank is rounding out. Bummer, so it takes me a week to get a reply from truvative and they refer me to norco canada. ill let you know how it goes. Ill keep to my new raceface cranks though. 2 value flaming whisky craps, one for overall.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
brian
a Cross Country Rider
from west chester Date Reviewed: August 10, 2001
Favorite Trail:
wherever....
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
exton bikes
Strengths:
pretty lite, ramps on the chainrings not pins
Weaknesses:
cheesy plastic chain guard,
Similar Products Used:
none yet
Bike Setup:
gt avalanche stock
Bottom Line:
the firex sl came stock on the bike and i didnt think they were going to be the first thing to go.... but i dunno what to think, the first time i went real trail riding...i busted up the big chainring. the worst part being that i dont even know how i did it.... finding a replacement large ring with a 4 hole design in stock somewhere wasnt happening.... so i spent a couple extra bucks and are going to try out the xt.... sorry truvativ
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ian
a Weekend Warrior
from Vic, BC, Can Date Reviewed: August 5, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
friend's garage
Strengths:
light, good fer XC I guess...
Weaknesses:
not strong...i bent them in far enough that they rubbed paint off the chainstay...and all I did was hit a rotten log that was on the side of the trail...
Similar Products Used:
nutt'n even remotely as crappy as this
Bottom Line:
these are horrible...it's that simple...my friend who gave them to me warned me that i would bend them...but he's like 190 and i'm 135, and they came on his Kona Stuff, which he beat up without any problems with the cranks...so i figure i'll be fine...HA! The first time i knew there was a problem was when i hit a log on the side of the trail...admittedly i was goin pretty fast, but not THAT fast...i bent them in so far that they scraped off all the paint from my chainstay (luckily, it was non-drive side)...so my friend tells me that i can bend them back out, which i do, and there are no further problems with that part of the crank...but then, i go to get a new BB, and i'm thinkin that the spindle's too short cuz the crank rubs against the frame...take it to the shop, nope ur crankarms worn to hell...after about 3 months? gotta be jokin me...nope...try to just get another left side crank individually, nope TruVativ doesn't sell single crankarms, just the sets...ok, fine, just buy a different type that's the same length...nope, the hole that the spindle goes into is oriented differently on a FireX than ANY OTHER CRANK ON THIS PLANET!!! what the hell was the point in that? so now i need a whole new set of cranks...well, guess i'm in the rite place to look...don't buy TruValu!!! FER THE LUV OF GOD, DON'T BUY!!
p.s. i've never tried anything but the FireX, but this pisses me off enough that i never wanna deal with that company ever again
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Downhiller
from Jax Florida Date Reviewed: June 23, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
great bigger bother AKA TruVatic DH cranks which im forced to buy to improve stregth
Weaknesses:
they bend on drops bigger then 5 feet.
Bike Setup:
Trek Bruiser 1
Bottom Line:
They bend and are weak. I bent them after a weeks worth of hard riding. because thats what the bike is designed to do. so i did it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ccruz
a Weekend Warrior
from bergen county, NJ Date Reviewed: May 22, 2001
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
my review is on Truvativ FireX SS (single speed). i stretched-out 3 chains and busted a freewheel but this crank remained strong and loyal. fairly sturdy and cheap; and comes complete as SS crank.
Weaknesses:
the chainguard is as big as the chainwheel, so chain remains afloat and unprotected.
Bike Setup:
SS Kona Kaboom
Bottom Line:
i read bad reviews about my crank's family but so far this one, like i said, is so loyal to me. i am just waiting for this crank to surrender. i am an amateur mechanic and i always make sure my steed and my rigs are in harmony. occasionally put some torque on the crank bolts, chainring bolts and spider bolts and everything else will go smoothly like what the manufacturer claims.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Young
a Downhiller
from Calgary, AB, Canada Date Reviewed: April 16, 2001
Favorite Trail:
COP
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
great for XC riding light weight
Weaknesses:
suck for downhilling (didn't know at the time because they came stock on my kona stinky)
Similar Products Used:
truvativ hussefelt
Bottom Line:
I've already wirtten a review a little while ago on these cranks, but to fill you in if you are too lazy to scroll down These cranks came stock on my 2000 kona stinky. What the hell was kona thinking putting XC cranks on a freeride bike??? I bent the spider and rounded out the spindle. I'd contacted truvativ to see if they had some sort of replacement warrenty. The tech guy was very helpful. He offered me a warrenty upgrade - I payed $80 US and they sent me 2001 hussefelt cranks and a new splined bottom bracket. Thank you Truvativ for your excellent warrenty replacement. You guys rock!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jonathan Aflek
a
from Nunavik, Canada Date Reviewed: March 31, 2001
Favorite Trail:
None of thse downhill crap
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:
$79.00
Purchased At:
http://www.ramsays-online.com
Strengths:
Best bang for the buck, I didn't ahve any chainline problems so I guess they have since fixed that. Look pretty cool.
Weaknesses:
It doesn't come with a warning sticker to keep stupid free riders form buying it.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano Deore, Icon
Bike Setup:
Airborne hardtail
Bottom Line:
Are all you "freeriders" kidding me or what? Truvative makes a full line of SUPER STRONG cranks called Hussefelt for freeriding and downhill. You guys go and buy their cheapest XC crank and complain that is doesn't take 4-7 foot drops!!! You cheap skates make me sick.
I have a set I bought about a month ago, I use it for XC and some jumping (not stupid drops, real dirt jumping) and they are way better than the Deore cranks I trashed before. My next crank set will be one of their splined products for sure!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Downhiller
from Canada Date Reviewed: March 17, 2001
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$60.00
Strengths:
Worked well, looked cool, felt cool
Weaknesses:
Eventually sucked. The tapered edge balded(O), left crank severly bent, and the aluminum it is made with sucks i guess.
Bottom Line:
Good for light riding weenies. bad for anyone going large.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adam Schaefer
a Cross Country Rider
from Marysville WA Date Reviewed: March 1, 2001
Favorite Trail:
anything unpaved
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Looks cool. Strong so far. dont seem to flex. Color
Weaknesses:
Strange clicking sound every time the chain touches one of the shift (ramps???). could be the chain line. chain skips when i really honk on my pedals. seems to skip in the same place as those shift ramps. i am only using the middle (32t) ring. so it seems odd that it skips and clicks like it does
Similar Products Used:
Suntour, Shimano LX, Shimano XT, Raceface Prodigy
Bike Setup:
Trek 7000 frame. modified RST delta HL fork. Hayes disc brakes. Hayes/hugi hubs laced to sun mammoth rims. Truvativ FireX cranks. RaceFace taperlock BB (cromoly). LX rear Der. LX shifter. Azonic worldforce 2" riser. Tioga cube stem. Gore ride on cables. Black spire chain guide. Crupi Ti pedals. Underworld headset. SDG bigboy seat. RaceFace XY seatpost. Tioga 2.3 tires
Bottom Line:
These are good cranks for the money. i wish i knew what was making that ever so annoying clicking noise so i could fix it. If you are going to get new cranks these are a good option. they dont flex and they look cool. the silver color on mine is starting to wear off but who cares. Ive heard that customer service is good. it is a good strong crank for anyone.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago Date Reviewed: January 11, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
-Lighter than LX/XT -Smooth, stiff, transfer of power -Value for money -Something different than Shimano
Weaknesses:
Generic looks
Similar Products Used:
Shimano STX, XT
Bike Setup:
Zaskar, custom
Bottom Line:
A recommendation from the LBS mechanic. He recommended Race Face but I didn't want to spend the money, if I regret it later I will break down and buy a set. So, he suggested these. I am really impressed so far. Most of my riding is 3 footers, jumping rocks and logs and going down rooted descents/climbs. I haven't bent the chain ring yet. I like the transfer of power and light weight. I think another reason they work so well is becuase the guy who put them on did a great job getting the right spacing (5mm). See other reviews-very important. I wouldn't have thought of it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
brian g
a Weekend Warrior
from little rock, arkansas, usa Date Reviewed: October 30, 2000
Favorite Trail:
camp robinson-outer loop
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
direct
Strengths:
light weight, rigid, durable, inexpensive compared to others its calibre
Weaknesses:
flexes some, or is that good
Similar Products Used:
xt
Bike Setup:
trek with too much invested
Bottom Line:
I bought this from truvativ and received good customer service. The non drive crank arm did bend once but it was because a friend fell on my bike. Truvativ sent me a new arm in 3 days for 20 dollars. Until this thing bends from riding or I have any problems I must give it most chilis
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
E
a Cross Country Rider
from Clemson, SC Date Reviewed: October 23, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Zippity Doo Dah
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Bottom Line:
I am writing this as a follow-up to my previous review. Joel Peters at Truvative read my review here and e-mailed me. He was very helpful and ended up sending me a new crank to replace my faulty original. In their newly designed crank, the chainline appears to have been moved 5mm or more away from the frame. This solved all the chainline problems I was having before. I have put a couple hundred off-road miles on it now and have not noticed any deformation of the large ring either. All in all my new crank works great! Thanks Joel.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Young
a Downhiller
from Calgary, AB, Canada Date Reviewed: September 29, 2000
Favorite Trail:
COP
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
good for cross country or any type of riding without hard impacts. Light
Weaknesses:
not very strong for downhilling or free riding. Bent the spider arms on my crank taking a 7 footer twice. Rounded out the inside of my spindle
Similar Products Used:
cheap low end cranks that came stock on my '98 Giant Rincon SE
Bike Setup:
stock 2000 kona stinky
Bottom Line:
At first these cranks seemed very strong and durable, but after 2 months of riding, the spider started to bend. I am not the hardest rider on my bike and I only weigh 155 pounds. I've taken a 7 foot drop about 4 times, and don't do a lot of jumps on my bike. I am amazed that even with my 5 inches of front and rear travel these cranks would still bend. I'd hate to think of how bad these cranks will be on a free ride hardtail. If you plan on doing drops or jumps, DON'T GET THESE CRANKS. If you plan on doing lots of cross country riding, these cranks will be for you. They are light weight
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bill S
a Racer
from Portland, OR, usa Date Reviewed: September 10, 2000
Favorite Trail:
All streets and Powell Butte
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Great Comebacks
Strengths:
The look and the price. Seems stiff enough.
Weaknesses:
Second week of riding they started to twist, pedal droop. The holes started to round out even after repeated tightenings.
For cross country or a normal sized guy these are great for the money and the weight is good. I twisted the arms doing stair drops and I also twisted the spindle on a un72 bb at the same time but I weigh 240lbs. I am trying the deore hollowtech now, similar price, stiffer-yeah. Twistable-we'll see. I am not a Shimano fan but we'll give them a good go!
Kooka DH, super burly but creak and no small c-ring. Cooks Bros are the best but a bit spendy some times. Splined Shimano are reputed to rattle loose according to DH guys.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
AL'S FATTY
a
from 3R Date Reviewed: September 4, 2000
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$80.00
Strengths:
CHEAP, STRONG, A REAL "BANG FOR YOUR BUCK" KIND OF CRANKSET
Weaknesses:
IF YOU WEIGH 600 LBS. DON'T USE THESE. IN FACT DON'T RIDE A BIKE AT ALL, IT MAY COLLAPSE UNDER YOU!
Similar Products Used:
RACE FACE, XT, XTR,
Bike Setup:
YEAH, WITHOUT A KICKSTAND EVEN!
Bottom Line:
I DON'T THINK YOU CAN GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS FOR THE MONEY. STIFF, STRONG, GOOD LOOKS, WE HAVE A WINNER! DON'T BE FOOLED INTO BUYING RACE FACE OR THE LIKE. THEY'RE GOOD, BUT AT TWICE THE PRICE. THESE WILL MAKE YOU JUST AS HAPPY AND LEAVE YOU WITH ENOUGH $ LEFT OVER TO GO TO THE NUDIE BAR FOR SOME REAL FUN! I USE EM' FOR STOCK TRIALS AND BELIEVE ME THEY ARE THROTTLED ON HEAVILY. THEY LOOK LIKE THEY WERE DRAGGED BEHIND AN 18 WHEELER FROM L.A. TO DENVER, BUT ARE STILL AS SOLID AS A ROCK!! SO HEY, GO GET A PAIR, LIVE IT UP AT THE TOPLESS BAR, AND MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alex
a Downhiller
from Canada Date Reviewed: July 17, 2000
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
-Strong -Durable -Light
Weaknesses:
-Nothing yet
Bike Setup:
Kona Stinky stock
Bottom Line:
They do the job right. Durable and a good price. You get what you pay for.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Landing, NJ Date Reviewed: June 21, 2000
These cranks are the best for the money. Very stiff and very light. They have held up to a hell of a pounding so far, but I don't do 900 foot dropoffs like many others on this site, so I guess that is why. I would definitely recommend these to anyone.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Tischendorf
a Cross Country Rider
from Atlanta, GA Date Reviewed: May 30, 2000
Would definately buy this product over the Shimano monopoly. You can use the extra money saved for a ti bb. These cranks look great - hammer just as hard at the same weight and half the price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Knoxville, TN, USA Date Reviewed: May 20, 2000
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Cost; finish on crankarms is durable. Customer service was good.
Weaknesses:
(1)rings: they shift slower than Shimanos and they warp (2) don't necessarily require 113 mm spindle bottom bracket, as advised by Truvativ.
Similar Products Used:
98 Shimano LX
Bike Setup:
Litespeed Obed
Bottom Line:
These are pretty decentgood crankarms. Stiff and light with tough bead-blast finish. However, I have slightly warped the big and middle ring after about 350-400 miles -- credit the 4 arm design, I guess. The big ring wobbles about 2 mm. ("Hey," you say, "Shimano uses a 4-arm design too!" Yeah, well look at the big ring on the Shimanos...they are actually supported better around the ring. Look closely at the Firex SL big ring on the website, www.truvativ.com, and you'll see what I mean.)
I was having some ghost shifting problems on the middle ring, which I reported to Truvativ. Customer service was very good at working with me and sending me another middle ring (looks like it's from their Stylo line, which is more expensive). As it turns out, my problem was chainline. They had indicated that a 113 mm spindle BB was required (here's a quote from their website: "Our cranks must be used either with a Truvativ bottom bracket or Shimano’s UN52 or UN72 bottom bracket (LX or XT) in a 113mm spindle length." I tried most everything, but the ghost shifts on the second ring continued. I eventually figured out that the BB spindle was just too long. I could really tell when I backpedaled the cranks: jumped down on the little ring after a turn or two.
I went to a 110 mm spindle with adjustable chainline and ghost shift problem was solved!
My advice would be to try your existing BB with the Truvativs before you spring for new BBe with a 113 mm spindle.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Devon Vig
a Cross Country Rider
from Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada Date Reviewed: April 6, 2000
Schwinn S-10 Marzocchi Fork Full XT Rhino Lite rims with Coda Hubs
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent product and is probably the best, most problem free thing on my bike. The Trushift chainrings are durable and assist in quick shifts. The crankarms themselves are incredibly stiff and respectably lightweight and the graphics look good and will probably never come off. Overall, this is an excellent product.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Darrick
a Weekend Warrior
from Taiwan Date Reviewed: March 28, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Not in Taiwan
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Looks the "Biz" without the price.
Weaknesses:
2nd chainring design
Similar Products Used:
Race Face and XTR
Bike Setup:
Trek Y, RS Sid Fork, Cane Creek AD10, Mavic Cross Max, Thomson, ect.
Bottom Line:
Excellent for a low cost alternative unless you are a hard climber. Second chain ring bolts sometime catch the chain on shifts from 1 to 2 - instead of the nice ramps and pins. Under normal circumstances this would not be a big deal but if you ride hard you will eventually bend the teeth and warp the ring as I have done. Before this, they work flawlessly - good solid shift every time and no creaking! All in all truevative have a good product at a good price. Buy it if, like me, you can't justify paying for a name.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Doug
a
from Palmdale, CA Date Reviewed: February 4, 2000
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Light Cheap Stiff
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Shimano XT
Bike Setup:
XTR Titus Racer-X frame, XTR, Chris King, Easton, yada yada yada
Bottom Line:
Still lovin' this crankset. After riding it even longer I can attest to it's stiffness and durability. The bead blast finish is tough.
I thought the shifting in middle chainring could be improved so I called TruVativ for some advice. They had me describe the ramps/pins on my middle ring. Turns out I had an earlier version. They sent me a new ring no questions asked! Now that's customer service. You can't get that from a big company like Shimano - not even close. And the shifting is now awesome!
And NO CREAKS like my XT!!! Let me repeat that - NO CREAKS!!! That alone makes it worth it's weight in gold.
I like this Crankset. And I will buy more state of the art components From TruVativ for my awesome Titus Frame.
Don't waste your money on an expensive Shimano or Race Face crank. Call Truvativ, buy their crank, and get something else cool with the money you saved. Like their soon to be released splined bottom bracket. Or some killer hoops…
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Douglas
a Cross-Country Rider
from Palmdale Date Reviewed: August 3, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Mt Pinos, CA
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Quality Great Looks Stiff light weight Price
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Sugino '98 XT Race Face
Bike Setup:
'98 FSR, Marzochi Atom Bomb. Chris King/XTR/ Mavic 517 wheelset. XTR derail/XTR cog/ Truvativ Firex SL Crank/ Time ATAC Pedals. Easton AL seatpost/ Carbon bar. FSA headset.
Bottom Line:
This crank is killer. It's awesome. It looks kool. It's light. It's stiff. It shifts sweet. You want stiff? A Race Face is wet noodles compared to this thing. I was customizing my XT to get rid of the nasty CREAKING when I found out about Truvativ. The XT crank has a separate spider, about a hundred rivets, and CREAKS! And if it's creaking, it's flexing. The Firex SL crank and spyder are an integral, single piece - no creaks - very STIFF. You want kool looks? The Race Face looks like a 10 yr old boy machined it with a chisel and then his 5 yr old brother painted it compared to the Firex. The Firex SL has a black, bead blasted finish with logos - very high quality. The service I have received from Scott in marketing and Garrett, their Engineering guru, is incredible. They have gone above and beyond all others. They have always answered my questions with very detailed answers and information about their product, and always treated me like I was important. I wish I could get this level of service from my bike manufacturer and other component manufacturers. How many times do you buy an aftermarket part and feel you've made new friends in the process? Thanks Scott and Garrett. Truvativ let me customize my Firex SL with their black hard anodized rings - those guys are the best. These rings look kool, have a black, long lasting anodized surface, and work. Don't waste your money on an expensive Shimano or Race Face crank. Call Truvativ, buy their crank, and get something else kool with the money you saved. Like their soon to be released splined bottom bracket. Or some killer hoops…I give the Firex SL 5 blistering hot chilis. And hope they start making other kool stuff I need.
Overall Rating:
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