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Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Winnipeg Canada
Date Reviewed: June 2, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Price Paid: |
$33.00 | | Purchased At: | MEC | | Strengths: | strong, light, durable | | Weaknesses: | doesn't shift on my bike | | Similar Products Used: | Simano XT | | Bike Setup: | 2000 Trek 8500 with 2006 XT front der and new SRAM PC-991 chain | | Bottom Line: | I bought a 104-32 (middle) Blackspire SuperPro to replace my wearing XT one. I replaced the chain at the same time with a top-of-the-line SRAM PC-991. My front der is a 2006 XT.
I tested it on my street. 100% of middle->small downshifts chattered and stalled for 3 or four full revolutions before shifting down, and 30% of them dropped right down to the bike frame. Half an hour of front der cable tension and limit adjustments yielded equal or worse (100% dropping) results. Small->middle upshifts always were perfect.
I put my wearing chain and XT chainring back on, and 98% of the middle->small downshifts were instantaneous and perfect, as were the small->middle upshifts.
MEC allowed me to return the chainring. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
P
a Cross Country Rider
from ATL
Date Reviewed: February 19, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Pinhotti | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$34.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson | | Strengths: | shifts well, durable, significantly under the price of the Shimano replacement rings | | Weaknesses: | If you are overly concerned with counting grams, these may be a little heavier than Shimano, but I'm not sure. It just feels thicker. | | Similar Products Used: | XTR, XT, Race Face, Bontrager (crap) | | Bike Setup: | Running the 32 tooth rings on two bikes with XTR 960 cranks. | | Bottom Line: | Cant say anything about small or big ring Blackspires but the 32 tooth (middle) rings are working great for me. Im roaching the XTR 960 middle rings in less than 4 months. Been riding these for 3 months and I can hardly tell they have been used. I have not noticed any decline in shifting performance. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
charles
a Cross Country Rider
from holland
Date Reviewed: June 24, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | performance, durability, workmanship, looks. | | Weaknesses: | performance slightly below original shimano. | | Similar Products Used: | XT and other shimano stuff. | | Bottom Line: | In my opinion, these are the best replacement rings for shimanos. With XT rings, i've experienced some chainsuck, hence the replacements. Since then, no more problems, no matter how much mud they got on them. I use them in conjunction with XT cranks, HG 93 or CN 7701 chain, and XTR front derailleur. I use the large en middle ring, since i hardly use my granny. Shifting performance is slightly below XT rings, say 5 percent less, but they outperform shimano in workmanship, finish and durability. If you are looking for a good alternative for shimano rings, this is your best bet. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sam
a Weekend Warrior
from Long Island, NY USA
Date Reviewed: December 27, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$90.00 | | Purchased At: | go-ride | | Strengths: | sweet looking | | Weaknesses: | crappy shifting, dropped chains | | Similar Products Used: | XT rings | | Bike Setup: | '01 Enduro trailbike | | Bottom Line: | i really wanted to like these. they look sweet in all black machined finish, they're NOT shimano, but they simply dont shift that well. and i use all my rings it wasnt the setup either. in three consecutive weekends i had violent chain droppages and skips during jumps and wheelie drops leaving me with bloody knees and no confidence in my drivetrain. I'm switching back to Shimano just to confirm my suspisions. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bruce Bunn
a Racer
from Plattsburgh, NY
Date Reviewed: September 12, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$86.00 | | Strengths: | Bought a whole set for my 751 XT cranks. I have immediately noticed improved performance. Less flex and noticebly smoother shifting than XT replacements that I have bought (I have been through 3 middle rings this season) Hopefully they are as durable as others have claimed. They look good | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Similar Products Used: | XT | | Bike Setup: | 2004 Sugar race frame. Wippermann chain. XT cassette. XTR front and rear. | | Bottom Line: | So far far superior performance, obviously will need time to tell on durability. I am a strong, low cadence at times, ring bending racer and these are noticibly stiffer than XT. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
LArs
a
from AZ
Date Reviewed: June 27, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Purchased At: | online | | Strengths: | Smooooth! Silent. Strong. wide-milled middle ring keeps chain from dropping between rings.
For SuperPro wide-milled middle and stainless granny on 2x9 speed:
| | Weaknesses: | Spendy! | | Similar Products Used: | Shizmano, sugino... | | Bike Setup: | 32lb light FR, argro trail 6x6 | | Bottom Line: | Sweetest rings I've used in ten years of riding.
Would give 5 + 5, but too spendy so they get a 4 in value. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
joe therider
a Cross Country Rider
from usa
Date Reviewed: May 4, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | yes | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | i honestly cantremember howmuch i paid 4 these, they were priced in line with raceface. They are great shifting and last a real long time. After one year they still have alot of life left to them and are shifting consistantly | | Weaknesses: | i cant think of any...the small ring was machined for an 8 speed drivetrain, i ofcourse got horrible chainsuck,after calling them they replaced it immediatly, and were apologetic for the mistake, those polite Canadians...such a nice change from the arrogant cali attitudes i get so tired of. | | Similar Products Used: | shimano, raceface, real(crap)! | | Bike Setup: | yes, infact i'm riding today, thanx for asking. | | Bottom Line: | some people were b1tching about the finish wearing off and other silly crap, get over it, this is a wear item, that means IT WILL NOT BE PRETTY FOREVER (personally im suspect of any mtnbike thats too clean or new looking, u know why)These rings have taken alot of real world abuse...log crossongs, rocks, snow, mud, sand, anything u can think of, and alot of it, i ride year around, and in season do 60 to 100 mi per week. I like these rings and thay have never let me down. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike H
a Weekend Warrior
from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: June 1, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Kanata Lakes | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | Kunstadts | | Strengths: | Well, to be honest I dont know. It shifts, it doesnt bend, and it looks cool. I dont know what more to ask for out of a chainring. Its not like it will dice, slice, chop, and blend....Jeese I'm hungry | | Weaknesses: | Nothing. They work. Period. | | Similar Products Used: | Truvativ Hussefelt stock chainring. ack both rings bent after only 2 weeks | | Bike Setup: | 2001 Norco Rampage, stock except ODI lock-ons. | | Bottom Line: | they work. What else is tehre to say? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob
a Weekend Warrior
from Davis, CA
Date Reviewed: February 19, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | 2nd Divide | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | WebCyclery | | Strengths: | Shift great, no chainsuck! | | Weaknesses: | None so far. | | Similar Products Used: | XTR, LX, Sugino | | Bottom Line: | From day one I used to have chainsuck issues with my bike using the XTR rings. It was worst in mud, but happened when dry, it happened when the rings were brand new, and it happened despite changes to the chainline. I had pretty much concluded that it was a problem with the clearance on the frame. Then I got a new crank spider and replaced the rings with BlackSpire SuperPros, with a Chuck granny. NO MORE PROBLEMS!!! Even in mud, even with different chainline setups, absolutely no chainsuck! It's unbelievable. I couldn't be happier. Plus the rings have lots of shifting ramps and seem to shift just as well as the XTR rings did. Shimano won't be getting any more of my money for a long time. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bart Maynard
a Racer
from Seattle, WA
Date Reviewed: February 8, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Galbraith Mt (All) | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | Web Retailer | | Strengths: | Not many! | | Weaknesses: | Weak rings that shift poorly, bend easily and take little abuse. | | Similar Products Used: | XTR, XT, LX | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Heckler | | Bottom Line: | These rings are terrible! The teeth on my middle ring are damaged on the top surfaces from my chain plates. They look like there are "V's" cut into them by a chisel. I had two bent teeth after 5 rides on trails that consist mostly of forest duff.
Buy something else!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marcus Pendergrass
a Racer
from Northridge, CA
Date Reviewed: January 30, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Kachees Ridge (WA) | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$36.00 | | Purchased At: | Universal Cycles | | Strengths: | Small and Middle Rings are strong and shift well. | | Weaknesses: | Big ring (46) installed to replace XTR will not hold a chain. The width of the teeth (top profile) on the ring causes the chain to catch and jump to the middle ring. I even bought a RaceFace Taperlock and moved the crank over 5mm to over-compensate for the chain catching. It still did nod prevent the cahin from jumping. Next I went to SRAM 68 from a Hyperglide chain (brand new). It still jumped.
The chain rocks on the large ring as though the machining does not match the standrd chain bushing designs. | | Similar Products Used: | XTR Rings (circa) 1993 | | Bike Setup: | Custom Davidson with XTR | | Bottom Line: | This product is fine for the small and middle rings, but the width of the teeth on the big rings will cause you hours of hell.
Don't buy the big rings! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Martin
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: January 27, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Daley Ranch | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$38.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson | | Strengths: | Quality product, very well made, machined from solid not from Shimano cheese metal. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | XT rings | | Bike Setup: | Superlight, XT/XTR | | Bottom Line: | Shift as well as the stock Shimano XT rings, but at around half the cost, therefore far better value. Fit perfectly on the XT 4 arm cranks. (Oh, and they look better too!) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott DeYoung
a Cross Country Rider
from Mass
Date Reviewed: September 16, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | anything in the woods | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | Pricepoint.com | | Strengths: | Just does not miss when shifting, super smooth, well designed, and they look good too. | | Weaknesses: | The word weakness was not even a consideration when these rings were on the drawing board. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano | | Bike Setup: | Raleigh M60 with a few minor upgrades, chainrings being one of them. | | Bottom Line: | Needed a new middle chainring after sheer pedaling tourque bent the middle chainring ( couldn't come up with any other explanation, didn't hit anything. ) So went to MTBReview.com and browsed chainring review section, Black Spire Pro Series were highly talked about, bought the granny and middle ring, and boy were all those reviews right! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Thomas Ali
a Cross Country Rider
from Leytonstone London England
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Epping Forest | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | chainreactioncycles.co.uk | | Strengths: | Strength, shifts wonderfully, very rigid. | | Weaknesses: | Shifting at low speed sometimes sounds a bit painful. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Deore | | Bottom Line: | I bought the Blackspire Super pro ramped and pinned 44t four arm chainring a couple of months ago, to replace my knackered shimano Deore 44t ring which refused to shift properly. (I proceeded to use it as a bashring)My Blackspire ring shifts first time every time, sometimes at low speed it sounds at bit horrible but apart from that its much better than the cruddy shimano ring, I will be buying the inner rings to match my 44t. I think everyone should have these rings on their bike if they can afford it, in short they are nigh on perfect. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steven Prosser
a Cross Country Rider
from Bedford
Date Reviewed: March 25, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | North Downs @ Coed Y Brenin | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Chain Reaction Cycles, Ireland | | Strengths: | Attention to detail - from the lazer etched graphics to the pick up pins and ramps. Thicker than XT rings and apparantly will last longer. Shifting is superb...take my word or it. | | Weaknesses: | The black anodizing might get scratched?! Though looks fairly hard wearing to me. | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager rings and crankset (not impressed-got chainsuck from the off) shimano DX (years ago) Shimano XT. | | Bike Setup: | Trek 8900 (warranty frame from a faulty 1999 8000 frame - had to wait for 3 months for the frame to come from the US), Full XT, Rolf Propel wheels, Dean titanium seatpost, Flite titanium, Sachs PC89 9spd chain....ummm...Avid Rollamajig. | | Bottom Line: | The reviews on this page say it all - these rings are sweet. They shift better than anything I've ever used before and fit my Y2K XT cranks perfectly. They are substantially thicker than XT and look as though a lot of thought has gone into the design. I've recommended them to everyone in my club and would buy these puppies again. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas
Date Reviewed: December 16, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Lincoln Parish Park, LA | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$85.00 | | Purchased At: | www.webcyclery.com | | Strengths: | Well made. Beautiful. Good fit for replacement of XT set. Kind of beefy for XC (but so am I). | | Weaknesses: | None I can find. | | Similar Products Used: | XT, CODA Expert | | Bike Setup: | Klein Adept Pro, SRAM Chain | | Bottom Line: | Great replacement for thin XT set. In this part of the country the middle ring takes all the heat. Mine wore out and the XT middle ring was hard to find. Ordered this set from webcyclery, bolted them on, and immediately noticed smoother drivetrain and shifting. The XT cranks are strong and light (I weigh 240) and these are good upgrade. Nice gift for anyone riding XT cranks. Black spire even offers a stainless steel small ring for those with suck problems. I no longer lust after a raceface crankset (weight penalty anyway). I will buy these again. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
"Fast Bacon" Mojo
a Downhiller
from Whistler, BC
Date Reviewed: June 23, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | DH trails on Whistler | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Super strong; cool matte black finish; sweet, smooth, precise shifting....and again, super strong! Don't come loose like my old RF's did. | | Weaknesses: | Zip. | | Similar Products Used: | RF, $himano | | Bike Setup: | RM7, Shivers, Gazzi's, all the fixin's | | Bottom Line: | These guys are building some really nice rings - they've got it right - super strong, built phat, smooth shifting - no worries. Less expensive than a lot of comparable products out there and overall, way better. Seeing a lot more Black Spire stuff out there nowadays, so it's not just me. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary Not Fisher
a Weekend Warrior
from Crappy UK
Date Reviewed: March 11, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | ones without foot and mouth | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | chain reaction - a great shop in Ireland | | Strengths: | Nice looking (I like the graphics), thick (harder wearing than thin), deep-profile (again, they're harder wearing), and suprisingly (cos nothing shifts like a shimano)they shift brilliantly - no noticeable downgrade in performance over shimano.. | | Weaknesses: | none. | | Similar Products Used: | I paid same for these rings as what I could have got a whole XT 2000 Chainset. But that's not the point.. Shimano rings are thin - that's partly why they shift so well and totally why they don't last long. | | Bike Setup: | Fisher MT TAM | | Bottom Line: | Buy them. I think they are a good ring... better than shimano - and look better made... the whole ring is cnc'd. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Thomas Matthews
a
from Vancouver BC
Date Reviewed: September 16, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Any one | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$85.00 | | Purchased At: | Simons Bike Shop | | Strengths: | I bought these to repalce the rings that came on my Rocky
Mountain Thin Air. The Black Spire Rings were highly recc'ed
by the owner of the shop. He was right. They shift way better then the original rings. He gave me a pretty good deal as well price wise. | | Weaknesses: | None so far. They shift really well. | | Similar Products Used: | Race Face | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Thin Air | | Bottom Line: | Hey the rings are a vast improvement over the ones that came
on the bike. I am a hppy guy now. Would I buy them again. Yes and I would tell a friend good things. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Kerr
a Downhiller
from North Van BC
Date Reviewed: September 9, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | All of Them | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$55.00 | | Purchased At: | Cove Bike Shop | | Strengths: | The rings work great. Best shifting rings at the most affordable price. Way cheaper than Shimano. | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT.Race Face | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Thin Air. | | Bottom Line: | Would I buy them again. Yes I would and I would rec' them
to my riding friends. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jack Gymby
a Cross Country Rider
from North Vancouver
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | North Shore | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | These are the best shifting rings I have ever owned other
then Shimano which are hard to get. | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano,Real(which were awful) | | Bike Setup: | Rochy element TO | | Bottom Line: | I would buy these again. They are well priced, have
a good range of size, and work well. I see more and more of the stuff form these guys on the trails, so they are doing
something right. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brad Mills
a Cross Country Rider
from Adelaide Australia
Date Reviewed: May 28, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Anderson Reserve | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Shift well. Pinned and ramped. | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain Vertex | | Bottom Line: | I bought these rings in Sydney from a guy who knows the owner of Black Spire. He swears by the product line so
I thought I would give them a try.
I am not disappointed. They do what they are supposed to,
and are reasonabley priced.
I would buy them again. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brad Mills
a Cross Country Rider
from Adelaide Australia
Date Reviewed: May 27, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Andersons Reserve | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Shift well. Priced right. Look Good. | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain Vertex | | Bottom Line: | These rings shift well and offer good value. I would
tell my friends to buy them. No problem.
I really liked the way the middle ring shifts from the granny. Quick and clean.
Who should buy this? If you ride a Mountain Bike these
will work for you.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Yuri
a Cross Country Rider
from Ottawa
Date Reviewed: April 16, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Shifts fairly well and comes with all the ramps, ground teeth and pins you think you might need to do the job... | | Weaknesses: | The "step" to accommodate the narrow 9 speed chain rubs the chain on my 8-speed drivetrain when I'm in the smallest three cogs in the back. The "spider" portion of the chainring needs filing to fit Raceface cranks. The graphics look really cheesy (why, oh why did they put the web address on the chainring? So those computer geeks cycling with laptops could look 'em up at the trailside?). | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano rings and older BlackSpire rings (my DeKerf came with the original BlackSpire rings). | | Bike Setup: | DeKerf Team WCS with XTR and XMO shock. | | Bottom Line: | I don't think I'd consider these rings again unless, in the very least, the graphics are removed. I can't believe BlackSpire designed the rings *not* to fit RaceFace cranks (geez, don't they make rings for RaceFace? Mebbe' it's just some ploy to get us to buy the RF rings...) without some rework. Not good... | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
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