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Submitted by
Saddlesore
a Weekend Warrior
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: March 8, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | skogan pass | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$99.00 | | Strengths: | looks nice
shifts nice | | Weaknesses: | delicate teeth
hard to set up derailleurs these days
not exactly 8 speed compatible.
| | Similar Products Used: | older 8 and 9 speed raceface chainrings | | Bike Setup: | santacruz blur with an 8speed XT/XTR setup XTR (8 speed cassette, connex 908 chain, these rings, 9speed XT derailleurs) | | Bottom Line: | I have the silver ones that came with my 2005 Deus Crankset.
They look good and shift well in all conditions when set up properly. I am a Cross country kinda guy, so I am not too hard on stuff.Setting them up properly was difficult for me. with the new style chainline that comes with external bearings, it is hard to get the Front mech ajusted perfectly. this leads to slow shifting and if you are really torquing the pedals: missing teeth. my middle ring is missing a couple teeth, which is expected for an aluminum middle ring, they are delicate. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan
a Racer
from Madison, WI, US
Date Reviewed: March 17, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | light, looks good | | Weaknesses: | The chain breaks loose from the middle ring on climbs or when you torque the crank. It's a new shimano chain and my derailleur is properly adjusted, so that's not the problem | | Bike Setup: | '04 stumpy hardtail | | Bottom Line: | I have to try something else, unless I want to crack my knees every 5 minutes. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Justin
a Weekend Warrior
from Christchurch
Date Reviewed: September 21, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$275.00 | | Strengths: | Look great (but beauty is only skin deep) | | Weaknesses: | They might be 15% lighter than the old design, but they seem 50% weaker - the teeth on the middle ring keep snapping off! | | Similar Products Used: | The older black canadian made Racerings (work fine), Raceface Prodigy (taiwanese)rings (very average), 04 XT rings (reluctantly I must admit they work best)
| | Bike Setup: | 04 Enduro | | Bottom Line: | This review is for the newer design silver Racerings which came on mu Deus crankset. These rings look great, but the middle ring sucks. The teeth above the shift ramps keep breaking off. After the first warranty claim the local distributor checked chainline, chain wear, lubrication, and everything else, and gave me a new ring. One ride later I was making another call. It seems as if the Raceface designers have taken too much metal away from under the teeth immediately above the shift ramps. S.H.I.F.T technology? - get rid of the 'F' I recon. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rick
a Weekend Warrior
from Moreno Valley, CA.
Date Reviewed: June 10, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | 24 hour course-Hurkey Creek | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson USA | | Strengths: | I just bought the X-type Diabolous Crankset for my new Intense 5.5 (i am a welder there) and the middle chainring throws the chain under a load. it looked ovalized. I returned it yesterday. We'll see how they deal with it. | | Weaknesses: | The chainring. | | Similar Products Used: | RaceFace Prodigy DH | | Bike Setup: | Intense 5.5 EVP, Red front, Ball burnish rear (you can do that when you work there :) XT Shifters & front d/r,XTR rear d/r, Azonic WF 1.5' risers, RaceFace Diabolous stem, Minute 2 130mm fork, 4 way swinger shock,Sun singletrack rims, avid mech disc 7',Specialized Roller Pro 2.3's, Chris King headset. | | Bottom Line: | Ilove RaceFace cuz i can't break them. Hopefully they send me a new chainring. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Ontario
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Dundas, Waterdown, Kelso | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$90.00 | | Purchased At: | Came on bike | | Strengths: | Rigid, durable, great shifting, nice black finish, Canadian!! | | Weaknesses: | Not cheap | | Similar Products Used: | XT, Truvativ | | Bike Setup: | SantaCruz Superlight loaded | | Bottom Line: | Seems like a very good product, been using these chainrings going on 3 seasons now.Approx 3500km with some racing but not a lot. I'm 210 and ride a lot of steep hills. Middle chaingring is very spikey looking now and needs to be replaced, small ring is stll good and large ring also although it has some teeth missing(I ride over logs a lot).
I clean the drivetrain regularily and change the chain 2x a season. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Berkeley, CA
Date Reviewed: May 2, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | www.wrenchscience.com | | Strengths: | good shifting, durable | | Similar Products Used: | '99 LX rings, '94 and '98 STX rings | | Bike Setup: | '01 Titus Racer-X, SRAM PC-68 chain, XT 8-speed front derailleur | | Bottom Line: | I've had zero problems with these chainrings. I'm even bucking Shimano's advice and running a 20/32/44 set, which they say is too much for the derailleur, but no problems so far. I'm fastidious about keeping my drivetrain clean and happy, so maybe that helps. I've put about 3,000 miles on my bike and I've gone through a cassette (8-speed XTR and close to a dozen chains, but I'm still on my original rings. I think that replacing your chain before it stretches 1/8-inch is the key to keeping these rings happy. And even though I asked for 8-speed rings, the guys installed 9-speed, but it hasn't been a problem. I expect to get another thousand miles out of these before they need replacing.
Also, I'm 190-210 lbs. (depending on time of year) and ride a lot of hills, so I'm not exactly easy on these things. I would recommend them to anyone who'd rather replace chains than chainrings and cassettes. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: May 2, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Gnarly | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Muskoka Bicycle Pro Shop in Huntsville | | Strengths: | wear well, light, look great and shift very smoothly | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | Sugino and Shimano | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain Vertex - Atom 80's, ST/XTR drive, RF turbine cranks, Cross Ride wheels | | Bottom Line: | I raced and trained for a almost a full riding season on these rings, without any problems. By the looks of them, I'll likely get another couple of months out of them (training at least 5 days a week).
They have always shifted well and have stood up to collisions with the odd rock.
I will definately buy these rings again since they have served me so well...but I do know how to clean and lube a drive train....somthing I'm not so sure some of the other reviewers do.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
rob
a Cross Country Rider
from seattle.wa
Date Reviewed: March 3, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Very durable crank arms nice smooth shifting | | Weaknesses: | I usually ride 4X a week and after three weeks of riding with these chain rings, the middle chain ring lost two teeth and the small chainring was so bad with misaligned teeth that chain suck left me stranded on a lot of uphills. I was in such denial and disbelief that this type of problem would and can occur so early on in the purchase. Very dissatisfied with the product and the condescending warranty department. | | Similar Products Used: | None ever | | Bike Setup: | If you are a weekend warrior and ride maybe once a week then this is the product for you. If you are a frequent and serious rider who is accustomed to the rates at which equipment wares down, then you will be dissatisfied and surprised | | Bottom Line: | Shifts nice and fast for a short while but I was truly unhappy with this product | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Aarre Laakso
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego, CA
Date Reviewed: September 28, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Mission Gorge | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance | | Strengths: | Solved my problem. | | Weaknesses: | Don't know. | | Similar Products Used: | Factory chainring on Iron Horse. | | Bottom Line: | I bought the Race Face granny ring only because I had read online that replacing the granny ring would solve my problem. It worked! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Guy Wood
a Cross Country Rider
from Nr. Liverpool, England
Date Reviewed: September 26, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$125.00 | | Purchased At: | Chain reaction cycles, Ireland | | Strengths: | Great looks, great shifting | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | Very early XT cranks and rings, also PACE 7075 rings | | Bike Setup: | Custom 'Dave Yates' cro-mo frame MTB. Rigid forks (eek!!). 2002 XT back wheel, cassette, derailleurs and shifter/brakelevers, SRAM PC-99 chain and Raceface Prodigy XC cranks and rings. Rest a mixture of X-lite, Hope, Shimano and Titec. | | Bottom Line: | I've put about 350 miles on the bike in the month I've had them, mainly on the roads for training (including some really horrible granny ring climbs) and I haven't had any problems at all so far. Maybe this is because I have new Raceface rings? Maybe the earlier rings from the days of 21 and 24 speed transmissions are a bit thicker and do cause chainsuck with modern 27 speed narrower chains - who knows ???
Anyhow, I'll review again when I've a few more hundred miles on them. Btw, the shifting from the middle to big is superb, granny ring to middle is a fair bit slower. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rick Stephens
a Weekend Warrior
from South Bend, IN, USA
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$120.00 | | Purchased At: | House | | Strengths: | These are some awesome rings. They are the fastest frontedn shifting rings I have ever had. They are worth more than I paid. Not only are they great in everyway, they are the longest lasting i have ever had. | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | Nothing can compare to these rings. | | Bike Setup: | I built my own useing the following: K2 3000, all Noleen Suspension, 3inch travel in rear, 5 inch travel in frontw/ double triple clamp. SRAM 9.0 shfiting, LX front derailer, Avid arch supreme v-brakes w/ boosters, raceface headset, Panaracer Fire XC Pro, Mavic D-521 rims, limited Kucamonga cranks. | | Bottom Line: | Kickballs bike, with only kickballs components. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from Castle Rock, CO
Date Reviewed: May 23, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | rocky and steep | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Came with bike | | Strengths: | Great shifting
High durability
Excellent warranty support | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain Instinct | | Bottom Line: | My '99 Rocky Mountain Instinct had a lot of trouble with the chain popping off the front when hammering technical sections in the granny when I first got the bike. Then a job change and move across the country caused me to not ride for more than a year. When I returned to riding, I didn't ride technical for a while. I finally got back to hammering this past summer and the chain started popping off. I tried the NGear inner chain guard (which helped) but still had the problem. Then I read MTBReviews of my bike where others reported the problem way back in 99 and said Race Face replaced their rings and the problem disappeared. Apparently the rings weren't quite right for the 9 speed setup. So I called Race Face and explained the situation. They had me ship the rings back. The package got stuck at the border, so the Race Face warranty guy sent new rings to me before mine got to him. Over 2 years after the fact! Outstanding service, eh?!!? And the best news of all - problem solved and I can hammer till my lungs explode! Great customer service seems so rare these day - THANKS, RACE FACE! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Hakan
a Cross Country Rider
from NYC
Date Reviewed: May 16, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Stock on bike | | Strengths: | Nice shifting, looks sharp | | Weaknesses: | None so far but I have heard that the rings are a bit soft | | Similar Products Used: | Coda (worst crap ever), XT cranks | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain Vertex, Raceface cranks, seatpost,hanldebars,Atom 80 shocks, XTR f/r der. XT shifters with SRAM brakes, King headset | | Bottom Line: | Great so far. Flawless shifting with the XTR front derailleur. Heard the rings are a bit soft and not sure how long tehy will last | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steven Trottier
a Racer
from lewisville n.c usa
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | tsali | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | came w/ my nextlp's | | Strengths: | where do i start. these things are awesome! they are so strong and hold up to anything you can dish out. | | Weaknesses: | there is not enough teeth on my ring only 44 but that is what it came w/ so i am not compliaining. | | Similar Products Used: | none, my xtr ones just bended and broke apart. | | Bike Setup: | frame wheels tires and brakes 21 pounds | | Bottom Line: | these are awesome! today when i was out riding i hit the teeth on the cement and hurt the cement and it looked liek it cleaned the grime away from them! (2 inch deep line in cement!) these are strong and they mite not be the litest but if you can use them for such a long time then it is worth it. i love my rings and youi should buy theem if you are riding period. had xtr's but there was no teeth on tem after a few months of riding.they get a 5! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Bristol
Date Reviewed: January 26, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | It was nice while it lasted...No complaints there | | Weaknesses: | Didn't last nearly as long as I thought it should. Almost hurt me a few times. | | Bottom Line: | Sad to say, I really love my RF Turbine LP crankset, but the middle ring is TOAST after LESS than 500 weekend warrior type miles.. I rode this crankset on average 3 hours a week last year, and much less since the weather got colder, only weekends occasionally.. Today, on a recreational ride with my 65 year old Dad, the middle ring completely let go of the chain under torque load.
WTF!! I thought it was a blown rear hub at first as it felt like I had freewheeled and blown the pawl assembly in my rear wheel! After several more times of this, I popped into the granny, and the problem goes away? My Dad watched the cassette while I stepped down on the crank, middle ring front, Big ring rear.... BZZZZZZ!!!! Cassette stayed put, but I nearly fell off the bike when the crankarm DROPPED like as if the chain had broken. Apparently, the middle ring is WORN OUT. The teeth are ALMOST not halfway engaging the chain. They are quite round and eliptical between teeth. This must have been wearing for some time but I didn't realize it until todays failure. I had to finish the ride in Granny gear, every small hill would make the middle ring let go of the chain.. Wow, what a pitiful ring, it really didn't get abused at all, just used. I lube the chain every other ride too. It is just really hard to believe. The small ring looks fine, the teeth are almost twice the height of the middle ring. I am most definitely getting another brand ring. 1 chili for value, cause they are expensive to replace ($30!!!), and 2 because it was good all the way until death, but with a crummy lifespan.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Trey
a Racer
from Pullman, Washington
Date Reviewed: December 26, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Prodigy cranks...rings suck | | Weaknesses: | They bend, I have bent and broke the teeth off the middle and large chainring in a few months. The set-up cam stock on a rocky mountain hammer race, with the race face seatpost and chain rings bending immediately. I finally received a response from the canucks telling me they are for X-country only...well thats all I ride. I would be petrified to use their (race face) drive train on a big downhill. | | Similar Products Used: | XT, XTR | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain Hammer race | | Bottom Line: | Buy other components...not RF if you want them to last | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ernest
a Cross Country Rider
from south Carolina
Date Reviewed: December 5, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$44.00 | | Purchased At: | online | | Strengths: | Strength, weight | | Weaknesses: | Customer support | | Similar Products Used: | shimano | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain Element race | | Bottom Line: | My bike came with Prodigy cranks and a cheap set of Race face rings They were destroyed in no time. I bought a new set of Race face rings that are of a much higher quality and finish. They are much more durable. However I did have a couple of teeth fracture on the big rig after a weekend in the NC mountains, not sure how or why. I called Race face got a return author. number and sent them back under warrenty. That was almost six weeks ago. Sent them an email, left them a message, no return and no rings as of yet. I filed and beat my old ring enough to ride. As a blanket statement I have been very dissapointed in several warrenty claims I have been involved in over the last year or two. Nite Rider, Trek, Rolf. Bottom line to me... I would not use the warrenty as a reason to buy a part most of them suck, if they take months to turn it around what good is it. I think they stall on purpose, I mean really how long does it take to throw a new ring in an envelope and mail it!! I give it a few chilis because i was very happy with the shifting, but I am anal about tuning and lubing and I really dont use the little ring much here in SC so I cant comment on the chain suck people complain about, I do not get it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben
a Cross Country Rider
from New Mexico
Date Reviewed: September 13, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Signal Peak Race Course | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Twin Sisters Cyclery & Fitness | | Strengths: | Lightweight, clean looking, stiff | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Similar Products Used: | shimano | | Bike Setup: | da Vinci FS, Dean Ti, Action Tec Ti, IRD, DT Hugi, da Vinci, Avid, SRAM | | Bottom Line: | Replaced old crankset with smaller setup. Mainly looking for weight reduction and for bigger rings. I like the setup 46/34/24. So much improved over old setup in all areas. The large ring is a little too big for my old derailleur, but as soon as my new derailleur arrives, should be awesome. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jan
a Racer
from Denver
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything in Crested Butte | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | 123bikes.com | | Strengths: | Race Face makes great products | | Weaknesses: | weak teeth | | Similar Products Used: | RF 8 speed Chain rings, shimano | | Bike Setup: | Litespeed, King hubs, Turbine LP ISIS cranks | | Bottom Line: | I put on a new set of ISIS cranks and had a hard time shifting from middle to granny gear. Then I noticed one of the teeth was gone off of the middle ring. I couldn't have ridden more than about 1/4 mile. The nine speed rings have one tooth that is cut away for ramps and doesn't have much support. I have used 8 speed RF rings on XT cranks for about a year with no problems. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Golden, CO
Date Reviewed: August 10, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Apex | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: |
Nice looks
Light
| | Weaknesses: |
Aluminum is way too soft
Does not last long
Shifting is marginal
| | Similar Products Used: | Shimano | | Bottom Line: | Not bad if you don't mind replacing the small chain ring every few months.
I would not recommend this product for a rider who spends a lot of time on big climbs. These chainrings are way too soft and deform easily.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim
a Weekend Warrior
from Bristol,UK
Date Reviewed: June 11, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Lightweight,strong,flawless shifting, oh and looks. | | Weaknesses: | None found yet,bit pricey maybe. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano | | Bike Setup: | RF LP cranks STD drive and rings(46,34,24),XT front and back derailleur,XTR shifters,XT 8 speed cassette IG 90 chain. | | Bottom Line: | Opinion seems really divided on this message boards over these rings but I have to say I love em.Maybe its luck but they shift as well as or maybe even smoother than my original LX crankset.
Even though Im still 8 speed I fitted 9 speed rings as suggested by my mate in the bike shop, less chance of chain suck he reckons. I havent changed the chain yet but will be soon as it is a bit old. My mate again advising me to go for a 9 speed Sram chain.
My front chain line is at about 48mm at present but im also going to be fitting a RF taperlock bb which should bring it down closer to the 45mm that Leonard Zinn recommends in his excellent "Zinn and the Art of mountain biking" book, its OK but I do get a bit of rubbing in top gear( think im stretching the XT mech a bit for the 46 top ring).
All in all I think a wicked product. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Christian Long
a Cross Country Rider
from Montréal, now living in Denver, CO
Date Reviewed: June 3, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Colorado Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Bycicle Village, Lakewood, CO | | Strengths: | - Light
- No flex
- Looks | | Weaknesses: | - Price
- Durability
- Chain suck | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT | | Bike Setup: | 2000 Specialized FSR XC Pro with Next-LP crank set | | Bottom Line: | Solid and stiff. Feel great but I get some chain suck when downshifting from middle to small ring. The two smaller rings lasted me about 1700 miles before it started skiping. I have a new set on order. Aluminum doesn't last...
I'll try those Black Spire next time, they get great reviews! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bennito
a Cross Country Rider
from C-Springs, CO
Date Reviewed: May 9, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Upper Hulls in Boise | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Surplus from Friend | | Strengths: | Nice ramps make shifting under pressure better than the old XT setup. | | Weaknesses: | Though I haven't seen it, durability. They are thin teeth and I'm curious how well they will hold up | | Similar Products Used: | XT | | Bike Setup: | Horrid mix of XT, LX and now RF. | | Bottom Line: | I think people have hit it on the head about dialing it in. I went with a new XT BB, Sachs chain, and RF chainrings. Did take a while to get the front DE dialed in. Now that I do, I have no fears popping down a ring while putting out torque.
Nice thing is that you can get these at unreal prices from cambria, CC or even pricepoint.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jeff
a
from bay area
Date Reviewed: March 15, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | they go round and round? | | Weaknesses: | alloy wears faster than steel | | Similar Products Used: | shimano | | Bike Setup: | heckler | | Bottom Line: | I put a little over 1,000 miles (no road) on these rings and started to get chainsuck really bad in my small ring. A couple of teeth were slightly out of whack, but the real problem is just that the small ring was wore out and sloppy. I ride in northern calif and do lot's of granny ring climbing.
I replaced my small ring with the steel version made by RF, although you could easily use shimano steel rings as well. The middle and big ring are still RF alloy and no problems, but I think my middle is getting ready to be replaced as it's looking a little ragged.
Check your chainline, keep your drivetrain lubed and clean it once in a while and replace worn out rings and you shouldn't have any problems. Alloy wears faster than steel, so don't be surprised if they need to be replaced faster than shimano stuff. The RF rings shift fast like shimano. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
The Ox
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Ont, Canada
Date Reviewed: March 15, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Radical - Hardwood Hills | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | |
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