[zorg]

I tried e-mailing RF but the idiot would not answer my question. So here it is: I have an Atlas crankset.

1) Are the chainrings and bearings the same on the Deus and the Atlas?
2) If they are, could I buy the Deus crankarms to replace my Atlas' and shave a bit of weight?

Thanks for the answers.

 

[GearHead]

I tried e-mailing RF but the idiot would not answer my question. So here it is: I have an Atlas crankset.

1) Are the chainrings and bearings the same on the Deus and the Atlas?
2) If they are, could I buy the Deus crankarms to replace my Atlas' and shave a bit of weight?

Thanks for the answers.

The Deus and Atlas use the same BB, right off of RaceFace website listed under the XC/AM BB Cups "Designed to be used with your Deus, Atlas or Evolve XC X-Type cranksets."

Also, the chainrings are the same too.

You could actually buy any external BB XC/AM crank arms such as Shimano and use them with your RaceFace BB and chainrings.

 

[zorg]

The Deus and Atlas use the same BB, right off of RaceFace website listed under the XC/AM BB Cups "Designed to be used with your Deus, Atlas or Evolve XC X-Type cranksets."

Also, the chainrings are the same too.

You could actually buy any external BB XC/AM crank arms such as Shimano and use them with your RaceFace BB and chainrings.

Doh!! Thanks for pointing out what should have been obvious. I just wished that RF could have answered that same question themselves.

 

[zorg]

The final answer is that Race Face sells Atlas arms separately but not Deus. So, if anybody wants to switch to Atlas arms, I'll gladly trade them for their Deus arms.

 

[GearHead]

The Deus arms are very flexy, they flex more than a lot of non-external BB cranks do. Something to think about before switching.

 

[zorg]

The Deus arms are very flexy, they flex more than a lot of non-external BB cranks do. Something to think about before switching.

Interesting. Other reviews say that they're quite good. Maybe I should just look into some Shimano XT crank arms.

 

[GearHead]

Interesting. Other reviews say that they're quite good. Maybe I should just look into some Shimano XT crank arms.

Well, there marketing slogan is shift into the bling ring, so draw your own conclusions. I guess there becomes a point where fashion becomes more inportant than function.

Here is a link to a test showing the stiffness of various cranks. You will notice that any level of Shimano Octalink BB is stiffer than a Deus and not that much different than a Atlas. You will also notice that the Shimano external BB cranks a lot stiffer. Now the big thing to note is that these cranks are tested in a way that makes a Raceface crank look good, they are tested in torsion and rotational deflection is measured. The I-beam design of the RaceFace cranks performs well here. However if you laterally load a RaceFace crank, such as weighted outside crank arm on cornering, they will flex even more. The Shimano and FSA cranks do not exhibit this extra flex due to the hollow arm design.

The Deus cranks feel flexy in a way that I have never felt my older style Shimano cranks feel. Add that to the tolerance problems they are having resulting in crank arms coming loose and well....

It is really up to you to decide what is more important and ultimatley how much stiffness you require, just trying to inform you of other options.

Oh by the way, I think the polished Deus crank is the nicest looking crank I have ever seen, but I wouldn't buy it.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=60499

 

[mtnbiker1973]

The Deus arms are very flexy, they flex more than a lot of non-external BB cranks do. Something to think about before switching.

I *believe* I read a test (where they used an actual machine) in one of the cycling magazines (can't remember which one), that tested Shimano xtr, Race Face Deus, and another one or two cranksets, and the Deus was almost identicle to the xtr in many ways (including stiffness).

 

[GearHead]

I *believe* I read a test (where they used an actual machine) in one of the cycling magazines (can't remember which one), that tested Shimano xtr, Race Face Deus, and another one or two cranksets, and the Deus was almost identicle to the xtr in many ways (including stiffness).

The Deus crank is still not as stiff as the XTR crank in torsional load (probably wouldn't notice the difference) but is noticeably less stiff in lateral load. It should also be noted that the XTR crank is Shimano's least stiff crank due to weigth saving measures. The XT and Hone/LX are quite a bit stiffer.

 

[zorg]

The Deus crank is still not as stiff as the XTR crank in torsional load (probably wouldn't notice the difference) but is noticeably less stiff in lateral load. It should also be noted that the XTR crank is Shimano's least stiff crank due to weigth saving measures. The XT and Hone/LX are quite a bit stiffer.

Maybe I should check whether Shimano sells the XT crankarms separately then.

 

[GearHead]

Maybe I should check whether Shimano sells the XT crankarms separately then.

Yah, that would be an alternative.

The one thing I really like about the Shimano crank is that no matter how wide your BB shell actually is (not the nominal width of 68 or 73), once you put in the appropriate spacers it will always allow you to pre-load the BB bearings correctly. This is due to how the non-drive crank arm slides on the splines allow some variance in the BB shell width.

With the RaceFace cranks, they use the method of putting in deformable spacers to take up the variance in BB shell width. You have to tighten the drive side crank arm until it bottoms out and whatever pre-load you have on the BB bearings is what you are left with. This is why so many RaceFace cranks are REALLY hard to turn. Obviously you could fine tune this by facing your BB shell to a narrower width or by buying a range of thinner spacers and more accurately shimming this yourslef, but RaceFace doesn't supply those parts.

If you buy a Shimano crank, make sure you replace the two pinch bolts in the non-drive side arm with ones that are about 3-5 mm longer (in stainless of course). The ones that Shimano supplies do not provide enough thread engagement for steel bolts into aluminum and this has been a problem for some riders when torquing the bolts up (stripped crank arm threads for pinch bolts).

 

[Johnny Hair Boy]

They are plenty stiff

You will be hard pressed to notice any flex out of a set of Deus cranks on the trail. if you side load them with alot of force in a statioary position the flex a bit but nothing signifigant. I have been riding a set for a couple of years now and they are as stiff as anything I have ridden before (including XT) and they are light. I have hade some problems with them but Race Face took care of that and now they are perfect. Also I have got two full seasons out of my BB and it is still as good as new.

 

[zorg]

Conclusion

You will be hard pressed to notice any flex out of a set of Deus cranks on the trail. if you side load them with alot of force in a statioary position the flex a bit but nothing signifigant. I have been riding a set for a couple of years now and they are as stiff as anything I have ridden before (including XT) and they are light. I have hade some problems with them but Race Face took care of that and now they are perfect. Also I have got two full seasons out of my BB and it is still as good as new.

Well, as it turns out, my LBS had a full Deus crankset in stock that he did no mind parting out. So, thanks again Slartiblartfast as I'll end up with a Deus crankset. I'm not a powerful rider anyway, so I figured that I won't notice any little flex that might be there, and I got a good deal on it.

 

[Johnny Hair Boy]

Thats good

Well, as it turns out, my LBS had a full Deus crankset in stock that he did no mind parting out. So, thanks again Slartiblartfast as I'll end up with a Deus crankset. I'm not a powerful rider anyway, so I figured that I won't notice any little flex that might be there, and I got a good deal on it.

Be sure to follow the instructions to a tee when installing them. Allot of people do not tighten them enough, you have to tighten them untill you can't posibly tighten them anymore.

 

[paddlefoot64]

The Atlas BB is interchangeable with the Deus BB. It weighs a few grams more and the cups extend into the BB shell a little bit further. It's gold instead of black. Some retailers have sold it for less than the Deus. Pretty good deal. I like both of them and don't feel that my Deus cranks are flexing at all.