What high-end chainset/crankset do you run for xc?

supersonic

With the FSA ones you mention, you would need a seperate ISIS or Octalink BB - take off what you have, screw in the BB, fit cranks!

You need to get the correct shell width (depends on bike, usually 68 or 73mm) and axle length, depends on crank, i think 113mm for those.

With external systems, the axle is attatched to a crank arm, so that is always the correct length, and the BB is seperate cups, not one unit, so can fit a 68 or 73 with spacers.

No need to face with ISIS or Octalink.

gcwebbyuk

Thanks for the other post about FSA's Supersonic...

...So are they all as easy to fit? Need similar tools etc?

Any pros and cons of each?

When you say need a seperate BB that means the ones listed don't have a BB and therefore need one as well - any recomendations?

gcwebbyuk

Dammit I keep looking at the Race Face Deus XC ones and really like the look.

How do they compare out of all of these:

1. Shimano XTR
2. Shimano XT
3. Shimano SLX
4. FSA Carbon Pro
4. Deore M542

Obviously the weight side of thing is easy to work out and compare, but what about shifting, lifetime etc...

canada16

TBH

I have not heard to much bad stuff from the azone crank set from superstar.

They look cool and they are lighter than XTR and more than half the price.

I could be wrong, but hey they cant be that bad or they would not be selling them

But some people only go for names they trust.

gcwebbyuk

Someone is offering me a set of Race Face cranks for £100.... near mint condition....

supersonic

Sorry for the delay getting back!

They are all as easy to fit as each other. With Octo and ISIS you screw the BB into the frame, then attatch the cranks to the acle. No preloading, just do up.

With external set up you screw the seperate BB cups in, slide the axle through (which is permanently attached to the crank arm) and adjust like a headset. Imagine the other crank arm as the stem! Park Tools will show the differences better.

Octalink has better sealed bearings, and you just replace the whole unit. Cheaper too. Not as stiff. Stiffness is the only advantage so far of the latest systems, and the fact they make them higher end than Octalink which is a pity.

The shifting on all Shimano set ups is nigh on identical. Off top of my head XTR weighs about 780g, XT 850g, SLX 890g, LX 927g, Deore about 960g. LX and Deore have more steel in them. SLX probably the strongest.

chrishoo5

I run a full XT set, smoove as butter and light too.

Chaka Ping

I have Deus cranks and I have nothing but praise for them.

Light, very strong and stiff. Easily as good as new XT. Very good quality chainrings too. Look fantastic as well, if that's important.

But I'd get XT if I was buying new, price for weight/performance they just seem the best deal to me. The Deus cranks came on my Anthem.

konakulakid

santa got me SLX crank&shifters zooooooooom

smackmypitchupǃ

The performance to be gained by going from Deore to XTR is minimal. We accord the crank more importance than it deserves.

djvagabon

Shimano XTR is the dogs bollocks and looks the part aswell. I wouldnt have anything else.

clazza

Middleburn RS8 - classy looking and you can customise

mellex

Can't say that I've ever coveted the XTR range as I've always assumed that 'Top-End' kit requires 'Top-End' service and mechanical know how, which I lack.

I can however say that I've been running 08 Raceface XC for nine months and it has been superb. Plus, if I can maintain them, a well trained chimp with an arm behind it's back could.

gcwebbyuk

I did covet the XTR until I actually saw it on a bike next to a bike with XT.

For some reason XT in photos looks pretty basic and XTR looks lush - in the metail they are the opposite - especially when a bike with SLX was also there!

I appreciate the XTR is a lot lighter again than the XT though.

Salsa

I had my heart set on an XTR chainset or maybe a nice 2X9 setup, but I went into Halfords the other day & spotted last years XT in their 'expensive parts' cabinet.
Asked some lad how much it was & he told me he would have to check as he didn't normally work in cycles, after looking on the computer he said it was on the system at £65.
I said ok yeah I'll take it (bargain!) but once he took it out of the cabinet I noticed the BB cups/spacer/tube was missing from the box. So I told him the BB was £35 & he reduced it further for me to £30 to take iinto account the BB cost.
I then went to an LBS I'm friendly with & got a BB for it, they didn't have an XT BB but they let me have a 105 road BB for trade price (£9.50) & llet me use their tools to fit it myself, so I upgraded to a Hollow Tech II setup for £39.50!
I really wanted an XTR but I'll take XT & use the saved money to upgrade to XTR shifters & a carbon shadow XTR mech.
First ride was good, feels a lot stiffer than the 04 Hollow Tech 1 I had in before.

gcwebbyuk

Lucky barsteward! How can you sleep at night knowing you ripped off that spotty halfrauds youf.

allthegearnoidea

thats a cracking deal!