SLX Cranks

adb1006
adb1006 Posts: 938
edited October 2009 in MTB general
Just had some turn up at work to go on a mate's build. Lovely looking bit of kit. Bunged them on the digi scales we have here and, including BB, they came to 893g. Not bad at all for £100. I've never weighed my own XT ones but they're supposed to be 853g, so only 40g less than the SLX.
The HTII BB on it's own came in at 93g and looks exactly the same as my XT one.

Overall, well impressed with the SLX so far 8)
Rock Lobster Team Tig SL Custom
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Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    taken a while for you to realise :wink:

    why have XT when SLX looks better and lasts longer?
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • adb1006
    adb1006 Posts: 938
    nicklouse wrote:
    taken a while for you to realise :wink:

    why have XT when SLX looks better and lasts longer?

    In your opinion :wink:

    To be fair - my XT only cost me £125 so i paid £25 more to save 40g - which aint bad.
    Rock Lobster Team Tig SL Custom
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    XT is supposed to be stiffer under power too in the outer ring. Apparently.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    supersonic wrote:
    XT is supposed to be stiffer under power too in the outer ring. Apparently.

    I thought I'd read that SLX was stiffer?
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    s it not just that XT is basically an older design? Probably when the next XT comes out it'll be better, I reckon. SLX is where it's at though.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • cgarossi
    cgarossi Posts: 729
    Which is why im pondering on my new brake set?

    I've got some money to spend, I can pick up a SLX Brakeset from Merlins for £169 which will match my current group set or go for XT for an extra £30? Not sure it worth the price difference tbh.
    Trek Fuel EX8 2009
    Cube LTD Race 2010
    Hereford and Worcester rider? Ledbury Mountain Bikers
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    bails87 wrote:
    supersonic wrote:
    XT is supposed to be stiffer under power too in the outer ring. Apparently.

    I thought I'd read that SLX was stiffer?

    The crank arms maybe - parts are certainly reinforced with somebits being '100% stronger', but XT has a thicker outer ring and tabs for extra stiffness when stomping in the outer.

    Now whether you can feel it...

    Would I buy XT over SLX? Only if it was about a tenner more or so.

    I think the next generation XT will be more like this generation XTR, while XTR will compete more with X0 and get lighter still.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • adb1006
    adb1006 Posts: 938
    supersonic wrote:
    Would I buy XT over SLX? Only if it was about a tenner more or so.

    I think the next generation XT will be more like this generation XTR, while XTR will compete more with X0 and get lighter still.

    That was my thinking exactly - i had my build spec'ed with SLX cranks but Merlin had the XT on offer for an extra £25 so i thought i'd go for it. Looking at these SLX ones in front of me now, i'm glad i did as they are a kind of gunmetal colour (i thought they were black), so wouldn't go with the matt black of the Lobster IMO. They are some good looking cranks though - the "brushed" bit looks wicked.
    Rock Lobster Team Tig SL Custom
  • M1llh0use
    M1llh0use Posts: 863
    so the BNIB XT crankset that i picked up for £100 last night was good value, yes?
    {insert smartarse comment here}
  • adb1006
    adb1006 Posts: 938
    M1llh0use wrote:
    so the BNIB XT crankset that i picked up for £100 last night was good value, yes?

    What's BNIB?
    Rock Lobster Team Tig SL Custom
  • M1llh0use
    M1llh0use Posts: 863
    Brand New In Box (ebay speak)
    {insert smartarse comment here}
  • adb1006
    adb1006 Posts: 938
    M1llh0use wrote:
    Brand New In Box (ebay speak)

    Ah, i see - if it's got the BB with it then yes - very good deal!
    Rock Lobster Team Tig SL Custom
  • M1llh0use
    M1llh0use Posts: 863
    yep bb as well :wink:


    to tell the truth i was about to buy an slx set then this came up so jumped at the chance...
    {insert smartarse comment here}
  • adb1006
    adb1006 Posts: 938
    Good buy then :wink:

    There's not a lot in them from my experience. I've had the XT about 6 months now and it still looks brand new - so i know they're hard wearing. I've just put the SLX on my mates new Malt - so we'll see how they hold up.
    Rock Lobster Team Tig SL Custom
  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    I have the SLX twin and bash and I think it looks the dogs wotsits

    3995343859_8f0f5b8ae8.jpg

    link for bigger picture
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/30392791@N07/3995343859/sizes/l/
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • llamafarmer
    llamafarmer Posts: 1,893
    The SLX crankset is fantastic, I'm going to put XT on my Anthem, but that's mainly because I'm a label whore and want a full XT drivetrain :lol: SLX is better looking and barely any heavier.
    Giant Anthem X
    Cube Ltd Race
  • yoohoo999
    yoohoo999 Posts: 940
    I've got a full XT groupset on my AM bike........except the cranks which are SLX

    I've got a full XT groupset on my FR bike........except the cranks which are RaceFace Diabolous.

    The RaceFace cranks are quite possibly the best FR cranks you can get (although a bit weighty), however, the SLX feel almost as good (to a point of course). Remarkably stiff for the money.

    Now consider that the RaceFace cranks are nearly triple the price of the SLX cranks............


    It's a no brainer!!!!! SLX cranks are mega bang for buck!

    I've got an e.thirteen DRS chainguide on the SLX (which admittedly cost more than the cranks), but it's an amazing pairing. I would quite happily have put it on my FR rig.
  • Eranu
    Eranu Posts: 712
    I must be the only person who doesn't like the look of SLX crank arms :/
  • adb1006
    adb1006 Posts: 938
    Eranu wrote:
    I must be the only person who doesn't like the look of SLX crank arms :/

    They seem similar in appearance to the XTR - sort of gunmetal grey with brushed alloy sections. They certainly look like more than £100 worth of crank - can't believe they were only £65 on CRC around last xmas!
    Rock Lobster Team Tig SL Custom
  • grumsta
    grumsta Posts: 994
    I just ordered some from Merlin for £89.95 :(:)
  • adb1006
    adb1006 Posts: 938
    I couldn't find them on Merlin! We got everything else from Merlin but couldn't find these.

    Here's the beast :
    13102009090.jpg
    Rock Lobster Team Tig SL Custom
  • Joe_Pineapples
    Joe_Pineapples Posts: 1,718
    I've been running the SLX twin + bash setup for about 6 weeks now on my Patriot and it's been fit and forget to be honest. It looks good, works extremely well and is outstanding value for money IMO. Combined with a Blackspire Stinger, it's probably all the crank I'll ever need.

    I'm about to order another one, triple ring version this time, for a wee winter project.
    '16 Radon Swoop 210
    '15 Radon Slide 9.0 HD
    '05 Rock Lobster Team TIG S.L.
    Restless Natives
  • Stuey01
    Stuey01 Posts: 1,273
    I'm very dubious about claims that people can feel the difference in stiffness of crank arms. Particularly between two reasonable sets of cranks, properly installed. Stinks of placebo effect to me.

    SLX are cheap(ish), light, good looking, it's a bit of a no-brainer.
    Not climber, not sprinter, not rouleur
  • yoohoo999
    yoohoo999 Posts: 940
    Stuey01 wrote:
    I'm very dubious about claims that people can feel the difference in stiffness of crank arms. [ /quote]

    that's just nuts! my SLX doubles are very stiff, but I can still notice a difference between them and my diabolous.
  • Stuey01
    Stuey01 Posts: 1,273
    yoohoo999 wrote:
    Stuey01 wrote:
    I'm very dubious about claims that people can feel the difference in stiffness of crank arms.

    that's just nuts! my SLX doubles are very stiff, but I can still notice a difference between them and my diabolous.

    On the same frame, with the same pedals?

    Even if it is I'm still very very dubious.
    Not climber, not sprinter, not rouleur
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Does really depend on that crank, and heavier more powerful riders will notice it more.

    Going from a square taper crank to octalink was very noticable. HT2 is stiffer still.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • Stuey01
    Stuey01 Posts: 1,273
    supersonic wrote:
    Does really depend on that crank, and heavier more powerful riders will notice it more.

    Going from a square taper crank to octalink was very noticable. HT2 is stiffer still.

    Yeah but we are talking HT2 to Race Face equivalent of HT2 here, i.e. the same type of crank.

    I'm a 95kg former gym monkey, so am strong and powerful. I just don't buy it that there is enough difference to be noticeable.
    Not climber, not sprinter, not rouleur
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Not all external bearing cranks are the same - the arms make a difference, the hollow Shimano being stiffer than base Truvativ for example.

    In fact I would say some Octalink cranks were stiffer than some external bearing cranks, but I have far from tried them all lol. On a stiff frame like my zaskar, you can see and feel certain cranks flexing.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • Steve_b77
    Steve_b77 Posts: 1,680
    I've had SLX on my FS for over a year now, proper good cranks.

    But I would say teh Raceface Evolve XC's I've got on my HT look better, but are just as good.
  • breezer
    breezer Posts: 1,225
    Might want to look at this thread regarding issues with slx cranks, xt and hones...

    http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/cracks-in-cranks#post-762741

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