I think we are being ripped off by Shimano big time.

I have an old six year old square taper crank arm and a brand new 2015 one.

They are virtually the same weight.

The new one better be worlds stiffer or something is definitely adrift here with an emphasis mainly on shifting tech.

Where are the numbers?

Any quantitative data out there guys?

Struggling to understand how that’s a rip off TBH.

ever ridden a REALLY LIGHT bike – as in a sub UCI legal bike….

Weight is not everything.

Most “really” light bikes ride like utter ass….

But no your right – obviously shimano are ripping us off because the old and new products weigh the same….

Im pretty sure if you weigh it as a full unit…ie with respective bb then the new stuff is lighter.

Wasn’t aware that Deore was being marketed as anything more than good, solid, entry-level equipment.

If your XTR weighed the same as Deore, you might have a point.

Yeah the data is out there. All of the hollowtech II Deore are about the same weight as each other no matter the year but they are significantly lighter than square taper when you take into account BB.

Hollowtech II SLX & XT 9&10 speed cranks weigh about the same as each other. A 2010 SLX 660 crank weighs the same as a 2014 SLX 760.

I never said weight was everything and I’m only talking about one crank arm here.

but you did ONLY compare weights and then declare it a ripoff…its in the OP. infact its only missing the clickbait to the daily mail article really.

I find ht2 stiffer than square taper and I’m sure lighter with bb

The real silly thing is that people buy XT cranks over SLX as they are <5g apart

Remember the weight savings come from using an external BB + two piece crank design. Those old square and octolink BBs were very heavy. Weigh both assemblies and you’ll see the difference.

How much was the old crank arm compared to the new one?

People don’t buy XT cranks cos they’re a gram lighter, they buy them cos they say XT on them.

i bought my HT2 xts because the BB’s last longer than the deores.

I.e. life span measurable in months rather than minutes.

Still fitted a hope ceramic when the BB expired.

Funny how the classifieds only residents only ever come out of the holes to complain about stuff.

The weight loss is in the BB, weigh the square taper one and compare it to the HT II

If your XTR weighed the same as Deore, you might have a point.

Even XTR (or DA) isn’t light, but it will last 10+ years, unlike cranks marketed as being light.

Even XTR (or DA) isn’t light, but it will last 10+ years, unlike cranks marketed as being light.

What he said.

Making oblong lump of metal doesn’t change much in 6 years shocker!

Aren’t they cheaper than 6 years ago? I’m struggling to see how this could be construed as a ripoff!

IMHO, the main advantage of ht2 cranks is that they don’t use shitey square taper axles. I can’t remember the last time I had a crank come loose (or fall off in the middle of nowhere). And the less said about those bloody rubbish extractor threads the better.

The significant weight savings are just a bonus afaic.

Even if you paid full retail for Deere cranks, you’d be buying a bargain.

I think we are being ripped off by Shimano big time.

Really

I’m playing around with various n+1 options at the moment. So yesterday I priced a Deore groupset

So

triple chainset
bottom bracket
pair of hydraulic brakes
left and right shifters
front derailleur
rear derailleur (shadow type)
rear cassette 10 speed
chain

All for £175 quid or there abouts

Maybe I’m easily pleased but that doesn’t feel like a rip off to me. Even if its no lighter than 6 years ago

I’m sure i once paid £100 for a pair of deore brakes once

There are a fair few brands that are overpriced.

Shimano are without doubt not one of them.

Deore, then Deore II, then Deore DX used to be the second top groupset. Now its 4th.

Makes you think.

The only thing I really notice and miss about Square taper is the BB life you got even from the cheaper end of the range, HT2 still doesn’t quite match that, but otherwise who really cares if a LH Crank arm still weighs the same?

There is a limit to how light you can really make them.

There are a fair few brands that are overpriced.

Shimano are without doubt not one of them.

Sadly, that’s not the case in Canada where I live. Multiple those Chain Reaction prices by three would seem to be the local distributors pricing strategy

You know why it’s called Deore, don’t you? The first Shimano MTB mechs had a deer on them, and someone was sloppy with the translation.

cookeaa – Member
The only thing I really notice and miss about Square taper is the BB life you got even from the cheaper end of the range, HT2 still doesn’t quite match that…

The ht2 bottom bracket on my commuter is now looking at something like 15,000km, it’s still fine.

(Gusset ext24, £25)

There’s not been a massive (none) amount of technical development in forged aluminium in the last 6 years.

It’s a crank arm. It’s a piece of metal. The scope for improvement is fairly narrow.

In fact, I’m trying to think of something that’s less of a “rip-off” than a Deore chainset and I’m struggling!

The ht2 bottom bracket on my commuter is now looking at something like 15,000km, it’s still fine.

I once did 42,000 touring miles on a square taper bottom bracket.

I have Middleburn cranks and a square taper on my hardtail. Weighs a lot more than Hollowtech II etc but then I’m not light.

2015 XT

2009 SLX

I think the only Shimano crank skulduggery was when they started making HT2 – most of their remaining square taper cranks beefed up (bigger cross sections so presumably stiffer) and got way heavier than the (fairly light) XT square taper stuff that we’d been happily riding since the mid nineties.

I prefer square taper, but must admit all our recent purchases for 1×10 have been HT2 simply because the whole assembly was lighter and stiffer.