Whats best and why? I'm trying to decide between XTR M970, Saint or RaceFace Atlas FR crank arms. Weight is important but so is ease of fitting and strength. I only run a single ring but use the bike for nearly every type of riding. What do the STW Massive think?

Cheers!

M970 has served me very well but ease of fitting, hmm, no.

I'll watch this with interest. I have used M970 on my Hustler for 2 years now but have a problem, they keep coming loose no matter how much I tighten them. On close examination all the splines are damaged which means I can't get the torque to keep them tight. Now, it's a chicken and egg situation, are the cranks coming loose because the splines are damaged or did I damage the splines because the cranks come loose???

That's my experience of M970 based on 2 years riding. Everything from XC to DH really.

I'm going to replace them ASAP so I'll watch this thread with interest!

Race Face Atlas for me (Double and bash) had them a couple of years and they are super strong – ditch the BB as the bearings aren't up to it IMO but the rings last ages and the cranks have never come loose.
My advice would be to use a torque wrench when installing and you'll have no problems – different system to Shimano but its worked well for me.

Also still running a set of turbines (ISIS) from about 2001 which again are very strong – the BB again being the weak link – but I have now managed to find one that lasts longer than 6 months. The crank arms/rings are very good IME – not sure on weight, but thats never one of my primary concerns

Doug; do you need a new non drive side arm? I prematurely bought a new one when I though I knackered the original; it's sat in my garage in a box doing naff all.

Atlas weigh a ton so if you are weight sensitive, stay away. Saint are not light either.

I've had M970's for around 3 years without issue. BB's don't last, but the Chris King one gets around that. Light, strong and look pretty. Perfect. some folks moan about heel run spoiling the looks, but helitape is a must from new.

Shimano less hassle to fit.

Race Face Atlas FR – bit more hassle to set up with lots of spacers etc – so chainline can be fine tuned. Have 1 on DH bike + 1 on my xc bike – no problems for last 12 months.

I'm bit of a bike tart so the colour options swung me towards the RF Atlas – otherwise would have gone for Saint. Would agree with above XTR if you are a "weight weenie"

what about the middleburn HT2 cranks???

SLX.

Only very slightly heavier than XT (once you ditch the steel chainrings of the 22/36 version). Steel pedal inserts.

I've got 2 pairs – one on my Uzzi, one on my BFe. They've stood up to some pretty serious abuse, including some shockingly badly cased jumps with no issues, and if you do manage to bend them, it's not the end of the world.

I ride m970 and they are decent but a pain to fit and remove over say XT/hone etc. They are more than strong enough as shown buy a lot of DH riders.

Have you thought about truvativ?

i have broken both xtr and raceface atlas, running saint at the moment and they look tatty but so far no issues. i do break bits quite a lot though unfortunately

Are you actually using them on a DH bike?
If not what about the Race Face Atlas All Mountain cranks?
They're the same set up as the FR model, look pretty similar but have been on a diet so weigh quite a chunk less than the FR's.

All options etc can be viewed here:

http://www.silverfish-uk.com/silverfish_catalogue.php?r=3m3d0b7s0

Cheers

i've ran saints for 5 years now with no complaints. Top set of cranks, super stiff, probably total overkill for the type of riding i do……
Me mate built his new playbike up with with a set of atlas on it only to have them snap a chainring tab 1/2 way round Ae, not cool. Totally random failure though, never seen or heard of another set fail like that, and in rf's defence they were replaced for nowt.

M960's – now 4 years old and used for everything.

SLX with steel pedal inserts does seem to be a sensible alternative.

no brainer, if strength and reliability are priorities – saint

Currently using 970 XTR on a gen 1 Intense SlopeStyle. They cope well but creak like b4st4rd. The 960s I had on my Tracer never made so much as a peep and had a sensible attachment method. I will pull'em apart this weekend and put 'em back on again to see if that helps but if they start creaking again they'll be off!

Thanks for the comments folks!

I have had No issues with my M970 Cranks – Fitting was striaghtforward – no creaks and BB still sound after 18 months 🙂

Cheers Seanoc, I think that the axel and the NDS crank are damaged so thanks for that but I don´t think it´ll help me.

Still bl00dy creaking although not as much after pulling it all apart and refitting it. Grrr.

I run Race Face Atlas on both my bikes (one Atlas FR/one Atlas AM) The AM is I think about 6 years old and going strong. The FR is 2 years old and is also fine. Both cranks have had serious abuse yet they have only minor scuffing. Both are black and have had the anodising rubbed off in places but are otherwise fine. Very strong and very light but a bugger to fit and that's what causes most people problems. You have to take time and effort to get the right spacers etc on for your frame/BB/chainset. If you do they are brilliant cranks. The saints are much easier to fit, just as strong and a similar weight and look much nicer than they used to.

M970 cranks – especially since they are now £197 from Chain reaction. Fitting is O.K. if you ignore the torque setting when installing the non-drive side arm. I couldn't physically fit it with an allen 6" long key, but with a big torque wrench it pulled onto the splines easily. It still seems a bit of a complex arrangement though compared to the XT ones that I took off, which are a doddle to fit with the bolts in the non-drive side crank arm itself.

Is it me or are the xtr m970's on CRC £279.99.