[Closed] Carbon cranks - ok for big fat clumsy heffers? Your opinions please

Hmmmmmm. I seem to have found a subject no-one has an opinion on. A first round these parts

Plenty of opinions just it's all been done before...

I wouldn't but more because unless you buy silly expensive ones there's rarely any advantage over alumninium so why bother?

FWIW, I've broken a couple of sets of alu cranks where they've fatigued from the point of a a dent caused by a rock interface.

I bought some second hand Truvativ Noir cranks.
They lasted about a year before one of the pedal inserts came loose.
100kg, fast XC use.

Could you get metal ones, and then stick carbon-effect stickers on them? 🙂

They lasted about a year before one of the pedal inserts came loose.

And had you been the original owner that would've been a warranty issue.

I wouldn't not use them, but I wouldn't specifically look out for them. Make sense!? Some of the chainsets in the FSA sale on On-One look pretty amazing!

ive had a set of carbon fsa team things on my full sus for about 2 years maybe three they look in better nick than any crank ive had that old before. got a few marks on from rock strikes but nowt major . i like them and would buy again if i had the money (if / when they wear out)

They lasted about a year before one of the pedal inserts came loose.

And had you been the original owner that would've been a warranty issue.

Like these:
[img] [/img]

However, I'm unsure to whether I would actually pay RRP for another pair 😕 Yes they are pretty but not convinced they are [i]that[/i] much better in terms of performance etc over say XTR....

But then again, they are pretty 8)

That was my point. If the crank I wanted was carbon, then I'd get it, but I certainly wouldn't pay extra for a carbon crank, as you say XTR is as light as most of them.

The problem does seem to usually be the pedal inserts weirdly.

[img] [/img]

Never done that with an alu crank. Done it with 2 carbon ones though. Also never looked so geeky again since I saw this photo, I don't think.

Got a set of FSA's like Bream above 3yrs on bit scruffy, lots of rock strikes but solid still, I'm over 14stone kitted up...ride it once or twice a week....would defo buy again, have seen them for circa £175 with bb can't recall where though...bit more interesting than XT which are as common as muck...bike snob and don't care!

Chubbies and carbon shouldnt mix!

I know its probably irrational

Yes it is irrational to want some carbon cranks. 😛

My old ones, this was from June 08, replacements have been perfect thus far, aparently the early FSA carbon cranks were prone to this problem but meant to be fixed now. Been great for me since 8)

[img] [/img]

BTW - I'm not really that chubby at 6'2" & 80kgs 😆

I've had carbon cranks for a while now - FSA again. I too had the dodgy pedal thread insert problem with them coming loose. All replaced under warranty without a problem and the new ones are fine.

They do start looking a bit battered after some ground contact but no worse than alloy ones.

Oh, and I'm around 14 stone and don't hold back on DHs 🙂

I went through this phase with carbon forks on my road bike. Every descent and every bit of bumpy rd, I was fondling for my prayer beads! Nothing ever happened, of course but to lash out on something that a decent rock-wallop could turn into bin fodder .... 😕

of course but to lash out on something that a decent rock-wallop could turn into bin fodder ....

Presumably you mean splash out? Surely that's the case for everything though, including alu cranks. If you don't like carbon road forks then surely you're very limited in half decent forks that don't weigh 5lbs.

CK that photo appears to be rather old, and I would hope carbon technology has moved on a fair bit in that time!

hollow alu can be lighter and stiffer than carbon anyway - shimano have done a lot of testing in this area.

Its amazing, Brant's carbon forks are held in high regard,

Everything else carbon is the devils own dildo?

How can one man in a shed's product be that much better than anything made by huge companies?

I've broken aluminium cranks just like the carbon ones pictured above but anyway...

Carbon forks tend not to get hit by rocks/etc in the same way as cranks. If they did then there might be an issue though that would also be true of lightweight steel or aluminium ones.

My Bontrager (=truvativ?) stuff held up ok with me. Cica 17st 'riding weight' - only jaycore xc riding though.
I said 'held' because they died - but that was due to granny ring bolts dropping out and battering the thread on the way - but that's my fault for shonky maintenance.... really wanted to replace them with carbon but funds are tight so opted for SLX...

The geeky bit = weighed both before fitting the SLX - the Bontys are only 80 grams lighter, whereas the SLX are considerably lighter on your pocket.....

brant did a fantastic bit of marketing with the forks, by showing the full test and results sheet online so there was no question of strength of the fork.

Sound's like the cranks all have a great warranty, give them go if it floats your boat.

I've had a set of FSA carbon pro's on one of my bikes for nearly 5 years - they look tatty, clearcoat has plenty of chips on, they've had plenty of rock hits and they are still going strong - no problem recommending them.

Rich

I've had an XTR M960 175mm crankset for nearly 4 years now, currently running Middleburn rings, a Hope ceramic BB and full titanium bolts - weighs 805g all in (including the BB) - is carbon lighter?

Hope so I put some Team FSA cranks on mine a couple of weeks ago, and I am errr "well built" 😕

b r, yes it can be lighter if that's exactly what your after, but the cost per g starts to get rather high 😉

I've trashed the pedal inserts on two FSA carbon cranks. Both have been replaced by windwave without question. Great service from them. Hunt around for a deal on them. Well worth it I'd say.

Bream

and as strong?

and how much more...

and as strong?

Probably.

and how much more...

If you have to ask you can't afford etc.. 😉

Race Face Next-SL Carbon Triple = claimed weight 695g (175mm) 8)

Pricetag £585 😯

[img] [/img]

njee20 - CK that photo appears to be rather old, and I would hope carbon technology has moved on a fair bit in that time!

2004. And I dont think there have been any large steps in techonology that I can think of. I'd try them again but I'd want a LONG warranty.

But isn't that 695g without BB, so no lighter than my old XTR's?

whats that cap/cover around the end of the crank arm on the raceface?

whats that cap/cover around the end of the crank arm on the raceface?

To stop the carbon being scratched/chipped/broken by rocks. To me that is the ultimate proof that even the manufacturers just do carbon for looks.

But isn't that 695g without BB, so no lighter than my old XTR's?

[img] [/img]

THM-Claviculas, 440g for cranks/BB, generally around 550g with TA rings. £700 + rings.

To be honest, now XTR is so expensive there are other carbon options out there that probably weigh less and cost less.

There are other alu cranks lighter than XTR too, Tune spring to mind.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.... Claviculas

Quite!

I would love a pair of the 'DP' version, but they've been pretty stupid IMO by keeping it as a standard BCD, thus meaning you can't really use less than a 32t inner ring without filing down your £700 cranks!

Get the file out 😯 😆

Did on 2 pairs of XTRs and my S-Works ones, but neither had a carbon spider, something about filing carbon is just a bit wrong.

Allegedly THM-Carbones say it doesn't affect the warranty!

Having worked with carbon quite a lot there is no way I'd file down a carbon spider, well maybe an external radius but nothing that cut into the fibre weave etc 😯

That's what I meant, there are a number of people on Weight Weenies who have done it, but I wouldn't be one of them!

interesting that most people focus on weight of cranks, but not stiffness-to-weight. the tune cranks are lighter than xtr, but also quite a bit flexier.
i'd go for shimano hollow alu cranks everytime. i have some fsa carbon cranks on my road bike at the mo (part bin job more than any other reason) and they're nice but hollowtech's are certainly stiffer feeling. in this area, stiffness will help you go faster more than 50-100g of weight saved.

i'm glad there isn't a Stiffness Weenies site anyway, could be dodgy )

I remember seeing some information about lateral stiffness of the cranks, and something along the lines that because the deformation was totally elastic and the cranks instantly 'unflexed' on the upstroke as it were, and because the deformation was lateral, there was no discernable loss of power.

Or I may have made that up... I agree though, Shimano cranks are hard to beat, although the S-Works Carbon cranks on the Epic were very nice.