Considering some light cranks, and ideally would stick with Race Face (or Easton), as it's what I currently have hence I've the tools, BB, and chainring already
Race Face carbon cranks seem to have been a disaster reliability wise, historically. Have the newer ones (say, 2020 onwards) been sorted?
I wouldn't trust them. I'd go XTR if I had the budget.
The new ERA has a dramatically bigger pedal insert (there is a review somewhere with the end cut open in different cranks).
The Era cranks have a lifetime warranty, intended to restore confidence, i guess. I wouldn't risk it, myself.
Apparently they've fixed it for the new ones. Course, we've been told that at least twice before and it was bollocks, but, the new insert design is a lot better. I'd still not touch 'em, their Turbine is a good crank though.
Cane creek wins for lightness.
Apparently they’ve fixed it for the new ones. Course, we’ve been told that at least twice before and it was bollocks
Fool me once...
Hmm, may not be worth it given I typically buy secondhand (£350-400 cranks are beyond me)
Little chance of finding used Era's yet
The Sixc can be found cheap and are potentially tough, but not really worth it to save ~100g
Looking again, the Next SL or R are really the only ones that'd save a decent amount of weight
Looking again, the Next SL or R are really the only ones that’d save a decent amount of weight
They do that by ensuring you can only weigh the bike without pedals
They do that by ensuring you can only weigh the bike without pedals
Yep that's my worry...
Sram seem to manage to make things that work for the same weight, so think I'll have to look to them instead
Better still Garbaruk somehow make a 400g aluminium crankset, but again out of my budget when secondhand will be borderline impossible
What is deemed light when it comes to cranks?
I've just fitted Hope EVO cranks, 170mm. 565g on my scales which roughly matches the official weight. Rated for DH use too so I've no issues pootling around on them. And yes, I cracked a set of RF SixC carbon cranks in the past.
X01 Eagle cranks are pretty light and tough, although I'd personally take the 100g hit on a decent set of aluminium cranks and save the weight elsewhere.
Or, if money is no option, Cane Creek eeWings.
Well, tbf my current cranks aren't that heavy -- oldish RF Turbines, 560-570g for the arms and axle
If I was going to bother with something different, I'd want to get close to 400g
It's for a gravelbike, so they don't need to be tough, but it needs a 54mm chainline and a big chainring (42t or so)
That's easy with Race Face, not sure about Sram. Def not possible with newer XTR cranks as the direct mount rings only go up to 38t I think
Middleburn cranks and some nice rings? No idea of weight though.
SLX cranks come in at 530g.....and cost at least a third of anything coming in at 400ish.
The Era cranks have a lifetime warranty, intended to restore confidence, i guess. I wouldn’t risk it, myself.
Or an admittance that they're likely to need replacing.
Had Next SL and the pedal insert thread cracked. Not all they're cracked up to be.... 😉
Have Race Face [i]ever[/i] produced anything reliable!? 🤔
Have Race Face ever produced anything reliable!?
They used to make some solid alloy stuff in the 2000s.
Bonding metal inserts into carbon does not seem to be one of their strong points.
legometeorology
The Sixc can be found cheap and are potentially tough, but not really worth it to save ~100g
3 broken sets of SixC here says otherwise
the-muffin-man
Have Race Face ever produced anything reliable!?
Yes, just don't buy anything they make that's carbon, or contains a bearing. Or a stem.
Turbines are ace. Beating them requires a large expenditure!
I’ve been running sram X1 GXP carbon cranks for quite a few years now and also Truvativ Descendent DUB carbon cranks (same as GX carbon cranks) for a few years too. Both have been reliable to date.
I thought the race face decision tree was still thus:
My SLX with a Unite chainring come in at 570g. XT would be 10g lighter.
Just for balance, I've been running Next SL cranks for maybe 6 years now and they are still fine.
<p style="text-align: left;">I'm tempted by a cheap new next sl (now era is here) from a dealer. If it breaks in a few years then may well get a free era upgrade 🤪.</p>
Crank weight now is a bit misleading IMO, due to the different ways of fixing the chainrings. Only way of comparing their true weight is to include the chainring/s, bolts/fixing nut and bottom bracket.
I'd not touch a bonded crank like the XTRs. Maybe you can find some older forged ones.
I went back from the nexl sls which of course broke, to some ancient XTRs. They can't take a direct mount ring obvious which is a bummer but all-in they only weighed something like 40g more than the Raceface, and they're basically indestructible.
It's a shame Shimano have so completely ****ed it at every step since 104 when it's come to chainring attachment.
Have to say that I’m impressed with RF warranty, they have replaced mates broken Nexts and SixCs at least 10 times.
Haven’t seen him for a while so I don’t know if Era cranks last longer.
SLX cranks come in at 530g…..and cost at least a third of anything coming in at 400ish.
Yea even XTR doesn't knock off much weight by the looks of it (~470g). And either would be durable enough for me.
I went back from the nexl sls which of course broke, to some ancient XTRs. They can’t take a direct mount ring obvious which is a bummer but all-in they only weighed something like 40g more than the Raceface, and they’re basically indestructible.
Is that def true @Northwind? Race Face Next SL are stupid light -- like 25% lighter than current XTR
Truvativ Descendent DUB carbon cranks (same as GX carbon cranks) for a few years too. Both have been reliable to date
Matches my experience. I was a wee bit weary of carbon cranks TBH, but they've survived my hamfisted battering so far.
Haven’t seen him for a while so I don’t know if Era cranks last longer.
Maybe you've not seen him because they don't...
Maybe you’ve not seen him because they don’t…
Nah, loose pedal inserts aren't (usually ) that lethal.
I never had any issues with FSA K- Force Light as a heavy bastad plus they are heavily discounted at times to like £170 with ceramic BB
Nah, loose pedal inserts aren’t (usually ) that lethal.
Pft. Try swallowing a couple then tell me they're not dangerous!
That Fanatik video is proper meathead engineering. It does at least look a bit at material distribution and how the inserts are designed, which is interesting.
I just wish their test method had been more representative of real world loading and they'd done a bit more measurement maybe even tried to look at layup and consolidation of the laminates...
Does anybody know anything about the ethirteen carbon cranks?
Sram do seem to be the only people who make carbon cranks with a good reputation. Pity about their bottom bracket standard!
Sram do seem to be the only people who make carbon cranks with a good reputation. Pity about their bottom bracket standard!
The one that fits any frame made in the last 30 years?
cookeaa
I just wish their test method had been more representative of real world loading
I's less a test method and more "the way they broke the cranks to pull out the insert"
I’s less a test method and more “the way they broke the cranks to pull out the insert”
It's less the way they broke the cranks to pull out the insert and more the way they generated YouTube views and filler content 😉
I’ve been running sram X1 GXP carbon cranks for quite a few years now
So have I. Been bombproof. But they were cheap when I got them. Looking at current options... SLX all the way.
It’s less the way they broke the cranks to pull out the insert and more the way they generated YouTube views and filler content 😉
Agreed, at least the hydraulic press channel are more up front about the fact that their output is algorithm pleasing filler; squashing things with a big bastard press because it's fun, and even they bother to measure and display pressure.
There's just too many bicycle related YT "channels" now (IMO)...
There’s just too many bicycle related YT “channels” now (IMO)…
3?