longbeardranger +1.

Even more so when every couple of years I buy some new XT cranks for around £80, sell the new rings for £30, and sell my old arms for £30.
New XT arms every other year for around £20 is a complete no brainer.

Yes you need the 30mm hope BB to use these.

Stick em on and leave them there. They’ll be looking a lot better in 2/3 years than most other cranks. The way they’ve been machined should stop the wear rub and that’s the only bit that should see any wear. Bit fiddly to fit but once on you shouldn’t have to touch them. Double thumbs up from me.

If you can afford them and want some get some. The world would be a boring place if we all had the same!

For the money, they need to last 6-9 years to make sense.

For the money, they need to last 6-9 years to make sense.

Don’t get that
I expect my cranks to last forever (or at least my lifetime) even if its a Deore or cheaper. It has no moving parts, seals, bearings…what exactly is supposed to fail?

Here you go;
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=crank+failure+mtb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwib8-mM_rXKAhXMORQKHRAqCj8Q_AUIBygB&biw=1366&bih=697

Have you really only ever had one set of cranks?

Have you really only ever had one set of cranks?

One per bike yes

You can find pictures of any bike part failing (because of defect or crash or whatever) – I just wouldn’t expect ‘not failing’ to be a feature of a crank

That wasn’t the point though was it? The question was; what could go wrong with a crankset? And, as it appears; plenty!

Anyhoo, I prefer the look of those Praxis Turn MTB cranks to the hopes. Better choice of chainrings and the BB’s are cheaper too.

A bit of a high jack but the drivetrain on my wife’s bike will need replacing soon and I was looking at the Hope’s. Going single ring but because of her petit dimensions they will need to be able to accommodate at 26-28t ring and be 165mm in length.

I can’t find much else that fits the bill. Shimano are a no go with no option for smaller rings. The Sram or Race Face options are only available in 170mm and are not far off the £162 I’ve seen the Hope’s for. The Hope direct mount rings seem about the same price as the competition (the Sram and Race Face options come with a ring but not in the size I need so I’ll have to buy another one anyway). I have no issue with buying the BB as I know they last.

Am I missing any obvious alternatives?

If Audi did cranks…

People would still be be shouting “Octavia… “

And they’d have a bloody good point. 😉

So to summarise –

Gopping
expensive
heavy
compatability issues…

anything else? 😀

Gopping
expensive
heavy
compatability issues…

anything else?

Yes, but they’re hand made by whippets, so you’ll have immense pride of ownership to go with your heavy bike and light wallet.

I’ve nothing to add to the OP, but can say that over the last year/maybe2, I have had to replace 2 sets of cranks. Both possibly down to my lack of maintenance.
My problem is that the crank develops a little bit of play when I have the pedals horizontal. On inspection I have some wear on the axle DS bb, bearing position. I suspect that this is enough to cause the play. Although I have tried to check BB fairly regularly, I was just regreasing the bearings if they felt they needed it (Hope ceramic). I’ve replaced the bearings since. First crank was XT, 2nd was XTR (2nd hand).

Compass81: You say your wife is ‘petite’, 165’s may well be too long for her.

(I’d need 220mm cranks to experience how awful 165’s must feel for a 5footer. Ie. Terrible)

You can buy 150mm ‘thorn’ cranks from sjs cycles, but they’re square taper only…

Compass81: Isla bikes fit 140 and 152mm cranks on their kids 24″ and 26″ mountain bikes that come with a 28t single ring. You may be able to get them after market if you ask nicely. Not sure what chainring attachment or BB interface they use though, some form of cartridge rather than outboard.

I’ve nothing to add to the OP, but can say that over the last year/maybe2, I have had to replace 2 sets of cranks. Both possibly down to my lack of maintenance.
My problem is that the crank develops a little bit of play when I have the pedals horizontal. On inspection I have some wear on the axle DS bb, bearing position. I suspect that this is enough to cause the play. Although I have tried to check BB fairly regularly, I was just regreasing the bearings if they felt they needed it (Hope ceramic). I’ve replaced the bearings since. First crank was XT, 2nd was XTR (2nd hand).

Have you had the frame’s bottom bracket faced?

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately square taper will not be compatible. She has made do with 175mm for along time as these were on her original bike. As were were looking at upgrading I thought I would take the opportunity to go for something shorter. She rides a 26″ with standard 73mm threaded bb. I’ll take a look at Isla bikes but may end up with the Hope’s

I’d seriously consider having her existing cranks shortened: http://highpath.co.uk/crank-shortening/

InterestingI had no idea you could do that, but the original cranks are Hollowtech II so cant be shortened. The wont take the smaller chainring either without faffing about using the inner bolt circle, spacers and mucking about with the chainline.

Hope being who they are may be able to do you a set that you could either get shortened after market or do a pair as a special order. No harm in asking them!

Am I missing any obvious alternatives?

RF Atlas Cinch? Only 15g more than turbine so pretty competitive weight, and to be fair the nicest cranks looks wise that RF have. Obviously comes with all the same 30mm BB etc. of the Hopes, but certainly a fine choice for 165mm cranks.

Here you go;
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=crank+failure+mtb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwib8-mM_rXKAhXMORQKHRAqCj8Q_AUIBygB&biw=1366&bih=697

A fair number of those pictures are actually of failed Crank Brothers components such as pedals
Perhaps not that surprising 😆

woodster – Member

The big negative for me aside from the cost is the lack of decent rings available. No oval direct mount rings and using the spider to get them to 104 seems to defeat the point.

What rings do they take? It’s never a Hope specific is it? I’d assumed they’d use RF or SRAM rings.

Yup, proprietary interface that needs a lockring. Another reason not to buy them. I was really excited when the were first talked about and now every new thing I learn about them leaves me more and more disappointed.

to answer the OPs question – http://www.hopetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Hope-Cranks-BB-Compatibility_ISS-01_05-2015.pdf

I have some & love them.
Never had quality cranks before these & the difference is amazing.
Yes I know I have to say that as I spent the £££ but it is true.

Would I buy them again – no.
I’d get RaceFace, simply because you have a better range of chainrings including oval rings from absoluteBlack.

Can anyone justify anything other than SLX cranks?

easily, slx cranks are the ugliest things in the known universe*

*there may be ‘some’ exaggeration .

You can use standard chainring with the 4 bolt spider so there is no shortage of choice. Yes they are expensive but I’d rather give my money to an English company where possible.

I will weigh my 34T spider less set up tomorrow and post FYI.

cyclelife – Member

You can use standard chainring with the 4 bolt spider so there is no shortage of choice.

Which makes them heavier than they need to be, and still restricts choice because of the minimum size with 104BCD.

Shackleton – Member

Hope being who they are may be able to do you a set that you could either get shortened after market or do a pair as a special order. No harm in asking them!

i asked (about 1 year ago), they said no.

(i can understand why, it’s not exactly convenient to start hacking programs around to cut one/two operations out)

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately square taper will not be compatible. She has made do with 175mm for along time as these were on her original bike. As were were looking at upgrading I thought I would take the opportunity to go for something shorter. She rides a 26″ with standard 73mm threaded bb. I’ll take a look at Isla bikes but may end up with the Hope’s

you get 73/113mm square taper BB that you would need for a thorn 150mm crank

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-un55-square-taper-bottom-bracket/rp-prod71369

SLX doesn’t have steel pedal threads…

I’ve ruined 2 sets that way after pedal/rock strikes….

maybe unlucky, but i’m on Saint now, and looking at my crank ends on various bikes, im never going carbon!

I dont buy some cranks because they are ugly,my life is one long fashion show,and I buy every cycling gadget going so I can kid myself I would have got in the S.A.S. if it wasn’t for these damned fallen arches.

Rotor do/did 160mm cranks in HT2 flavour.

You can also get TA in <165mm (Vega, Carmina)

Well, I got a crankset off the classifieds on here, a spiderless with a chainring. It was affordable given that if was new and unused, and I had a wedge burning a hole. They were, errm, fun to fit, but feel really solid and I think they look great. Not sure I’d pay full price though. Shame I can’t ride the bike and see how they perform until my injuries have healed!

fitnessischeating – Member

SLX doesn’t have steel pedal threads…

The original SLX double does, if that’s any use