Middleburn external cranks due in this week!

Just got off the phone and I should have a set by the weekend, no BBs yet though.

Pics will be up when I get them 🙂

price?

£200 with chainrings.

hmmm… will they be doing an uno version? or one without rings?

for my SS you see…

Any pictures available?

Do you know i this uses a standard HTII BB? Can feel a purchase coming on, particularly if it's compatible with a CK BB.

Pics and my own thinking on why they have a user replaceable axle: http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=591474

Not holding my breath, though they will get an instant order if they support adjustable Q-factor.

Where from ?

mmmmmmm….

like these from 18 bikes?

bigger pics here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/18bikes/4341060052/

Yep like those, has removable spider like the current cranks, left hand crank bonded to axle, adjustable bearing tension like XTR 970, and compatible with HT2 BBs.

Available in black?

so what sets them above, lets say some xt cranks?

Yes black or silver to start with and coloured spiders. No idea if they are better than XT, but I'll put them on the scales to start with and see what that comes up with.

so what sets them above, lets say some xt cranks?

Nicheness. Nothing else.

The chainrings will last far longer than XT that's for sure but then it costs more, but not as much as XTR.

They are supposed to be a tad lighter than the XT's and will be available in black and silver.

so what sets them above, lets say some xt cranks?

They're made in the UK, so you're supporting the british manufacturing industry. Worth paying a bit extra for IMO, even if the quality is no better. I do work for a british manufacturing company, so this may colour my opinions slightly.

I have been told that each arm will be bolted to the axle.

what is the strength expeted to be like?

Let's see what arrives later on this week then, either way I'm getting a set.

I love their cranks and supporting this company that's producing amazing tech at a fraction of the budget the big boys have is no mean feat.

Been using them for around 10 years and they still look soooooooooooo nice. I wonder if most people know that their duo cranks came out such a long time ago, way before sram?.

Surely they are not niche just bloody good, after all niche is jut a new term for not mainstream? besides its horses for courses, I love the variation and choice we have at the moment, oh actually please don't buy them as I want a set and they always seem to sell out due to demand!

will they use the same rings as current cranks do? i have an uno with a stripped LHS crank, which i could use the uno ring off…

once i sell my rohloff i'll be in the market – next couple of weeks i hope! been wanting one of these since i heard about them…

Nicheness. Nothing else.

I have to disagree. Middleburn cranks are one of the few things I would buy over basic shimano stuff. They just last forever! Hopefully these could be as good as their square taper cranks – I've known one set of those go for over a decade and still look brand new.
I would love some MB cranks and a Royce BB, just real quality stuff you can depend on.

Middleburn square taper are/were much better than any Shimano offering in terms of longevity.

Also warranty is brilliant, had a set fail after 9 years of heavy use, emailed Middleburn who said ' send em back and we'll stick replacements in the post'.

It seems that lifetime warranty means just that to these guys.

Middleburn are a great British company that produce outstanding components

They are certainly worth giving your business to for both those reasons

Middleburn i love them my RS7s Square Taper are still going strong after 7 years. Reasons to buy? Britishness, Quality and Warranty. Reasons not to buy the bottom bracket is not supplied by them and from what ive heard others offerings are not up to scratch.

REALLY Middleburn have a lifetime warranty? My RS3s cracked after about 3 years use, been in the garage for the last few years. I wonder……

Nothing on their website? Is this going to be a general public release or just a few pre prod parts for promo/test?

That spider looks a bit low-rent.

I'll be watching these with interest, the external BB means that I don't have to faff around with different bb axle lenths to get the chainline for my Rohloff. I really wouldn't go Shimano after the cracks that appear in all the slx chainsets I've looked at.

I like the idea of fitting a CK bb too.

Obviously affording those two options is another matter – a wish list more like it! 🙂

Pic is a pre production sample so should look much better when released

@woodsman – I thought those 'cracks' already got explained (due to the way the cranks are formed) and aren't a defect or a sign of failure, assuming you mean the ones from the pedal hole to the end of the crank arm.

FuzztWuzzy – maybe so, maybe not, I couldn't buy something like that though.

Anyone got any pics of this?

Skinny CNC vs. hollow and cold forged. I'll take the Shimanos please…

Adjustable Q-factor, why is this a benefit?

Middleburn square taper are/were much better than any Shimano offering in terms of longevity.

Really? I've got various japanese cranks still going, up to 20 years old.

The Middleburns are made from forged blanks so shouldn't have CNC from billet type fatigue problems.

Whilst fiddling with mrs' singlespeed the other week, I did some "interesting" crank weighing. We use sq taper on everything, and she has some 4 arm Altus cranks (bin the steel ramped rings and then fit ss ring of your choice). Cranks are nice enough but quite heavy. Still looks like a forging to me, but on the kitchen scales they were a LOT heavier than 4 arm shimano cranks produced before HTII. Also significantly heavier than almost any old Shimano 5 arm crank I could find (from Exage right through to XT). Hmmm – how come Shimano sq taper cranks suddenly got much porkier once they need to justify the existence of something new?

Huh?

Their old, extremely cheap cranks are heavier than their similarly old, higher end cranks? Hardly a shock…

Altus cranks were v cheap and older stuff was more expensive and made a lot better.