My well-used Deores are on the way out – I think this is the fourth bike they’ve been on, and I probably should be replacing ’em. As they’re 104BCD, I do have the option of (just about) running a 30T chainring, and it’s certainly been a Good Thing on my other bike, as I’m running 10 speed cassettes with OneUp 42t expanders.

I could splurge 30 notes on a 30t ring, but I’m wondering if I should just put it towards a new set of cranks and retire the Deores to the parts bin. Are there any decent options out there these days for non-boost cranks that fit the bill? It’s for a Process 111, which is 142 rear. I *think* I can run boost cranks with a spaced in chainring – is that practical? Might give me a bit of future proofing if the new ones are as robust as the Deores.

Thanks in advance!

https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-m7000-slx-chainset-11-speed-95345.html

Unless you have actually damaged then, cranks go on forever.

If you run SRAM direct Mount (and possibly Race Face) the ‘booat-ness’ is in the chainring offset, so it’s the same crank for boost and non boost, just a different ring 🙂

Slx as above or Xt if cheap enough

Fab – thank you all!

Quick update: the Udderlets’ bikes come with 104 BCD 32s made from pig iron, so I’ll likely swap out those for my stash of Narrow/Wide 32s so we can ditch the bash guards as well.
As you say, Oldnpastit, the cranks do go on forever, and I’m being a shameless tart in not just using what I have. I guess it’s the lure of shiny new things.
I’ve had bad experiences with SRAM / Truvativ cranks in the past, so really the only options I can see are Shimano, which has always been good value and completely reliable in my experience, or Race Face, which looks like a slightly fancier option and has the splined ring fitment which would allow me to run smallerer chainrings as I become more decrepit. Any thoughts on RF, peeps?

I have two RF Aeffect chainsets, love the first one but by the newer one the crank fitment method had changed and become more fiddly.

The cinch system is still great though and I’m lovin’ the 28t rings.

I’ve got Raceface Aeffect and they’ve been faultless so far including bottom bracket (eighteen months to date). Bonus was being able to run smaller rings but I’ve settled on a 30/32 oval.

You can also change the chainline so a bit more flexibility with frame choice etc

Running Aeffect cinch a couple years – seem bombproof and Superstar do the rings (boost and normal) so £20 in their continuous sales.

If you fancy something different then don’t forget Middleburn cranks.

Ah, thanks. One reason RF appeals is that, should I sell my old Process, I could convert them to Boost and continue using them.
Is love to own another pair of Middleburns, but my budget won’t stretch to that.
That said, Evans is selling non-Boost M7000s for £54, so I got a pair of those this afternoon; I’m liking to Kona enough to want to hang onto it for quite a while. RF would have been spot on and future proof – but this might stop buying a shinier, newer, FS frame for a bit now.