Its all coming down to either e13, hope or raceface cinch. Normal threaded 73mm bb so going rotor bb and then I can’t decide which cranks. I know I can get cheaper etc but its xmas and a treat . which ones and why ? Thanks.

Got hopes on three of my bikes and can’t fault them

I doubt anything at any price is significantly better than Shimano XT. In an ideal world that’s all I’d ever use.

If you can get the legendary 9 speed double SLX crankset, it is dead easy to dismantle and replace the double setup with a single ring (i’m using Hope), the newer single ring can be whatever you want, I’m running 10 speed Sunrace 11-42 out back…if I recall correctly the SLX double and bash cranks (which is why you’re buying this crankset) are hollow and virtually indestructible, in my opinion cranks haven’t progressed from that awesome product.

Hope are heavy, expensive, use propietary rings that nobody else makes (maybe superstar?) and some reviewer recently found them coming loose a lot

Carbon Raceface been known to break, have foudn the alloy ones very good and good VFM

PP is right (and I have SRAM XX1!)

Given the manufacturing process shimano use on slx and xt, nothing else comes close on strength/stiffness/weight. Aside, of course, for xtr.

If you want bling, then go xtr.

IMO.

Thanks for the help so far guys. I will look at the xtr on merlin too.

I reckon Raceface Aeffect is an underrated gem – works with your standard Shimano BB, takes direct mount rings, lightish, cheap

Got a set of Hope, they are great, had no issues with them at all.
Also had a set of RF Next SL carbon for nearly 2 years & they are also great. If the two I’d go for the RF over the Hope as they are lighter and a little lower profile sonless likely to rub your shoes.

Hope on one bike , clinch on the other .soon to be Hope of T`other

My Next SLs disintegrated- pedal insert came loose, replaced that arm, they upped their game and the entire crank arm came loose on the axle. Cheers for that Raceface.

So I’m back on my ancient XTR M970 arms, which are awesome. But more limited in chainring options. I do like the raceface cinch concept so I was thinking about Turbines but all in, they worked out heavier.

NEXT SL’s for cheap until 12pm CET at RCZ – code RCZFACE

As per deviants recommendation, i have a brand new Shimano SlX 9sp double and bash. The indestructable ones with the steel pedal inserts and hollow arms for sale. If you are interested im on breninbeenerATgmailDOTcom

I’ve wrecked SLX and XT cranks Northwind in much the same way, maybe go with Saint, Hope or SixC cranks 😛

I maybe should have added that Raceface have admitted the Next SL had recurring issues with the metal/carbon bonds, it’s a widespread failure. The SixC does it too but not as badly. OTOH if/when they break they’ll probably upgrade you to the G4 version which supposedly fixes these issues

I never had any bother with my SRAM carbon cranks, apart from the ****ing awful BBs obviously. I don’t need heavy duty cranks tbh- I went back to my old XTRs, which are ancient and haggard but take it without any fuss. And the all-in weight with rings, bolts, BB is pretty much the same as SixC and less than Turbine.

E13 are fine, but they have their own ring spline pattern, and require a proprietary tool to change rings (and install the BB I think?)

cp – Member
Given the manufacturing process shimano use on slx and xt, nothing else comes close on strength/stiffness/weight. Aside, of course, for xtr.

Having been exclusivly shimano for years I’m very happy with both SRAM and Race Face. Simple to install/remove easy to swap rings, spiderless chain rings (though I’ve had a couple of issues with those) proper sized splines on the interface etc. Plenty out there that is better than Shimano with fitting that doesn’t require extra precise fitting.

Just upgraded an SLX with a RF single ring to an XT with an AbsoluteBlack oval ring on my Trance (the SLX has trickled down to my hardtail).

Other than looks (which actually, I prefer the SLX) I cannot tell any difference real world use.

deviant – Member
If you can get the legendary 9 speed double SLX crankset, it is dead easy to dismantle and replace the double setup with a single ring (i’m using Hope), the newer single ring can be whatever you want, I’m running 10 speed Sunrace 11-42 out back…if I recall correctly the SLX double and bash cranks (which is why you’re buying this crankset) are hollow and virtually indestructible, in my opinion cranks haven’t progressed from that awesome product.

9 speed SLX Cranks really are not as strong as people think, they look burly with the inserts and the bash but I snapped my drive side crank clean in half on my hardtail (not doing anything daft) and a quick google shows identical failiures. They are tough but far from bombproof.

Plenty out there that is better than Shimano with fitting that doesn’t require extra precise fitting.

Extra precise fitting?!?! Drive side crank through the BB, non-drive side slid on to splines, tighten the pre-load adjuster finger tight, nip up the other 2 bolts 13NM if you must). I can’t think of a set-up that easier than that.

Anyway, Shimano, they may not be overly “pimp” but they work as well as anything else, are reasonably light and cracking value.

Plenty out there that is better than Shimano with fitting that doesn’t require extra precise fitting.

Haha, is that some kind of a joke, right?

Like a self extracting spline system that requires so much torque to do up properly you are in danger of not just stripping the thread but shearing the bolt in half? That’s definitely a ‘better’ system.

E13 cranks. Crap mounting system, BB life measure in minutes & lots of silly bits needed to fit them.

Raceface cranks. Crap self extracting bolt system, BB life comparable to E13 & that’s before they thought it would be a good idea to use smaller bearings due to a 30mm axle. Look nice though.

Hope. Probably the best of all 3, look a bit crap, weigh a tonne.

Buy Shimano. They just work. XTR’s are just as light as XX1. Might not be as light as Next SL’s but who cares when you replace the BB every 3 months and the pedal falls out of the crank because they (still) haven’t mastered the bonding process.

Plenty out there that is better than Shimano with fitting that doesn’t require extra precise fitting.

Haha, is that some kind of a joke, right?

Like a self extracting spline system that requires so much torque to do up properly you are in danger of not just stripping the thread but shearing the bolt in half? That’s definitely a ‘better’ system.

E13 cranks. Crap mounting system, BB life measure in minutes & lots of silly bits needed to fit them.

Raceface cranks. Crap self extracting bolt system, BB life comparable to E13 & that’s before they thought it would be a good idea to use smaller bearings due to a 30mm axle. Look nice though.

Hope. Probably the best of all 3, look a bit crap, weigh a tonne.

Buy Shimano. They just work.[/quote]

all +1

I had a set of hope cranks and in my opinion they are very overrated. The spindle has several slots machined into it, which actually terminate at the BB interface and crank arm attachment point. Which is a pretty weak spot. I cracked the spindle on mine. Several people tried to say it was user fit error, unfortunately they were fitted at the hope factory. the replacement spindle is not overly expensive and Hope would warrant if you were the first owner. But I personally don’t think its a great design. They are also heavy and use their own chainring interface. Superstars now make rings but the choice is very limited. They also creak like mad and needed stripping and greasing allot. Not to mention the weight! I upgraded to a set of Sixc cranks which have since been absolutely faultless. I ddont think you can go far wrong with the new cinch raceface cranks in terms of VFM and functionality

Anyone using the race face aeffect, seem to be the same price as xt m8000, same BB and similiar weight (a few grams lighter) but so few reviews compared to the xt (shame about the crank arm rub reviews)

Yes, the aeffects are decent. Suffered a bit quickly with heel rub, but cheapish, reasonable weight, stiff enough and you can stick to Shimano bb’s. They’re even more straightforward to install than Shimano cranks too in my experience.

I have aeffect on my fat bike and for the money they are a fantastic crankset (in my opinion) I wanted direct mount so i could run a smaller chainring and not be hamstrung by BCD’s. Fitted an absolute black oval ring and that setup has been fantastic ever since. Its quiet, looks very neat and just works! I run it with a Hope BB and have done over a 1000 miles on that setup now (checking strava) without an issue. I do have heal rub on the raied sections of the crank arms, but unlike shimano the now polished bits look like they “were meant to be” I have not run a set on a skinny bike, but cant see why there is any real difference to be honest.

Thanks ehrob and russyH I.ll see if it goes any lower in the coming months then,

Not gonna change anything till summer when the local mud and grit isn’t so harsh on the drivetrain,
Bought my shifter, rear mech and cassette to go 1×11, just deciding on crank arms and probably go 32or34 oval

I messaged rf on Facebook the other day and they replied it was likely an oval cinch ring was due out back end of 2017

And for a alternative to al the above have a look at the Praxis works cranks(Girder, cadet and Lyft).
https://www.praxiscycles.com/cranks/

Think Praxis are the only other crank manufacturer that Cold forge there rings(ooh er missus)

I still like the old Deore Hollowtech Octolink cranks. Really stiff long lasting with a really durable BB and cheap!

Got some hopes that I bought from here quite cheap. The lack of choice with direct mount rings is a problem. Waiting on the 30t superstar oval to be released. The fitting/removal process is a bit of a ball ache really. Don’t think they are heavy, I weighed them next to the same length xt’s, 20 grams lighter.

I actually might go hope solely down to their customer service. They aren’t chesp so if anything goes wrong at least I’ve got them behind me .