[Closed] What makes a crank better than another crank?

Weight, stiffness, looks.

I use Deore mtb cranks and never notice any flex and they aren't even that heavy. The frame flexes before the cranks on my bikes.

Weight
Stiffness
Durability
Shifting efficiency (if we're talking chainsets).

weight to stiffness ratio

Marketing...

Right, I thought as much. Thank you for all of your replies!

Being compatible with non-crap bottom brackets. Bloomin Truvativ.

I'd be willing to bet that in a blind test that there's nobody on STW could tell the difference between Deore and XTR on the same bike.

Maybe between square taper and HT2, but not between 2 of the same type, not a chance. 🙂

Northwind - if you're annoyed about having to use GXP bottom brackets then you CAN use Hope ones instead. Does require some wee washer things from Hope that cost more than they should though (was still cheaper than replacing the cranks on my wife's bike).

I'd be willing to bet that in a blind test that there's nobody on STW could tell the difference between Deore and XTR on the same bike.

Agreed. And if you get someone to try a blind test [i]please[/i] record it 😉

Re blind test... I can't feel any difference between my XTRs and my Saints, but I wouldn't say that means there's no difference

stevious - Member

Northwind - if you're annoyed about having to use GXP bottom brackets then you CAN use Hope ones instead. Does require some wee washer things from Hope that cost more than they should though

Aye... And it seems to me that if it works for Hope then it ought to work for others too, will need to do some measuring up. But still, I like my £11 XT BBs! Cheers though!

I reckon I can feel the wind pass the inside surface of a deore crank arm, if you bash a flat pedal the metal resonates differently too.

Edit: I'm comparing against xt not xtr though.

I have old 300lx cranks and saint cranks. Both feel like cranks to me. I which BB last longer as well.

I reckon I can feel the wind pass the inside surface of a deore crank arm,

I really hope that's a joke. Tell me it's a joke. Please. 😕

I really hope that's a joke

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cranks are a bit like stems.. you need one that fits, but people seem to care a lot how they look. one of the worst value places to spend money imho! on the other hand a good set will last forever so..
deore is really good value btw now it's HT2 nothing comes close afaik (but Deore bbs are cack, for dry use only!).

anyone put cranks on a test rig to see how bendy they are, and how the hollow ones compare to others?

Some cranks have pedal inserts, for when you get a bit gnar..

I've snapped a few cranks before - not from riding down the shops - trials on a MTB, and landing-to-flat on a BMX. Got a scar on the inside of my left lower leg from where the snapped crank ripped me open...

The bigger difference is in the rings; Deore are pressed steel, XT are machined alloy and XTR are made from Unicorn horn and mermaids tails.

I'd be willing to bet that in a blind test that there's nobody on STW could tell the difference between Deore and XTR on the same bike.

I can 😛

I've tried some old truvative square tapers, RF deus and XTR back to back, you can feel a difference between all three. It's less that the lighter/cheeper ones feel flexy, and more that the XTR feel stiff if that makes sense, both in terms of not flexing and transmitting more buzz to the pedals.

Also got carbon cranks on the road bike which feel totaly different again, stiff like the XTR, but not transmiting vibrations like metal cranks.

So you might not be able to say "this bike has XTR" without a back to back comparison, but you can feel a difference.

strength/stiffness/durability/reliability/longevity and a secure/reliable crank arm mounting design are far more important than weight to me..

(but Deore bbs are cack, for dry use only!).

anyone put cranks on a test rig to see how bendy they are

and how the hollow ones compare to others?