Zee – worth it?

Rebuilding my bike currently and looks like I can pick up a pair of Zee cranks on their own without chaining fairly cheaply.. Which’d work well for me as I’d require a 32t up front anyway.

I’m currently on Deore triple cranks with the inner/outer rings removed and a Superstar chain device. Will I notice a difference in quality/ weight over my current setup?

Would like to hear anyone’s reviews that’s running these on their trail bike or if there’s anything better/ cheaper/ lighter out there for the money.

I’d be looking at buying a Hope chaining and bash, and keeping my current 1×9 setup for the moment, with a view to going 1×10 in the future, is this possible on the Hope chainings by just changing casette, chain and rear derailleur?

Any advice appreciated before I splash the cash!

Ben.

I was tempted with Zee but they’re pretty weighty things. Went used XT instead… I suspect your current cranks will be lighter as nearly as durable.

As for chainring – it’ll be fine running 9 or 10 speed cassettes.

Unless you can’t do without the image that Zee is supposed to portray, stick with your Deore.

Otherwise SLX is where it’s at, just stay away from the double crankset if you are to have a single, 32t or smaller front ring.

they scuff awfully and look shite quickly

FWIW – I think Zee looks shit from new, like something you’d stick on a child’s bike.

So if I’m looking at SLX or XT do I need to get a triple and do what I’ve done with the Deore, or can the cranks/spiders be sourced separately for what I need?

do I need to get a triple

Yep, a triple will allow you fit single, single n bash, double, double n bash, so totally versatile.

I run Deore cranks. The Zee cranks appear to have a slightly beefier axle, and also steel inserts for the pedal threads.
You might want to just stiuck with what you have. If you want a change, you could get your Deores chemically dipped, then polish them up a bit like this: http://www.velosolo.co.uk/jjcrank.html

The zee should be stronger but it’s not that much lighter (if at all, can’t remember exactly- deore is pretty damn good these days tbh)

As for chainrings, if you’re buying parts for 1x just now you should probably be buying a thick/thin chainring… (I haven’t used one with 1×9 though but for 1×10 it’s a no brainer)

they scuff awfully and look shite quickly

I don’t agree. Mine are how very little wear after about 50 days hard use, and you can’t argue with £80 including BB and chainring. SLX is 150g lighter though, check prices.

I’ve a pair of Zee’s on my FS and I’m happy enough with them,they seem robust and work as they should, the biggest draw for me was I could get them in 165mm as I was suffering from quite a few pedal strikes with the 175mm I originally had fitted. Not bling I grant you but not that bad either.

Yeah think I’ll have a look at SLX or XT and if I can’t find anything suitable just keep what I’ve got. Any recommendations on chainrings? Was looking at the Hopes with integrated bash but not sure these are the thick/thin chain keepers everyone seems to rate.

I assume I can ditch the chain guide with a thick/thin too?

The current Hope is not a skinny/fat, you want:

http://www.workscomponents.co.uk/

or

http://www.tweekscycles.com/Product.do?method=view&n=3514&g=414811&p=414824&c=215&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Base&utm_campaign=MTB%20Chainrings&gclid=CM-v1azywLkCFXQftAodDGQAvw

YoKaiser

Is that a 32t you have there? No chain rub?

YoKaiser – that’s eerie! Looks very similar to the Deore / RF thick/thin set up on my Scandal. The Zee looks a far better colour, though. Liking that – and it goes well with the frame colour, too.
I’ve picked up two pairs of Deores over the years, complete with chainrings and BB, for £55 each. The touring version, with bigger rings, (26/36 from memory) allows you to also have a 2x setup – you just sell the dinner plate sized big ring and get a set of single ring chainring bolts. Or you can go 1x.

Why go with SLX when you want to run 1×9? You’ll only end up needing to file down the tabs on the back of the cranks if you want to run them with certain chain guides.

Zee is designed for 1x* application. There’s minimal weight difference.

There’s a significantt weight difference – Zee cranks aren’t hollow, they’re a cheaper and heftier item than SLX or XT – 750g compared to 600g (although about 20g is down to the longer axle on the pictured Zee)

Is that a 32t you have there? No chain rub?

Yes 32 and no chain rub.

YoKaiser – that’s eerie! Looks very similar to the Deore / RF thick/thin set up on my Scandal. The Zee looks a far better colour, though. Liking that – and it goes well with the frame colour, too.

Its really hard to see but the Zee stuff has a gold fleck through it, you only really notice it when its wet.

I assume I can ditch the chain guide with a thick/thin too?

The crank above has a Race Face thick thin and I haven’t dropped a chain yet, coupled with a clutch rear mech of course. I spent a week in Molini and it was plenty bumpy too.

150 grams? Why, that’s a whole baby lemur of difference!

I use carbon fibre lemurs, so it’s three.

Either way, it’s 20% heavier. Put it this way – a Zee crank alone weighs the same as the SLX plus a chainguide.

I’m gonna get one of these for DH purposes, as it comes in 73mm / 165mm and is about 400g lighter than my current chainset/BB.

If it was for a trail bike I’d go SLX though.

But honourablegeorge, I bet your SLX chainset can’t use a foot as a chinrest.

I was quite surprised with the weight difference between my Deore HTII + BB and an older XT HTII + BB – more like 60 grams there. Mind you, SLX is about the best compromise in my book.

(NB: raced the Dragons, including several Alps trips at the turn of the century on 1998 XTs with a square taper BB)

Looking at these;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221280373495?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

(Assuming the 10speed-ness doesnt matter as I’ll be getting new chainrings anyway)

Or this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130983161233?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/mtb-bmx-bike/chainsets-chainsets-mtb-shimano-slx-m670-10-speed-triple-chainset/shimcham140

Bargain-tastic, cheers!

Edit; will the 10speed chainrings be ok on 9speed, or would I still need to change rings?

😉