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Let's talk cranksets


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I used to have problems with this crank and it was because I had too many spacers. Bought a BB tool while on vacation and got the bike back to riding. Everything was great for about a year.

Was riding my urban singlespeed the other day and this happened:

IMG_3649.thumb.jpeg.16ba9407fe8232f952bb6595f33dc31b.jpeg

 

 

Right now I have a cheap Amazon crank on my MTB SS, so I am thinking about pulling that and putting it on the urban bike, theoretically if there is ever a catastrophic failure I'd prefer that does not happen on the trail.

I'm looking at putting one of these on my MTB SS:

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/shimano-slx-fc-m7130-1x-crank-arms

Anyone have any opinions about cranks? Something I need to consider?

 

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Most of the time, I really like Shimano‘s way of installing their cranks from a durability standpoint but I will say the Sram method is way easier with a torque wrench. Minor thing I know, but never liked the process of torquing one and then flipping over to the other bolt and torquing it down. Proper torque is key with crank installs.

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One other thing to consider. Shimano changes their spindle length when swapping chain lines. So, if you have a non boost bike, you have to get a non-boost crankset. With SRAM they make one spindle length (well two for fat bikes) and adjust the chainline by the offset of their chainrings. This means that you can swap SRAM cranks from a non-boost bike to a boost bike or the other way around or even to the super boost bike. 6mm offset for non-boost, 3mm for boost, and 0 offset for super boost. 

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This would definitely be for a non-boost bike. Hadn't thought about that, will be sure to check it when I buy.

The thing I like about the Shimano is the mounting. I have had RaceFace on my bikes in the past and they always end up coming loose, even with Locktite on them.

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I prefer the Shimano BB design with 24mm ID bearing on both sides but the hard stop when properly cranked down on SRAM is also nice. Raceface is a best of both. No goofy floating spindle in the drive side bearing and no fussy bearing preload. It helps to make sure your BB shell is faced. The Cinch-type direct mount rings are easy to source. I've been using Aeffect cranks with a Shimano BB for a few years.

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I have seen this a number of times with shimanos latest crop of cranksets.  Bikes that have had one installed for over a year and then if falls off.  The Spec is 14Nm, but we started tightening higher to prevent them from falling off.  I even notice the prebuilt bikes coming from the manufactuers torqued beyond that.  

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How much problem has been seen with the RF Cinch? That came on my RIP9 in 2016 and has been trouble free ... I use torque wrench to spec, preload to no slop but not excessively snug, and I think I have had to change bearings once or twice only.

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I've been using RF Aeffect cranks and I am confused about Cinch. The chainring interface is a "Cinch" direct-mount variety, but it seems like the threaded preload feature is also called Cinch. my crankset does not have this bearing preload feature and I don't see the need for it if the frame and BB are correctly installed. That means facong the BB shell so it's exactly the correct width. 

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I think Cinch is the combined designation of ring mount and BB/spindle interface. Seems like they made DUB really similar but i've not worked with a DUB crankset so i'm not sure.

FWIW I never had a big issue with the shimano style pinch-bolts, and they certainly are easier in some ways, but I think I like the single-bolt things a teeny bit more - as long as they're mounted correctly and to spec to do seem fine.

I've had a couple shimano style hollow-tech type cranksets that didn't work out long term, fewer issues with single-bolt systems - but i'm just one statistical sample point. :^)

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3 hours ago, bear said:

I think Cinch is the combined designation of ring mount and BB/spindle interface. Seems like they made DUB really similar but i've not worked with a DUB crankset so i'm not sure.

FWIW I never had a big issue with the shimano style pinch-bolts, and they certainly are easier in some ways, but I think I like the single-bolt things a teeny bit more - as long as they're mounted correctly and to spec to do seem fine.

I've had a couple shimano style hollow-tech type cranksets that didn't work out long term, fewer issues with single-bolt systems - but i'm just one statistical sample point. :^)

My experience on the single-bolt systems is that they tend to come loose no matter how much I crank it down or use loctite. Always on single speeds, always came loose on the trail. But now I am having that with a Shimano, so maybe it is me?

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Been using RF cinch since 2015 on multiple bikes with no issues. They have never come loose, made noise and setup easily with threaded or PF BB. Also nice to adjust chainline with the ring rather than crank. The aeffect R (?) is machined and lighter than regular one. The arms on standard aeffect are same length they just drill the pedal hole in different spot.

Wouldn't buy a carbon RF crank though. Prefer sram carbon every time.

Edited by ATXZJ
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I prefer rf cinch mostly because I have a hard time with the preload and telling when the preload is right before tightening the crank bolts.  I use the little knurled plastic thingie.  Being able to tighten the cranks and adjusting preload separately is awesome.  With sram (XX) I have had to replace a bb because of it  ever being tight and also had to over tighten the cranks to take out the slack.

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4 minutes ago, ATXZJ said:

 

Wouldn't buy a carbon RF crank though. Prefer sram carbon every time.

100% this.  My new bike came with Next SL and I’m expecting they will fail at some point.  At least I’m the original owner so so should be able to get a replacement unlike the ones on my last bike (used) which had the pedal thread insert come loose.  My XX cranks had >10k miles with lots of CTX pedal strikes and obviously marred and they have a second life on someone else’s bike now.

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  • 2 months later...
On 7/10/2022 at 1:35 PM, AntonioGG said:

100% this.  My new bike came with Next SL and I’m expecting they will fail at some point.  At least I’m the original owner so so should be able to get a replacement unlike the ones on my last bike (used) which had the pedal thread insert come loose.  My XX cranks had >10k miles with lots of CTX pedal strikes and obviously marred and they have a second life on someone else’s bike now.

I got 5 solid years out of my Next SL cranks, then this. Suppose I should have known after 4 years to just swap them out. The pedal came out while climbing, which was no big deal. Could have been really bad if I had lost the pedal while launching off a drop or navigating a boulder-laden downhill section. I replaced them with RF Atlas, which added over 1/2lb to my bike but worth it for the kind of riding I like to do. Also went from 175mm to 170mm, which I've been meaning to do anyway. I might end up moving the new Atlas over to the backup bike and getting something in 165mm for my primary bike, as I'm definitely digging the shorter cranks.    
image.thumb.png.d4b4f9d2fa2291e32fefabbe288539c6.png

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I "get" the the Next SL marketing says "ride everywhere North Shore" but if someone has a regular diet of drops over 2" and concerns about critical failure / reliability why wouldn't you get a DH focused part? Sure, it's heavier, but that's better than failure?

My riding has certainly changed a lot over the years, and ATX surely gave me more a twist toward technical than I had before, one of those lessons was that even a relatively low-crazy guy like me can damage a 'trail' oriented part. I had issues with both Shimano XT and FSA cranks trail-targeted at different points that ended up with putting Diabalous cranks on the bike, which never ever let me down. Those are still running on the bike they're on, in fact (serving irregular duty on a Titus SuperMoto built out as a DH bike, in NE PA, with a friend of mine).

When I got crazy and went carbon crank on my current trail bike I went  for the SixC Cinch style ... sure they're not the lightest but I have much more confidence in their long term reliability.

They also came in the 165mm length I wanted. Had to swap spindles though for my 73mm BB. I should lay in more spindle options, right now I have lengths for 73 and 83 BSA BB.

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7 years on a 175mm Sram carbon X01 GXP crank, used on multiple bikes, chainrings and pedals. Zero issues. Hard to beat Sram quality. I've also run boots the entire time.

Wanting to buy a 165mm XTR crank to match the rest of my drivetrain. The issue is it's hard to justify spending $100 more for a Shimano aluminum than SRAM carbon.

 

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I guess I never responded with what I ended up doing.

Nothing.

I had ordered some cranks but they never shipped. Was leaving for NM for a month and ended up canceling the order. What were the odds that my existing cranks would actually fail while I was there? I'll just deal with it when I get back.

Apparently the odds were 100%.

I was riding Glorietta, with some Austin guys of all things, and my crank arm fell off. A lot. I managed to get down the hill but I had at least 4 "reattachment" episodes. When I got back tot the hotel I called around. Found a shop to put a new set of SLX on the bike for $200 - including the new bottom bracket. Perfect solution.

This weekend, at Frankenbike, I found another set of SLX cranks and those are going on the other bike.

Say what you will about fancy carbon cranks (I have some on one of my bikes), I like some good metal cranks, especially on a singlespeed.

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