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Rotor Cranks

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
Any experience?

My new frame is BB95. I need a 24mm spindle. Shimano and SRAM are the normal choices, but the finishes on shimano are pretty weak. Rotor makes a 24mm Rex 3.1. Price and weight put it between XT and XTR, which are my other considerations.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
but how will people at the trailhead know how cool I am?

Actually might go with SLX, as the finish looks more durable than XT or XTR and the weight is the same.

Still curious about rotor cranks though. Looks like they have a similar mechanism to shimano, though a different spline. That's the only reason I would consider them. That and I prefer chainring bolts to cinch setups: http://rotorbike.com/catalog/default/rotor/xc-mtb-marathon/rex-3-1.html
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,192
19,158
Canaderp
The SLX cranks on my Banshee did about 6500km and only had some scratches. Unlike my polished Saints which have a fraction of that distance.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
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borcester rhymes
thanks. I love shimano cranks but XTR is pricey and XT has finish issues. Totally forgot about SLX even though I ran them on one of my DH bikes for a season.
 

jackalope

Mental acuity - 1%
Jan 9, 2004
7,596
5,894
in a single wide, cooking meth...
The SLX cranks on my Banshee did about 6500km and only had some scratches. Unlike my polished Saints which have a fraction of that distance.
Have to agree, as I'm running the new Saints because I feel they're laughably stiffer than anything else, but the finish seems less than goodly. Not sure if I'm going to win parking lot bro-points without crab0n or those new CC earth rape cranks. Maybe I can just go ahead and strip the paint off my saints and put CC stickers on them :think:
 
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4xBoy

Turbo Monkey
Jun 20, 2006
7,016
2,849
Minneapolis
Have to agree, as I'm running the new Saints because I feel they're laughably stiffer than anything else, but the finish seems less than goodly. Not sure if I'm going to win parking lot bro-points without crab0n or those new CC earth rape cranks. Maybe I can just go ahead and strip the paint of my saints and put CC stickers on them :think:
Earth rape. Classic.

Funny cause I have them.
 

Cerberus75

Monkey
Feb 18, 2017
520
194
Eagle gpx cranks are 120.00 on eBay right now. Sub 600gr if you want direct mount.
I have some zees 170mm id let go cheap with BB less than 100miles on them.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,637
5,450
If it is a dually and you have some weight about you don't go the Zee cranks above, the open back design makes them quite flexy compared to the hollow cranks, they are awesome on a hardtail though.

Can't people just put their feet in the right spots and not rub the cranks? If not, put some of that overpriced plastic film on them.
 

mykel

closer to Periwinkle
Apr 19, 2013
5,071
3,780
sw ontario canada
Agree, go Shimano.
I have a set of Hone that I can't quite kill, bent one crank, but so far with the replacement - nope.
Also have SLX on another bike, solid as.
SixC on the big bike, but they came with the frame, so who am I to say no. ( I also love them - stiff as a morning stiffy, and again, no maintenance issues - but dat cost :doh: )

One thing about crank and chain-stay rub, it shows that at least you RIDE the damn thing, it ain't no rack queen. :monkey:
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,191
media blackout
I'd say e13, but if you're limited to a 24mm spindle Shimano all the way. I've got a set of slx on my megaderp and they're at least 6 years old. At least the general I had weight was super close to xt.
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
Agree with everyone, Shimano cranks ftw (or others with twin pinchbolt interface, I'm on Gravity Light 7050 atm).

Funny thing about the Saint finish is - it wears fast only because they ditched the bead-blast finish before anodizing (from M800) for a polished finish instead. It's not that the finish quality is any worse, it's just because the micro-valleys of the bead blast finish retain the colour even as the outer edges get rubbed. @Gary wins this round.
 

TrumbullHucker

trumbullruxer
Aug 29, 2005
2,284
719
shimzbury, ct
Bought my Zee crankset almost 3 years ago and they have never bitched

and the finish on the crank face is still flawless

what am i doing wrong

edit: I actually read the thread.

I have DMR V12s and Teva shoes and always ride in shorts if that makes a difference
 
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Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,541
5,472
UK
@Gary wins this round.
Except I polished the front face anodizing off all my 800s and all my 810/20 series were bought S/H and many were slickgraphic'd up by the previous owner.
Despite being the OG prince of darkness I don't and never have cared for anodized/painted outer crank arm faces even if BLACK.
And I kinda feel sorry for anyone who worries about theirs. #doyoueventablebro? #YeahIgettheIronyhere
 

mykel

closer to Periwinkle
Apr 19, 2013
5,071
3,780
sw ontario canada
^ That can't end well. :no:
Looks like his shorts are hung up on his chainring... :eek:
But that just may be the least of his immediate problems.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
Eagle gpx cranks are 120.00 on eBay right now. Sub 600gr if you want direct mount.
I have some zees 170mm id let go cheap with BB less than 100miles on them.
Not big on sram stuff. I know their cranks are lighter, but I'll end up with another shimano crank, or this rotor idiocy if it'll fit on my bike. Thank you for the offer on the zees, but IIRC the zee and deore level cranks dip into non-hollow core 6000 series stuff, while the SLX, XT, and XTR is all 7 series hollow stuff (like my soul) and that boosts stiffness and durability for not much money.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
Agree with everyone, Shimano cranks ftw (or others with twin pinchbolt interface, I'm on Gravity Light 7050 atm).

Funny thing about the Saint finish is - it wears fast only because they ditched the bead-blast finish before anodizing (from M800) for a polished finish instead. It's not that the finish quality is any worse, it's just because the micro-valleys of the bead blast finish retain the colour even as the outer edges get rubbed. @Gary wins this round.
ohhh, now it's gotta be dual pinch bolt too?

I hear others' comments on crank rub. I don't really care if I put it on there myself, but it's pretty obvious when buying used, and if I have the choice, I'd rather not throw money at something that has known durability issues. ie, if XT and SLX weigh the same but SLX has a more durable coating, I'd prefer the SLX, even if it were at a slightly higher cost.

As for the rotor cranks, they remind me of double barrels (ay Caramba!) and I'm confident I can take out the plugs on the ends (where they drill the holes) and put bottle rockets in there, so there's that.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,855
9,560
AK
Praxis had their crank shit here at the bike expo with the Whiskey Off-Road. Looked really nice (and probably $$$). It seemed like they had some non-lizard (aluminum) models.