[Freeridin']

I've been checking with e13's distributors on an almost daily basis waiting for their new DH cranks to drop. But to be honest, I'm not one to try new products so maybe I'll go with a trusty pair of Saints.

Any impressions on the E13 DH cranks? Has anyone been able to sneak a ride on them? Is is possible for them to be as stiff as Saints?

The weight savings is nice. However, a stiff, trustworthy crank is worth the extra weight.

 

[dropmachine]

If Saints are the benchmark that you hold other cranks to, and you are hoping something else will reach that mark, why not just get the Saints?

 

[Bikael Molton]

The weight savings is 3 grams if you are comparing Saint arms/spindle (per Sicklines) to e.13's claimed weight.

And the BB from e.13 looks to be heavier than Shimano.

http://www.sicklines.com/weights/crankarms/
http://www.sicklines.com/weights/bottombrackets/
http://e13bythehive.com/news/ethirteen-dh-crank/


E.13/Hive cranks look nice to me, but weight is not a determining factor.

 

[norbar]

If you want something other than Saints why not go with Atlas cranks? Work very nice, are lighter (though only a little) and if you are for such things you can get them in fancy colors.
I like mine very mutch and have no issue so far even though I bought them used and I have a low bb so I catch a rock now and then.

 

[Freeridin']

The Saints are great and likely my benchmark. E13 is a great company and also has great products. Might be worth a shot.

Interesting, I did not know the weight savings was so minimal, if any.

I thought about some Atlas cranks for a second while considering their tasty color selection...but then I got my senses back. I can't say the Atlas cranks are as stiff as Saints. Plus, not a fan of the interface.

 

[norbar]

The Saints are great and likely my benchmark. E13 is a great company and also has great products. Might be worth a shot.

Interesting, I did not know the weight savings was so minimal, if any.

I thought about some Atlas cranks for a second while considering their tasty color selection...but then I got my senses back. I can't say the Atlas cranks are as stiff as Saints. Plus, not a fan of the interface.

No problem with the interface at all and mine are used so it should be more probable. You just have to know how to not put a wrench in your eye and you are going to be fine

As for the stiffness - coming from the old saints I see no differance though I weight only around 70-72kg.

 

[Uncle Cliffy]

It's really difficult to measure up to Saints. Or, any Shimano crank for that matter.

I'm not going to argue about Raceface spline vs. Shimanos, but it's nice that you don't need a puller when chainring service time comes due.

The review I read of the E-thirteen cranks annoyed me. Sounds like they're hard to set up. They need the right amount of spacers on the spindle or binding will occur. Also, for some stupid reason, they decided to add another standard on the BB cups. You get a tool for this, but why why why does it have to be different from Shimano/Raceface/Truvative???

 

[Freeridin']

Can you link this review?

The axle has twice the diameter compared to the current standard. If it provides the performance that they claim, then I'm fine with it.

 

[BMADED]

I highly doubt you notice the cranks flexing. I am 210 and dont notice any of this so called flex on my Atlas arms.

 

[Freeridin']

I don't notice any flex on Atlas cranks either. However, I do notice the rigidity of Saint cranks.

 

[Uncle Cliffy]

Can you link this review?

The axle has twice the diameter compared to the current standard. If it provides the performance that they claim, then I'm fine with it.

Found it.

Forgot the review is for the XC/AM set. I can see the larger bearing diameter being used, but the cup itself looks the same size as other brands.

 

[toodles]

Get the Saints. Nothing in that review seems like the e.13s have anything to offer over the proven Shimano units, and there's already drawbacks. Unless the e.13 units are significantly cheaper, I think you'd be mad to take a gamble with anything else.

 

[ianjenn]

Get the Saints. Nothing in that review seems like the e.13s have anything to offer over the proven Shimano units, and there's already drawbacks. Unless the e.13 units are significantly cheaper, I think you'd be mad to take a gamble with anything else.

I have Saints now but they will be gone when I can afford to dump them. 4 years isn't all that long term as far as being on the market. I may be looking at going back to Profiles just for the hell of it and gain about 75 grams over the Shimano units. E13's have been reported to feel as stiff as the Saint's but I have no serious time on them yet.

 

[Sandwich]

You get a tool for this, but why why why does it have to be different from Shimano/Raceface/Truvative???

you do have three toolboxes, right? One for regular tools, one for bike specific spares, and one for all the proprietary **** your E13/dw bike requires....

But seriously...buy the saints. Wait for the hive cranks to come out and get fixed after the initial run is bad. Then decide whether you want to make the switch. Saints just work. They don't look pretty or make you tea, they just spin round quietly and smoothly and stay stiff.

 

[toodles]

I have Saints now but they will be gone when I can afford to dump them.

Why?

 

[FCLinder]

You should be looking at the MRP Chamber Cranks too. Comes in all sizes and is 850 grams. I have had the Saints and can say the Chambers feel just as stiff if not stiffer.

Good luck,
Cecil

 

[ianjenn]

Why?

Just mainly down to a pricing thing and I am not so sure about their bearing life. There are a couple guys in town here that have bent them actually the original version. They are a fair amount faster than me but I have about 30LBS on em and ride way rougher than them. But that is just an afterthought.

Should retail really be $400 for those things? I didnt pay retail but its just the thought of it.

Dont get me wrong they are nice cranks that are stiff and decent weight I would just like to try something different at this point. The MRP's look nice also.

 

[IH8Rice]

You should be looking at the MRP Chamber Cranks too. Comes in all sizes and is 850 grams. I have had the Saints and can say the Chambers feel just as stiff if not stiffer.

Good luck,
Cecil

mine should be in end of the week. i wish they came in 165mm though.

 

[Steve M]

Stiffness? Really? Waaaaaaaank. You have 200mm of softly sprung suspension at each end of your bike, another 50mm or more of nice soft tyres, and you really think crank stiffness is actually worth considering next to strength or bearing lifetime? Stiffness hasn't been a legitimate issue with any real DH cranks for a good 8 years or so. Who gives a **** about the 30mm spindle the E13 cranks use that are supposedly "200% stiffer" than Saint spindles - because, you know, it really makes a huge difference whether your crank spindle flexes 0.01 degrees or 0.02 degrees when you bottom your gnarcore DH bike out on some huck to uphill of death. And DH bikes are just so pedal-efficient that you really can't afford to lose ANYTHING to crank arm flex, it'll be so painfully obvious that all your pedalling efforts are just going into bending your cranks that you'll curse the day you ever bought those flexy pieces of crap.

 

[toodles]

Just mainly down to a pricing thing and I am not so sure about their bearing life. There are a couple guys in town here that have bent them actually the original version. They are a fair amount faster than me but I have about 30LBS on em and ride way rougher than them. But that is just an afterthought.

Should retail really be $400 for those things? I didnt pay retail but its just the thought of it.

Dont get me wrong they are nice cranks that are stiff and decent weight I would just like to try something different at this point. The MRP's look nice also.

So you have no problems yet but plan on replacing them in case you do have. And they're too expensive but you already own some and will somehow save money by upgrading to new cranks. Makes sense.

 

[norbar]

Stiffness? Really? Waaaaaaaank. You have 200mm of softly sprung suspension at each end of your bike, another 50mm or more of nice soft tyres, and you really think crank stiffness is actually worth considering next to strength or bearing lifetime? Stiffness hasn't been a legitimate issue with any real DH cranks for a good 8 years or so. Who gives a **** about the 30mm spindle the E13 cranks use that are supposedly "200% stiffer" than Saint spindles - because, you know, it really makes a huge difference whether your crank spindle flexes 0.01 degrees or 0.02 degrees when you bottom your gnarcore DH bike out on some huck to uphill of death. And DH bikes are just so pedal-efficient that you really can't afford to lose ANYTHING to crank arm flex, it'll be so painfully obvious that all your pedalling efforts are just going into bending your cranks that you'll curse the day you ever bought those flexy pieces of crap.

Must Spread rep.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

Must Spread rep.

Agreed!

 

[xy9ine]

awesome, socket.

 

[ianjenn]

So you have no problems yet but plan on replacing them in case you do have. And they're too expensive but you already own some and will somehow save money by upgrading to new cranks. Makes sense.

Selling the Saints will more than fund the Profile cranks coming out. Funny how that works right? Made in USA with what maybe a 200% higher production cost yet it 1/2 the price?



AHHAHAH

It is purely a 100% personal preference thing. Cranks are not making or breaking peoples WC career here.

 

[norbar]

Selling the Saints will more than fund the Profile cranks coming out. Funny how that works right? Made in USA with what maybe a 200% higher production cost yet it 1/2 the price?



AHHAHAH

It is purely a 100% personal preference thing. Cranks are not making or breaking peoples WC career here.

More info PLZ

 

[Freeridin']

Very true socket. However, I would consider stiffness and strength to go hand and hand.

Installation, longevity, overall design have also been discussed so far...and for me clearly knocked Atlas out of the line up. The saints appear to be sitting at the top in all categories.

 

[roel_koel]

Shimano Saint HT2 - no doubt

as a professional bike mechanic in a high end mountain bike shop, one of my most common workshop jobs is replacing toasted RF and Truvativ cranksets with Shimano HT2 (XT, SLX, Saint)

we don't get those coming back....

Shimano cranks are also super easy to install and remove with ease, which is a massive bonus when maintaining full-suspension frame pivots, and setting up chain devices

 

[gemini2k]

Shimano Saint HT2 - no doubt

as a professional bike mechanic in a high end mountain bike shop, one of my most common workshop jobs is replacing toasted RF and Truvativ cranksets with Shimano HT2 (XT, SLX, Saint)

we don't get those coming back....

Shimano cranks are also super easy to install and remove with ease, which is a massive bonus when maintaining full-suspension frame pivots, and setting up chain devices

Wurd. If there is ANY ONE PART in the world of DH or just mtb in general that is near perfect (and as you have probably realized I'm an extremely cynical jew) it's the shimano saint or shimano cranks in general. You are an idiot if you buy anything else besides saints for a DH bike, period. Unless you want something lighter/race oriented or more colorful I suppose.

 

[roel_koel]

I always smile when I am asked to setup a chain device using HT2 cranks - you don't even have to install the non-driveside arm to set the chain device spacing

just mount the chain device, slide the HT2 crank into place, eyeball the fitment and work out what adjustment you need before sliding the HT2 crank back out and adjusting the spacings

I grimace every time a customer wants me to do the same with RF X-Type systems, as they have to be fully installed to do this procedure using high-torque to install (which slightly wears the splines) and then fully removed using high-torque, before re-setting spacing and doing it all again...



I have not trusted RF X-Type since having a professionally installed Diablous crankset literally fall off my Devinci Ollie after the splines developed on-going "flog-out/play", whilst riding up a fire road in North Vancouver in 2005...and then requiring me to carry a suitable allen key whilst riding in Whistler / North Vancouver on a 3 week vacation

Shimano's HT2 crankset design allow take-up of slight flog-out (which rarely occurs) using their pinch bolts


if you look at HT2, its basically the "aheadset" stem / headset design turned on its side and with splines on the axle (steerer tube - if looking at forks) = very clever

 

[Thiago]

I always find nice deals on Saints... I've just bought a new one for 165$ at CRC.
That's a heck of a reliable crankset, still very lightweight, so why paying more for some grams less?

 

[Uncle Cliffy]

I always smile when I am asked to setup a chain device using HT2 cranks - you don't even have to install the non-driveside arm to set the chain device spacing

just mount the chain device, slide the HT2 crank into place, eyeball the fitment and work out what adjustment you need before sliding the HT2 crank back out and adjusting the spacings

I grimace every time a customer wants me to do the same with RF X-Type systems, as they have to be fully installed to do this procedure using high-torque to install (which slightly wears the splines) and then fully removed using high-torque, before re-setting spacing and doing it all again...

Quoted for mutha FN TRUTH!