[Jeff P.]

As the title says, im looking for a sub $200 crankset for my XC rig. I am a pretty big guy (230lbs) so i am pretty hard on parts. I have been looking at the Truvativ stylo with the external BB and the low end RF with the same 2 piece design. I am open for suggestions of other cranksets as well, those are just the only ones that i have found that fit the bill. I just toasted an ISIS BB on my current crankset and after doing some reading i would prefer to stay away from that setup. Any help would be appriciated.

JP

 

[Zark]

Shimano lx might be an option.

 

[Smelly]

XT could be an option, too. I got a pair, brand new, for $195 shipped off ebay just a few weeks ago.
The RF bb's are notorious for their friction. I had a set of Atlas cranks for a spell, and the friction was very noticable, as in 'how come my bike feels slow' noticeable. I'm much more impressed with the XT's.

 

[Jeff P.]

I was thinking about the XT, how are the truvativs? I had heard the RF bearings are pretty bad but that you can get phil wood replacments, however judgind by how much my hubs were i cant imagine that the BB bearings would be cheap.

 

[sanjuro]

I was thinking about the XT, how are the truvativs? I had heard the RF bearings are pretty bad but that you can get phil wood replacments, however judgind by how much my hubs were i cant imagine that the BB bearings would be cheap.

Its not too bad, $23 bucks. They have a track set for $140...

 

[JRogers]

I was thinking about the XT, how are the truvativs? I had heard the RF bearings are pretty bad but that you can get phil wood replacments, however judgind by how much my hubs were i cant imagine that the BB bearings would be cheap.

Don't know if this was a typical issue, but I had a terrible time with my Truvativs. They had tons of friction and some kind of spindle problem. Neither I nor the lbs could fix it, so they gave me a pair of XTs. The XTs have been great for the most part. Only problem is that they sometimes creak.

 

[Bicyclist]

XTs or LX, whichever you can afford.

 

[Jeff P.]

I just picked up a set of m960 XTR cranks w/bb for $180. Ended up costing my about $20 more for tools and whatnot but they are shuweet, and they weigh as much as my RF isis BB alone, in all fairness it is a craptacular BB. Hopefully i can keep from breaking these ones.
JP