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What hardcore cranks are good for DH/FR

Trekrules

Turbo Monkey
Apr 12, 2007
1,226
148
After more the 2 seasons my Bontrager cranks are needed to replaced by better,stronger and more durable cranks that last for ever.My frame has a 83mm bottom bracket at the moment it houses a Truvativ Howitzer BB for ISIS cranks but im willing to get cranks that are for non ISIS as well with a hollow axle

I head these cranks in mind:
- Shimano Saint
- Race Face Atlas Freeride
- Middleburn RS7
- Funn Hooka DH

With cranks i need the rigth chainring size aswell,witch is the best for DH racing,i was thinking to get a e13 taco bashgaurd later in the year but those are for either 36T or 40T only.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
Saints are pretty much the standard, and they're probably the strongest. If you can afford them, there's your crank. I think the FSA gravity, not gravity lite, are super strong as well.

No clue on the atlas.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,563
24,182
media blackout
I've heard Avenged Sevenfold is coming out with a line of cranks. Those guys are pretty hardcore, so I'm guessing their cranks will be too.
 

PhilipW

Monkey
Mar 13, 2007
311
0
Leominster, MA
I should also mention that the new Direct Mount bashguards on the new LG1+ are sized smaller than the older style taco. 32-36T and 36-40T are now strict guidelines, so you can't upsize to a 37T on the 36T taco.

They're still really light though, and really really really really tough (believe me, I did some of the initial prototyping).



(Photo: http://www.rufusphoto.com/ )
 

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
I just picked up some diety vendettas. They're relatively inexpensive (compared to saint) they're cromo, and have a life time warranty. Hopefully I'll be running these for years to come (unlike my gravity lites which are now broken after less then a year of pretty mild DH).
 

Trekrules

Turbo Monkey
Apr 12, 2007
1,226
148
I don't have a LG-1 but i do have the SRS guide since it has 2 big mounting holes for Taco use at the bottom off the guide.Does the SLX come for 83mm BB?.
 

WBC

Monkey
Aug 8, 2003
578
1
PNW
I think the FSA gravity, not gravity lite, are super strong as well.

NO. Those cranks are made of lead-infused cheese. Absolute ****. I've bent multiple pairs (counting the current bent set on my bike, we're looking at four) over the past few years running them on and off - mostly as backups. They're very heavy and very soft material. The warranty on them works - but is a pain in the ass. If I had more money and didn't desperately need wheels, those would be the first thing I'd get off my bike.

For a reference, I ran modded XT cranks all last year without any problems (until I spaced out taking care of a loosening crankarm and torched my splines), so it's not like I'm the ultimate warrior of crank destruction.
 

Uncle Cliffy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 28, 2008
4,490
42
Southern Oregon
I don't have a LG-1 but i do have the SRS guide since it has 2 big mounting holes for Taco use at the bottom off the guide.Does the SLX come for 83mm BB?.
No 83 for SLX. Saints are the way to go. There may be tougher/cooler cranks out there, but you can't beat their ease of set-up/maintenance.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
NO. Those cranks are made of lead-infused cheese. Absolute ****. I've bent multiple pairs (counting the current bent set on my bike, we're looking at four) over the past few years running them on and off - mostly as backups. They're very heavy and very soft material. The warranty on them works - but is a pain in the ass. If I had more money and didn't desperately need wheels, those would be the first thing I'd get off my bike.

For a reference, I ran modded XT cranks all last year without any problems (until I spaced out taking care of a loosening crankarm and torched my splines), so it's not like I'm the ultimate warrior of crank destruction.
sorry to hear that. Ignore the previous recommendation, then. I thought the gravity lites were the bad ones, the regular version was ok. guess not.
 

Trekrules

Turbo Monkey
Apr 12, 2007
1,226
148
what about the Atlas freeride cranks that i mentioned before,how do they stand up against the saint cranks?
 

slowitdown

Monkey
Mar 30, 2009
553
0
what about the Atlas freeride cranks that i mentioned before,how do they stand up against the saint cranks?
Atlas work great, but they are a tiny bit more finicky on the install. But if you pay attention to the detailed install instructions, no problem.

Every internet MTB forum shows a forum-community bias. I've noticed a pretty significant anti-RaceFace bias on cranksets here. That doesn't mean RF cranks are worse, though. It just means that certain people here believe other people here who have said bad stuff about RF cranks, and that's created a forum atmosphere of anti-RF. In my opinion most of the bad experiences on RF cranks have to do with sloppy installation, such as installing a BB without first facing the BB shell, or not paying attention to the spacers required to set the chainline correctly on your frame.

I ran a set of Atlas cranks for 3 seasons on one bike, no problems. After I sold that bike I got another set for my SS bike. No problems there either.

I've got Hones on another bike. They seem to work the same, just fine. A less finicky install, but no different performance.
 
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blender

Monkey
Oct 19, 2006
642
0
MDR
I run Saints and Deity Vendettas on various bikes.
Both cranks are very tough and very consistent in their performance.

Of the two, I prefer the Vendettas due to amazing customer service I've received from Eric and the lifetime warranty on the cranks.
The Vendettas take a bit more tinkering to set up, but after you bolt them on, there is no reason to ever touch them again, unless you're rebuilding your entire bike. I'm currently running a set on my DH bike, and I put these things through hell in the last year.. they don't look as pretty as they did originally, but they still spin just as smooth as they did the day I first put them on.

Having said that, I have nothing bad to say about Saints.. they're much easier to set up than Deitys, but cost a bit more and I don't know what the customer service is like.
 

Uncle Cliffy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 28, 2008
4,490
42
Southern Oregon
Every internet MTB forum shows a forum-community bias. I've noticed a pretty significant anti-RaceFace bias on cranksets here. That doesn't mean RF cranks are worse, though. It just means that certain people here believe other people here who have said bad stuff about RF cranks, and that's created a forum atmosphere of anti-RF. In my opinion most of the bad experiences on RF cranks have to do with sloppy installation, such as installing a BB without first facing the BB shell, or not paying attention to the spacers required to set the chainline correctly on your frame.
I see what your thinking, but it's not totally true. I like RF cranks a lot, but their main problem is when you have to maintain your bike in general. It's pretty standard knowledge that if you take them on and off any number of times, the interface begins to wear. Eventually you have to constantly make sure they're tight.

The maintenance I'm talking about could be any number of things... If you have pivots on your frame that require servicing, (I had a DH frame that had a high-maintenance pivot that required crank removal to get to...) if you change your gearing a lot, chainring wear/damage, ect. If you don't mess with them after initial installation, they're solid.

It's not a conspiracy man... :clue:
 

WBC

Monkey
Aug 8, 2003
578
1
PNW
I'm sure people have bent or broken Saints, but I've never seen it.

I've worked in shops for about 8 years now (all high school and all college), and run with a pretty rowdy pack of riders, and the only Saint cranks I've ever seen turned unusable were when:

A: The crankarms were ridden loose multiple hard rides and the splines rounded off.
B: The rider smoked multiple rocks very hard, breaking multiple pedal spindles, and eventually the crankarm threads became unable hold the pedal.
C: Getting run over by a 3500 Chevy and the crankarm separated from the spindle (crank still didn't bend).

I've even done a crash inspection on a DH bike that fell off a car and was run over multiple times, destroying the frame, fork, wheels, pedals, etc - and the cranks were straight.

None of these situations would I fault the cranks.
 

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
Definitely seen ripped out insert threads once. Don't know if that counts as "broken crank" in the manner you were talking about but as the pedals were installed properly, it wasn't simply a case of running lose pedals.
 

slowitdown

Monkey
Mar 30, 2009
553
0
I see what your thinking, but it's not totally true. I like RF cranks a lot, but their main problem is when you have to maintain your bike in general. It's pretty standard knowledge that if you take them on and off any number of times, the interface begins to wear. Eventually you have to constantly make sure they're tight.

The maintenance I'm talking about could be any number of things... If you have pivots on your frame that require servicing, (I had a DH frame that had a high-maintenance pivot that required crank removal to get to...) if you change your gearing a lot, chainring wear/damage, ect. If you don't mess with them after initial installation, they're solid.

It's not a conspiracy man... :clue:
dude, I said nothing about "conspiracy"

in my experience, you're talking about Truvativ with the interface wear, not RF. every Truvativ crankset I've had, it's done that thing of loosening if you remove and reinstall more than 2 or 3 times. every single one.

no such experience with any RF crankset -- and I've used them since 1999.

I reported my experience. I ride 20-25 hours a week. I maintain my bikes when they need it, and I know how to maintain them.

I'd appreciate you dropping the lies about me suggesting "conspiracy."
 
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Trekrules

Turbo Monkey
Apr 12, 2007
1,226
148
Thanks for all the comments,mmmm so every one recommends the Saint cranks over the competition off cranks on my list.I migth go for the Saints but i like to know more on the other crank options like the funn hooka's,middleburns rs7's and atlas freeride.
 

Uncle Cliffy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 28, 2008
4,490
42
Southern Oregon
dude, I said nothing about "conspiracy" I'd appreciate you dropping the lies about me suggesting "conspiracy."
Whoh! Just joking man. That's why I used the little smilie dude thing... :imstupid:

You've obviously had your expierences with RF, and I've had mine. The cranks I had issues with were my personal Diabolus models, but I've never seen any other pair of those fail. I've seen a few Evolve DH models become loose after a few removals... Lots of Ride models... But most shop mechanics I know agree that this is an issue.

Anyway, I forgot to mention I have access to an awesome deal on some 83mm Atlas models I'm going to try on my Flatline. I don't ride that bike as much as my others, so I'll bet they'll be just fine. :thumb:
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,628
5,443
I don't recommend RS7s', I bought two sets after all of the good write ups in Dirt mag. The first(175mm) set were bent after about ten rides and are yet to be sent off for replacement. The second set(165mm) are starting to look slightly bent after two rides, one race and some muck around fun riding.
I ride a hardtail so I'm pretty hard on cranks, I'm just about to try some Profile dirt crank but I wish I had of listened to everyone on here and bought the Saints.

I really don't think the ISIS spline system is good enough for DH when running alloy arms, they always end up with problems with the crank spline interface.
 

dilzy

Monkey
Sep 7, 2008
567
1
Both RF and Truvativ have a press fit spline interface. They both losen after multiple fitments. That's a fact, the end.

Shimano Saints are impossibley strong, stiff and now lighter than Diabolus or Holzfeller OCT and their much much easier to fit and remove. If you can afford them, THEY ARE THE BEST, THE END!
 
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Trekrules

Turbo Monkey
Apr 12, 2007
1,226
148
Ok the RS7's are out,if they bent or what ever after a view rides than it's not worthy off buying these cranks.Funn Hookas DH how about those?
 

chober

Monkey
Nov 21, 2004
170
0
Pasadena, CA
I broke a set of Saint cranks by landing directly on a rock w/ my aluminum bash. Bent the bash cracked the chainring and cracked the spider.