[Nagaredama]

How well suited are the XTR 950 and 951 cranks for downhill/freeride/dirt jumping? Will the accompanying bottom bracket hold up as well? I've done a search and can't seem to find much. Minamar ran them on this Honda this year so I assume they will work.

S

 

[buildyourown]

People have used them for DH for a long time. Before ISIS, they were the DH cranks of choice. I know several people who still use them.

 

[skyst3alth]

I use them with no problems. They be pimpin yo

-Adam

 

[redical]

How well suited are the XTR 950 and 951 cranks for downhill/freeride/dirt jumping? Will the accompanying bottom bracket hold up as well? I've done a search and can't seem to find much. Minamar ran them on this Honda this year so I assume they will work.

S

I would get the new Saint or Hone if I were you, Scott. Stronger & cheaper. I can steer you in the right direction for a great price.

 

[vitox]

they hold up really really well. the bb axle is pretty much eternal, the one thing you have to watch is that the crank bolts are at all times tight. the bb requires maintenance now and then also since (the 950 version) it doesnt have sealed cartridge bearings but 2 ball and 2 roller bearings.

its a great choice i think, theres the better part of a pound of weight difference between that setup and your normal isis dh + hussefelts.

 

[buildyourown]

I forgot about the serviceable bearings. It has been so long since I worked in a bike shop. If you are the kind of person who would rather disassemble and repack the bb every month as opposed to buying a new one every year, the xtr/durace bb is a good choice.

 

[Nagaredama]

Here is my proposed set up. It will be going on an 2002 Kona Roast frame.

M950 cranks = $50 used
M952 BB = $25 used
MRP dual chain tensioner = ???
36t = ???
24T = ???
spider for the above = ???

Does anyone know if this will fit the frame and with every thing else?

Thanks
Scott

 

[leprechaun]

those cranks are bomb.Get the 952 bb and they come in a 112.5 and 116mm,the 116 is needed for chainguide use.A Few companies make/made a 5/110 spyder for them.

 

[vitox]

id say go for the m950 bb because of the chainline adjustability.

you can get spiders in 5/110 on ebay. vuelta, AC, hershey and probably a few more made those.

you can also retrofit shimano spiders, the ones on old xt and lx will fit with some modding, those are 5/94mm

 

[Brian HCM#1]

Shimano still sells the 5 x 110 XTR spiders, but they are kinda pricey.

 

[vitox]

Shimano still sells the 5 x 110 XTR spiders, but they are kinda pricey.

kinda insanely pricey

 

[dhmtbj]

My XTR are still rocking after two muddy seasons

 

[Jeff 151]

These are top-end CROSS-COUNTRY cranks! They are made as light as possible for their intended use: CROSS-COUNTRY! Not saying they're weak, but smooth downhilleres get away with them cause they're trying to get as little air as possible. The crank/bb takes A LOT more stress on a hardtail (your kona roast) vs. the 8" bikes DHers ride. The original question was about suitability for freeride and jumping. Bottom line: there are stronger, cheaper setups that weigh about the same. Truvativ for instance. Separate spiders are gay.

 

[Acadian]

Depends who you talk to - I've used XTR cranks on my DH bikes for 2 years without any problems. But I know many people that were bending them very easily.

 

[vitox]

These are top-end CROSS-COUNTRY cranks! They are made as light as possible for their intended use: CROSS-COUNTRY! Not saying they're weak, but smooth downhilleres get away with them cause they're trying to get as little air as possible. The crank/bb takes A LOT more stress on a hardtail (your kona roast) vs. the 8" bikes DHers ride. The original question was about suitability for freeride and jumping. Bottom line: there are stronger, cheaper setups that weigh about the same. Truvativ for instance. Separate spiders are gay.

my experience equipping a couple WC level dhers says about the opposite.

also, i would be extremely glad if you could point me in the direction of those "setups that weigh about the same".

remember an XTR950 setup, that is, cranks, bb, bolts, spider and ring, weighs around 750g

 

[punkassean]

Here is my proposed set up. It will be going on an 2002 Kona Roast frame.

M950 cranks = $50 used
M952 BB = $25 used
MRP dual chain tensioner = ???
36t = ???
24T = ???
spider for the above = ???

Does anyone know if this will fit the frame and with every thing else?

Thanks
Scott

Damn, I just sold that exact setup complete for $175 in the buy and sell 10 mins ago.

XTR 5x110 175mm cranks
M-950 BB
MRP LRP w/24/36t Race Face Rings and Race Face 36t max Basher

 

[punkassean]

These are top-end CROSS-COUNTRY cranks! They are made as light as possible for their intended use: CROSS-COUNTRY! Not saying they're weak, but smooth downhilleres get away with them cause they're trying to get as little air as possible. The crank/bb takes A LOT more stress on a hardtail (your kona roast) vs. the 8" bikes DHers ride. The original question was about suitability for freeride and jumping. Bottom line: there are stronger, cheaper setups that weigh about the same. Truvativ for instance. Separate spiders are gay.

Wow, dude way off base on this one...

1st) Shimano made a "DH" specific version of these cranks and even non-ramped/pinned chainrings. So they obviously felt comfortable marketing these as DH worthy products.

2nd) Separate spiders are cool. they allow you to make you cranks compatible with various chainguides. Now the integrated 112mm XC three ring setup was whack but the 5x100 option was awesome and IMO is still the best BCD available. Who needs smaller than a 24t? Plus the larger BCD and one extra bolt prevents bent rings (ala truvativ).

3rd) There is nothing comparable in the strength-to-weight dept. Middleburn is probably the closest but then you are stuck with ISIS or SQ taper and the XTR bottom brackets are much more reliable and stronger. I have run the M950 BB and XTR cranks for two plus years and I've rebuilt the BB twice and never touched anything else. To me that's bullet proof.

4th) I only know one person who bent XTR's and Shimano warrantied them. This guy was going big and fast on a 9" DHi for a solid season before he had any issues. He bent them going big to flat on a drop as is to be expected.

 

[merrrrjig]

I think my bro uses them and he got them from lisa sher and they havent failed yet! but hes bent his wheel, dented his frame, broke his brake, and pretty much broken everything including his old pair of race face cranks, but the XTRs have held up

 

[marlopez]

i have them on my slalom bike and i love them

 

[BuddhaRoadkill]

Worst cranks EVER!!!

Every year new flashy cranks come out that I want to try ... but noooooo.
The 950's just keep chuggin along. 5 fricking years I've beat these things to death .... [add the 3 years the guy I bought them from rode as well] .... I just want them to die. I want new bling. :mumble:

 

[MikeD]

Hah, I'm with Buddha on this one. Problem is, I keep turning them up barely-used at such good prices that I'll NEVER get any new, flashy cranks, it seems. I have a few spare sets just sitting around now!

MD

 

[Jeff 151]

The Truvativ Holzfeller and Race Face Signature ISIS FR bb come in at 930 grams. I think that's a stronger combo, slightly heavier okay. I like four bolt. The oringinal question involved a dual-ring setup. Aren't the DH XTR cranks single ring only?

 

[SuspectDevice]

The Truvativ Holzfeller and Race Face Signature ISIS FR bb come in at 930 grams. I think that's a stronger combo, slightly heavier okay. I like four bolt. The oringinal question involved a dual-ring setup. Aren't the DH XTR cranks single ring only?

Dude, you are still way off base.
1. ~250 grams is a huge weight difference
2. ISIS bb's are all universally horrible in terms of bearing life, wheras the m950 needle bearing bb may need service, but it is infact pretty much indestructible. The rest of the OL8 bb's are better sealed, and more durable than any of the ISIS bb's I've ever used.
3. The xtr "DH" crank was sinply the same as any of the m950 series XTR cranks, but had a different, interchangable spider. All the m950 series cranks are exactly the same in terms of performance and construction.

 

[Jeremy R]

Yeah, but what about Shimano's new cranks and BB's.
I was thinking of running the Hone crankset next year on my DH bike,
simply because they are alot cheaper than XT's and barely heavier.
Is Shimano's new BB setup as durable as its old one?

 

[Joe Pozer]

Hah, I'm with Buddha on this one. Problem is, I keep turning them up barely-used at such good prices that I'll NEVER get any new, flashy cranks, it seems. I have a few spare sets just sitting around now!

MD

I wish Shimano made a 128mm spindle BB so I could keep using my XTR cranks.

 

[vitox]

this is quickly turning into a

"we love you shimano" thread

and im all for it because i think the m950 is simply the best ever, and those 950 cranks are just a in a league of their own in terms of strength to weight.

 

[Jeff 151]

It's a 180 gram difference, and since when was that a lot of weight to a freerider? If you're worried about ISIS bearings, Truvativ makes some bbs with 3 and 4 sealed bearings, to disperse the load. They're even in the same weight range. I love Shimano, but I've had one of those XTR bbs with the needle bearings, I get dirty, and they're a bitch to o'haul. I don't see how separate spiders can be as stiff as an "all in one crank." Downhill racers ride sqishy bikes as smoothly and as low to the ground as possible. They could be fine with XTR. The post starter asked about FR and jumping, and I thought there may be better options.