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Submitted by
Juanito
a Cross Country Rider
from Asia
Date Reviewed: December 2, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Cheap and it works. Good for riders finding their way around their first mtb | | Weaknesses: | the splined interface between the crank arms and the chainrings will start to loosen once you start becoming a much fitter rider and really pushing the crank to its limit. eventually the chainrings will just wobble around because the splines no longer fit together properly affecting shifting performance and eventually breaking off the arm itself | | Similar Products Used: | other shimano cranks | | Bike Setup: | hard tail | | Bottom Line: | good for beginners, if you are a fit rider who rides 100kms a week forget about this and buy something stronger. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Redwood
a Cross Country Rider
from Hampshire, UK
Date Reviewed: March 13, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | internet retailer | | Strengths: | Cheap, reliable, good quality finish, reasonably light, shifts well. | | Weaknesses: | not the lightest out there | | Similar Products Used: | crappy suntour crank | | Bottom Line: | I've ridden this crank through 2 winters, mud and rivers included, I've bumped it off kerbs, done a few (small) drops, and smashed them several times into rocks, tree stumps, and the sides of ruts.
the cranks are still true, don't creak, and look pretty good once cleaned up.
the rings have always shifted well, and seem to last forever - The joys of steel - bit of extra weight but cost peanuts to replace and last ages. I have never had chainsuck with them and they've been bathed in mud most weekends.
for the price - bargain basement - they are quality cranks for the average Joe rider. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Andersen
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix, AZ, USA
Date Reviewed: February 14, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | McDowell Mtn Loops | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Exhale Bikes | | Strengths: | Good, reliable, inexpensive crankset. | | Weaknesses: | None so far. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized hardtail. | | Bottom Line: | When I bought my hardtail way back in 2001, the cranks that came with the bike were replaced with these basic Deore Hollowtech cranks--the FCM510 model, 175mm (square taper bottom bracket).
I'm only replacing them now (in Feb. 2007!) b/c the chainrings are worn out and it's cheaper to buy a replacement crankset than new chainrings. I'm replacing these cranks with the same exact model, which I found for $39.99 at CBD (look it up online).
I've raced cross-country and 24-hour races on my hardtail with these cranks, and never, ever had a problem with them. Can't be beat for the price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
LanTHrusteR
a Downhiller
from Russia, Moscow
Date Reviewed: December 3, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Velomir | | Strengths: | Low weight, nice look. | | Weaknesses: | This crank is designed for quadra hub. The CrMo cartridge quadra peg is connected to the aluminium crank hub. This and the similar consturctions are weak by design and are not suitable if you're not shy to put amplitude into your driving. In approximately one year of intense riding the crank hub will accumulate metal fatigue enough for it to deform. This deformation leads the construction to loose tightness first and then expect to find your crank somewhere in the bushes. | | Similar Products Used: | Acera, Deore, RPM, FSA Pounder | | Bottom Line: | If you're not a child and driving hard do not be fooled by the illusion that CrMo peg is capable to sit in the aluminium or duraluminum hub and withstand all those pressures long. It won't I've been through many quadra hubs of different makers through different cartridges. All of them will fail you as soon as your driving improves and you're not afraid to put full amplitude into your motions. Prefer CrMo pistoned cranks instead, something alike FSA Pounder. If CrMo pistoned cranks are too expensive - try to avoid quadra hubs and pegs, use torx like ones - they will serve you longer.
Yet, you do not have to be afraid to buy them unless you're sure that you will break them. These cranks are good for saunters, weekend rides with a little extreme too, yet they are not suitable even for middle amplitude bunny hops. That might be an indicator - if you do not know how to bunny hop - these cranks will probably last for ever. You you can bunny hop at 35kmph covering 2.5-3 meters in you jump - they won't last a month. If you're an average bunny hoper - may a year, or two at max.
If you buy quadra of another maker, RPM for example - the story will repeat... this is design failure. Just think of it - quadra CrMo pegs are connected with cast al or dural hubs.
The effect is just like you're trying to screw in an Allen bolt. You know what happens if you put just a little bit more pressure on aluminium Allen with CrMo tools. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
joey marroquin
a Weekend Warrior
from the I E CA.
Date Reviewed: November 4, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | hisperia | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$800.00 | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | strong and light and durable | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Similar Products Used: | truvativ and other deore | | Bike Setup: | bought it with surly instigator orange frame rock psylo forks deore everything including disc brakes and rhyno lyte rims and big cheese orange/green grips | | Bottom Line: | I'm 6'2" and 325lbs and dowhill with 4-6 ft drops then level off to some 8 miles of trail riding every other weekend and two miles of street riding and curb jumping everyday for the past four years with these same cranks!! Its like a lemon car, when you get a bad one it does'nt matter the brand or setup your going down! so far this has been a good one although now i do notice the flex and i've only tightened them once but i don't care these have been good to me. it should hold up one last season then go back to some chromed cromolys with bmx pedals. five fat donkey chillis for the worker who put these cranks together, good job bro!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Butch Kapau-an
a Cross Country Rider
from Davao City,Philippines
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | samal island | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Edzaldi's | | Strengths: | Rigid..and easy shifting. . .extra light weight(thanx to hollowtech technology)..compared to previus crankset...and its SHIMANO | | Weaknesses: | black paint rubs off easily | | Similar Products Used: | Sugino Crankset..came with bike purchased | | Bike Setup: | xt deore (rear and front derailleur),ig narrow chain,hyperglide 8 speed cassette,xt deore shifters,K2-Bayside frame,rockshox-judy front suspension,xtm rims,continental vapor tires (2.1),sunrace juju hubs with disk brakes | | Bottom Line: | for price paid...extremly worth it!!!! no regrets | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Christian
a
from Montreal,QC
Date Reviewed: September 20, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Strengths: | Light and durable | | Weaknesses: | Keeps creaking all the time due to the fact that the arms are hollow. | | Bike Setup: | all deore drivetrain, Shimano Acera hub | | Bottom Line: | I will try something else than Shimano next time.
Race face or Truvativ seems to be decent products | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Reilly
a Cross Country Rider
from Palmer Lake, Colorado
Date Reviewed: June 27, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Stoopid Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance | | Strengths: | smooth shifting, looks good, low friction chainrings, pretty light, strong for a deore, price may be the biggest factor. | | Weaknesses: | i wish the last chainring was a 42 instead of a 44, just to get that last bit of clearence. hollow-tech just doesn't sound that reassuring does it? | | Similar Products Used: | giant alloy 22/32/42 that came stock on my bike. also tru-vativ and shimano deore LX cranks | | Bike Setup: | almost stock '04 giant warp ds2 with completely new shimano drivetrain except for sram chain, riding on kenda 2.35 extreme mtb tires. | | Bottom Line: | really good crank for the money. my stock giant crank wore out on me. giant is a great company and all but i think they should just stick to making bikes and subjects of that matter. compared to my last crank, this 1 feels like heaven. fast and smooth shifting, light weight, and yes even rigid strength, despite the hollowtech arms. i have taken it off 4-5 foot drop to flats with out any slight budge or unwanted movement. if it weren't for the 44t last ring, it would have gotten 5 chilis overall. but definently 5 on value.
this crank handles well with the freeriding i do. i have never broken or bent a tooth, it has never sliped, knock on wood, and it climbs well. get this crank if your low on cash. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Daniel
a Downhiller
from Aurora Ontario Canada
Date Reviewed: April 24, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | friends garadge | | Strengths: | I actually use them for freeriding and they hold up quite fine under drops and hard riding | | Weaknesses: | I use them for pretty big stuff so every time I look down and see "hollow tech" I just keep getting scared its gunna bend on my next drop | | Similar Products Used: | truvativ iso flow and my hussefelt isis but they feel alot stiffer | | Bike Setup: | everything is over kill | | Bottom Line: | good for the price but the should have them as an isis crank | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Hui Chuen Chuang
a Weekend Warrior
from Penang, Malaysia
Date Reviewed: January 15, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | near my house | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$55.00 | | Purchased At: | Sim Cycle | | Strengths: | Light, Looks good. stiff | | Weaknesses: | so far so good | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | lx FD, altus RD | | Bottom Line: | quite a good crank. strong | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
bernard miranda
a Weekend Warrior
from Santa Cruz, Laguna Philippines
Date Reviewed: January 13, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Laguna de Bay sea side in Sta. Cruz | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$36.00 | | Purchased At: | Cartimar - Wheelers | | Strengths: | Sturdy, Robust, Not that really heavy coz it's a hollowtech | | Weaknesses: | Nothing (except for the impression that it's "only" a Deore to other elite cyclist, -no big deal as long as it does the job of driving the bike ) | | Similar Products Used: | Truvativ, older Deore XT (square ed), old Muddy Fox and FSA | | Bike Setup: | Jamis Komodo FX Black, straight Dere Hydros Group, directional insertion hubs type, Taurus Rigida rims, Maxxis 26 x 2.35 , amoeba scud bars and stem, FSA da Pig Head set. | | Bottom Line: | A good choice for the not so crazy individual who just want to ride their bike for hobby and exercise. But others (here ) are using it on local races, so I should say that this crank can do all the jobs as the higher model does. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Llloyd
a Weekend Warrior
from Cebu, The Philippines
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Limbros (Mandaue Branch) | | Strengths: | Price wise its cheap... but hey, don't be fooled by the price... it performs great... just like the big ones out there... | | Weaknesses: | None... I don't see its weight as a weakness... you can not notice the diffference once you'll install one on your bike...
Just a tip... if you hear noises/squeaks during pedalling try to remove the pedals and crank arms and put grease on it... | | Similar Products Used: | None... I only used this crank set... mine is silver (hollow tech) and still uses the good old squared bottom bracket... | | Bike Setup: | SR Suntour XC Pro E front fork, Mosso slalon-M1 frame, Shimano Deore LX FD, Shimano Deore XT RD, Shimano Deore LX shifter, Avid Speed Dial 7 lever, Ameoba Borla control set and stem, Mavic DeeMax wheels, Maxxis Kraken tires, Shimano Deore XT hub, Avid Ball Bearing 5 disc brake (203mm rotor), Shimano Deore Hollowtech crankset, Shimano pedal PD515, Amoeba seat post (carbon fiber), Amoeba saddle | | Bottom Line: | This crankset is a bang for the buck... its performance is solid on every use... I recommend this crankset to anyone who is looking for a good performing crankset and opted to use the savings made to purchase another bike part...
Personally, I'm very satisfied with it... had use this baby for cross country and some light free riding stuff. To this writing, it had served me 1500 kms though... and still counting... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug
a Cross Country Rider
from Raleigh
Date Reviewed: November 16, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Beaverdam South Loop | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Nashbar | | Strengths: | Looks good in black. Price. | | Weaknesses: | none, considering price paid and intended use. | | Similar Products Used: | 1999 LX Cranks, 2004 LX Cranks | | Bike Setup: | Klein Attitude Race, XT Deraileurs and shifters, Avid brakes | | Bottom Line: | They crank, they didn't cost much, they are black, they weigh the same or less than the LX cranks that came on the bike in 1999. I don't race and am not a weight weenie. I didn't want to have to buy a new bottom bracket, so I went with these when I saw them on sale at Nashbar for 50 bucks. They are hollowtech and look good with my Aztec Gold bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Neil McGarry
a Cross Country Rider
from Highlands NJ 07732
Date Reviewed: November 2, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | hartshorne woods | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Eki Cyclery Honolulu HI | | Strengths: | Decent enough since I am not a pro and I just like to get out and ride. | | Weaknesses: | It seems that the bolt holding the left side crankarm comes looses at the most inopertune times. More of a pain the a$$ then anything | | Bike Setup: | Raleigh M-80 | | Bottom Line: | I was pretty miffed that the scumbags at the shop I bought them at overcharged me but my mistake. I think that they are not bad but the whole loose nut thing pisses me off. I am going to try the locktight thing on em. Whoever posted that idea thanks. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Russell Ruggiero
a Weekend Warrior
from West Windsor
Date Reviewed: October 14, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | R&D | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$85.00 | | Purchased At: | Pay's | | Strengths: |
Build and Price | | Weaknesses: |
Weight | | Similar Products Used: | Icon Sterling and Graphite. Shimano M-440. Bontrager Race. | | Bike Setup: | Trek 4900
Shifters: Alivio
FD: XT (2004)
Crank: Deore (2004)
RD: XT (2002)
My goal was to upgrade and not break the bank. For under $100 the Deore offers strong crank arms and interfaces very well with top of the line Shimano components such as XT. The two inner rings are made of steel and can take a beating. If properly set-up, the Deore provides butter smooth shifting and reliability. The only drawback is weight, which is approximately 750g. All in all, a great value.
| | Bottom Line: |
All in all, a great value. This offering has the looks and build quality of products costing twice the price.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
cory
a Weekend Warrior
from peoria, il
Date Reviewed: October 6, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$75.00 | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | Fairly inexpensive | | Weaknesses: | The black paint does indeed rub off pretty easy. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT, Bontrager Sport, Bontrager Select | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale F200, XT ( cassette, hubs, rear der, shifters), Deore (front der, crankset and bb), Mavic rims, Avid sd7 brakes and levers | | Bottom Line: | I upgraded the old crankset on the F200 from the Old shimano system that was on it. The Deore setup in great. I didnt realize how much the other system sucked. It is much better than the bontrager setup on my other bike. The crankset if failry light and it wont break the bank.
If you are looking for a good quality crankset than go with the Deore. I am sure there are other cranksets that are better but unless you are a racer i really dont see the need. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben Miller
a Cross Country Rider
from Palo Alto
Date Reviewed: July 5, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Maybe they're cheap? Look good. They work. | | Weaknesses: | Very flexy. Chain-rings bend easily | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano LX and XT cranks | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale Gemini | | Bottom Line: | I thought that the reason my bike sapped so much power from me was due to the full suspension. I found a good deal on XT cranks and replaced my Deore's. All of the sudden my drive train is so much more responsive and I can pedal a lot longer without getting tired. I had no idea that these deore cranks sucked that much. Bottom line is they're fine if you haven't tried anything else. But if you upgrade you'll be left wondering how you ever dealt with those flexy cranks. (I weigh 165lbs) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tyson
a Weekend Warrior
from Idaho Falls, Idaho, U.S.A
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | cheap, did well for a little while | | Weaknesses: | squeaks, and i can't get it to stop. Chain rings bend pretty easily | | Similar Products Used: | sugino impel | | Bike Setup: | Oryx Freak 250, and a Gary Fisher Hoo koo e koo | | Bottom Line: | If you are looking for a cheap, disposable crank that will last a little while till you can get a little more money to buy a real crank, or if you just take really easy rides, this crank is a really good deal. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jiri
a Racer
from Renton
Date Reviewed: May 24, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | forplay | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Freaking stong, i've gone off of 7 foot drops (yeah actuall 7 foot drops) and they are still good, i use them on my XC bike which is a schwinn rocket 88 with like 3 inches front and rear. so the drop wasnt all soaked up in the suspension. | | Weaknesses: | Black paint rubs of ( OH MY GOD!!) | | Similar Products Used: | umm strongarm | | Bike Setup: | rocket 88 everything on it is crappy | | Bottom Line: | If you dont have alot of money and need a crank on your hucking bike or your XC bike that you dont want to worry about then you should get this crank. For only 65 buks its not bad. i havent had any problems on it and i ride the hell out of them.
P.S. i weigh 135 pounds. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Magical M
a Weekend Warrior
from Boston
Date Reviewed: April 24, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycle1sy.com | | Strengths: | well construsted with faultless shifting. Stiff and well matched with the dedicated octalink bottom bracket. Very good value for money. | | Weaknesses: | At this price point it is impossible to fault it. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano: Tourney, Altus, Alivio, STX, STX/RC, LX, XT, XTR. Middleburn, Truvativ, FSA, Strongarm & Son of Strongarm. | | Bike Setup: | Marin Mount Vision, Marzocchi Marathon, all XT apart from the Crank & B/B. Hope Mini Discs, Hope hubs on Mavic XC717 Disc rims, Easton ancilliaries. | | Bottom Line: | I am no fan of Shimano but it's important to differenciate the quality items it produces from the questionable products.
The Deore Crank is excellent.
I'm talking about the Hollowtech Octalink Crank. I replaced my XT Crank with this. Why? Because there is absolutely No functional difference between the two what so ever. There is a weight difference of course, principally due to the Deore Crank having the middle ring as well as the small ring made of steel as opposed to alloy. The Deore is therefore slightly heavier than the XT but not prohibitively so and is considerably cheaper. I can't justify paying more for a crank, the shifting is superb. If you are desperate for very light parts then you may need to consider something else but be clear the lighter the product the less durable. And if you can purchase the Deore Crank as cheaply as I did then it's an absolute bargain. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Liam
a Cross Country Rider
from Christchurch New Zealand
Date Reviewed: February 26, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | any | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | lasted a year of hard riding, did well really | | Weaknesses: | stripped the internal thread when trying to get it off, aghhh trouble, creaks after a year of riding, probably not surprising, it's done well over 1000 kms, then several weeks ago the middle chainring bent on a soft ride, rather buggered now, can't use the middle chainring, oh yeah can't get the crank arm off, anyone got a suggestion that won't brake the rest of the surrounding bike,
sandy tracks near home ate through teh chainrings rather quickly, | | Bike Setup: | marin 2002 rocky ridge improvments/modifications when things have been broken | | Bottom Line: | it works and it's relativly inexpensive to replace, lasted a lot of km's | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ryan
a Weekend Warrior
from northwest
Date Reviewed: November 29, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | any | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | it works. | | Weaknesses: | weak. | | Similar Products Used: | none so far | | Bike Setup: | wal-mart! | | Bottom Line: | splines where chainring meets crank now wobble back and fourth about 1/4 inch. LBS said cant be repaired. I am 6'4" 250 pounds and I dont do crazy dropoffs. If you are a big guy think twice about getting these things spend some money on your cranks and BB they are the heart of your bike. Maybe they would work fine for a lighter guy? They did me alright for about 5 months, so they do last a little while. They are cheap and do work (just not for long) so 3 for value and 2 for overal. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
barney rubble
a Cross Country Rider
from uk
Date Reviewed: October 25, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Look great in chrome finish, reasonably light, strong and you can get a proper 48t big ring for it so you don't top out at 20mph. Good price too. | | Weaknesses: | none I've come across yet. The fashion victim won't like it cos it's not Raceface. | | Similar Products Used: | Mountain LX, Deore XT, Alivio | | Bike Setup: | Modified Scott Voltage | | Bottom Line: | Excellent value. Best tradeoff crank between weight, performance and price out there. Strong, rigid, fairly light and shifts the chain lovely.
Highly recommended. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Russell Ruggiero
a Cross Country Rider
from West Windsor
Date Reviewed: September 26, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | R&D | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | Jay's | | Strengths: | Very Well Built | | Weaknesses: | 785g | | Similar Products Used: | Icon Graphite (688g), Icon Sterling (675g), and M340 (898g) | | Bike Setup: | Trek 4900
Shifters: Alivio
FD: LX
Crank: Deore (2003)
Pedals: RE-1
Chain: CF-58
RD: XT
| | Bottom Line: |
Dear
Reader
The 2003 Deore crank is a great value for the money. It is very well made, and strong (2 & 3 Steel Rings). This product caters to is a crank for mid-priced offerings such as the Trek 4900 or Trek 6700. LX offers ISIS drive and a 647g, which whould appeal to the racing set. It will also cost you more than twice the price of the standard Deore when a decent BB is added.
If you want a strong, nice looking, and inexpensive crank, the 2003 Deore is hard to beat. Trek should make this the standard crank on the 4900 (M340) and the Trek 6700 (M440). At this price none better.
Thank You
Russ
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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$ 65.00
