Shimano Cranksets - MTB

[AndrewEH1]

Hey, I'm doing a rebuild of my Five and I am moving from 3x10 to 2x9 and making a few other pimp additions like a Reverb.

I've settled on XTR 9 speed on the rear, with a Saint Shadow mech but I'm unsure of what crankset to go for. I currently have a SLX triple so I could just drop the outer ring and replace the other rings and crack on. Thoughts?

Also going to replace the front mech. Recommendations please!

[anonymous-user]

Obviously depends on the budget but Middleburn cranks and rings have a good reputation for being bombproof and they look stunning. Made in the UK too!

as for front mech, I'd go with Deore, after thinking about what a front mech actually does, it baffles me why people pay a fortune for a gucci one!!

[AndrewEH1]

I should have really mentioned, but I use a Hollowtech II BB so that will rule out a few things!

[P-Jay]

I'd stick with the SLX, bombproof, light-ish, look good. The 2 rings and bash version is actually slightly different in construction to the 3 ring version - the 3 ring being a tiny bit lighter and the 2 being a tiny bit stronger - but nothing worth buying a new crank for.

10sp to 9sp eh? I don't have any 'problem' with that, but it seems at odds with most peoples thinking - what made you go that way?

[Sixpot24]

Drop the outer ring, stick a hope bash guard on and your sorted.

[Japsteeze]

I'd stick with shimano, probably the xt trail crankset would be ideal. As long as the bolts are evenly torqued you'll never have a problem with them.

[a11y_m]

SLX cranks are absolutely fine: drop the big ring, fit a bashring if you feel the need, and pedal on.

Can I just ask - any reason you're ditching 3x10 and going back to 9-speed? I've recently started riding with 2x10 on a new bike and the shifts are the best I've experienced despite it being Deore with an XT mech (whereas my 9-sp bikes are mainly XT). I'm now looking to move to 10-speed as stuff wears out.

[AndrewEH1]

P-Jay said:

10sp to 9sp eh? I don't have any 'problem' with that, but it seems at odds with most peoples thinking - what made you go that way?

a11y_m said:

Can I just ask - any reason you're ditching 3x10 and going back to 9-speed? I've recently started riding with 2x10 on a new bike and the shifts are the best I've experienced despite it being Deore with an XT mech (whereas my 9-sp bikes are mainly XT). I'm now looking to move to 10-speed as stuff wears out.

My main thought was the price, seems a tad silly seeing as I'm about to drop about £500 on the bike, I should just go the whole hog.

I was going to go for the 11-34 9sp which means I only miss the 36 ring off the 10sp and I save a tiny bit of weight and have a slightly heavier wallet.

I guess I'll have another think. Going to be ordering the parts this week and build up this weekend so I can't take too long swithering!

Although the Saint 9sp stuff does look nice...

[Bacon Is Proof]

Can't comment on the current crop, but on my aged steed the cranks were "downgraded" from XT or XTR to LX as they were the strongest (albeit heavier).
Anyone know if this is comparable to the latest range?

[phil-sti]

just fitted SLX cranks to my bike, strong and cheap.

[P-Jay]

Bacon Is Proof said:

Can't comment on the current crop, but on my aged steed the cranks were "downgraded" from XT or XTR to LX as they were the strongest (albeit heavier).
Anyone know if this is comparable to the latest range?

In terms of price-point your LX cranks will be the SLX of the day, but Shimano has revised their whole range twice since yours were made and they're quite different.

SLX stuff is pretty much unbeatable unless you want something really fancy as with lots of things in life there are three options, in this case Lightweight - strong - cheap, pick two, but SLX stuff really scores well in all three, Saint and Zee ranges aside they're probably the toughest they make, they're also not massively heavy and really well priced.

That's why you see them everywhere and why they come OE on loads of bikes all the way from lighter weight HT's up to 7" Freeride stuff.