What 165 mm cranks for enduro?

[Nuffy]

I would like to source a set of 165 mm cranks for my enduro bike, but am having trouble finding good options in South Africa. My first choice would probably be Race Face Turbine or Atlas, but the distributor stopped bringing them in because of low demand. The Shimano distributor doesn’t seem to be bringing in any of the Saint parts anymore, and they seem to only offer the 170 and 175 mm options in XT, SLX, etc. I don’t want to tie myself into the DUB system, so that takes Sram options out. My requirements and preferences are:

• 165 mm length
• 24 or 30 mm spindle diameter
• to fit 73 mm BSA threaded bottom bracket
• 52 mm chain line for regular boost 148 mm rear hub
• wide availability of chainrings (30T and 32T), preferably with steel options (such as Race Face Cinch, Shimano 96 BCD, 104 BCD, Sram three-bolt direct mount)
• black or silver colour options
• aluminium (or titanium, but see next point…)
• cheaper than eeWings

I’m currently running a 1 × 10 with 11–46T cassette and have no plans to change from this.

Any suggestions? What are other enduro and downhill riders in RSA running?

[Chadvdw67]

Could look at the 5Dev alloy cranks, still pretty pricey though, or their Cam Zink signature cranks, they are a fair bit cheaper

 

https://ride5dev.com/collections/cranks

[BaGearA]

I was thinking of getting lyne ones but they haven't been in stock for over a year and I've just learned to be happy with 175mm 

 

My new bike is very low and that sparked my interest ( ride with flip chip in high and I'm sorted)

[droo]

45 minutes ago, Nuffy said:

I would like to source a set of 165 mm cranks for my enduro bike, but am having trouble finding good options in South Africa. My first choice would probably be Race Face Turbine or Atlas, but the distributor stopped bringing them in because of low demand. The Shimano distributor doesn’t seem to be bringing in any of the Saint parts anymore, and they seem to only offer the 170 and 175 mm options in XT, SLX, etc. I don’t want to tie myself into the DUB system, so that takes Sram options out. My requirements and preferences are:

• 165 mm length
• 24 or 30 mm spindle diameter
• to fit 73 mm BSA threaded bottom bracket
• 52 mm chain line for regular boost 148 mm rear hub
• wide availability of chainrings (30T and 32T), preferably with steel options (such as Race Face Cinch, Shimano 96 BCD, 104 BCD, Sram three-bolt direct mount)
• black or silver colour options
• aluminium (or titanium, but see next point…)
• cheaper than eeWings

I’m currently running a 1 × 10 with 11–46T cassette and have no plans to change from this.

Any suggestions? What are other enduro and downhill riders in RSA running?

Any particular reason not to go DUB? I've found their BSA BBs to be pretty reliable and long lasting, and there are quite a few aftermarket options available if you want them.

GX are reasonably priced and usually available, and I haven't seen failures.

Otherwise Turbines are solid when you can get them. 

[thebob]

Used GX Eagle 165 on my last 3 bikes with no issues. Your other option is Hope, but they are pricey

[MORNE]

1 hour ago, BaGearA said:

I was thinking of getting lyne ones but they haven't been in stock for over a year and I've just learned to be happy with 175mm 

 

My new bike is very low and that sparked my interest ( ride with flip chip in high and I'm sorted)

Unicorn cranks those last ones…best of both worlds - Sram direct mount chainrings so all the options in the world with shimano 24mm and preload/pinch bolt mounting method. Superior BB’s and none of that Sram 50986 KN crank bold BS that can F@kkof and die😅

Edited August 5 by MORNE

[BaGearA]

10 hours ago, MORNE said:

Unicorn cranks those last ones…best of both worlds - Sram direct mount chainrings so all the options in the world with shimano 24mm and preload/pinch bolt mounting method. Superior BB’s and none of that Sram 50986 KN crank bold BS that can F@kkof and die😅

Tell me you've crushed your hand against a chainring when the SRAM crank bolt finally let loose without telling me 

[MORNE]

29 minutes ago, BaGearA said:

Tell me you've crushed your hand against a chainring when the SRAM crank bolt finally let loose without telling me 

I have a set of xx1 dubs on my bike. And i use them purely because i have them, their dumb 29.9999mm BB…and they go round. They are paired with my ‘peasant level’ shimano XT link glide groupset (which i love btw). Every now and then i have to take the cranks off as one does….and on that day I tend to swear more than on other days….

BUT…ive not run them torqued down to 50N or whatever it is for quite some time now. I just give it 5 white knuckles and call it a day. Never had an issue and it comes off easier.  

then theres also the putting it on the floor and using the EARTH to brace against….Yes you do have to put the chainring on the floor. Put a towl or something under it. Works too. These days i have a little step ladder that I wedge under the big-ass flat pedal to similar effect, its just high enough…means i don't have to take the wheels off or put the ring on the floor. Still hate them.

Edited August 6 by MORNE

[440MTB]

As someone who has owned a few different cranksets over the years. Dub is by far the biggest pain, if you work on your own bikes.

I've also nearly decided to go throw my bike down a cliff face at one stage, due to the absolute nightmare it can be to get the crank bolt loose... ended up using a massive pipe on my park tool 8mm crank/pedal wrench and just going with the notion of "if it breaks, it breaks". 

I've also seen how easily the dub spindle can wear out if you run with worn BB bearings or don't set the preload correctly (previous owner of bike left me this surprise).

Then also the little plastic preload ring is easy to break if you overtighten the tiny 2mm allen bolt (ask me how I know this)...

Shimano cranks are a lot nicer to work with in my opinion, and the 24mm steel spindle lasts forever.

I was quite lucky to get my hands on a Lyne AMP crankset from Stoke a while back which I am going to use on my new build - like MORNE said, best of both worlds, 24mm spindle, pinch bolts on non-drive side crank arm to fasten and release easily, and a 3 bolt sram style chainring for easy maintenance/replacement.

Also, in my opinion, not much difference between 170mm and 165mm, so if you can get 170mm just go with that, you'll be fine.

Edited August 6 by 440MTB

[Robbie Stewart]

I have DUB 170mm on my Stumpy EVO. They work fine for me in rocky terrain with very few pedal strikes. I've got the bike at 63.5° head angle and it still just chugs along fine. With regards to removing the cranks, that's when I visit the LBS. I don't need to do it often enough to justify the effort and pain.

[Nuffy]

15 hours ago, Chadvdw67 said:

Could look at the 5Dev alloy cranks

Ah, I didn’t realise 5Dev does alloy cranks. They look good, but the cost could be enough to put me off, especially when you factor in the shipping and duties as well.

14 hours ago, droo said:

Any particular reason not to go DUB?

I guess I’m still scarred from the early days of DUB when there wasn’t an abundance of third-party options, and we saw poor durability on the press-fit variants which were out of stock for long periods. But your points about there being more options now and the BSA versions being more durable are certainly valid. And it looks like Cape Cycles has the Descendant 165 mm in stock… However, as with others above, I’m also not keen on the Sram crank bolt system. They are consistently the most difficult to remove, and it’s not a process I want to have to go through on the side of the trail or in my home office the night before a ride. It’s not a deal-breaker, and with proper care and the right tools I could certainly live with it, but I’ll hold out a bit longer to see if I can find something more user-friendly.

14 hours ago, thebob said:

Your other option is Hope

Yes, they are gorgeous. Unfortunately the price isn’t so attractive, and I don’t want to be stuck trying to source compatible chainrings. I realise they do offer a spider for a 104 BCD mount, but it all starts adding up and becoming more complicated with more interfaces that can work loose, creak, etc.

1 hour ago, 440MTB said:

if you can get 170mm just go with that

I currently have a 170 mm Deore XT M8000 set on my enduro bike. I would like to try something a little shorter if I can. I plan to move the M8000 to the hardtail, whose current cranks are a little worse for wear.

1 hour ago, Robbie Stewart said:

They work fine for me in rocky terrain with very few pedal strikes.

I do still get more pedal strikes with my current 170 mm cranks than I did with my previous bike. I realise there is an element of adjusting my technique, but it also happens when traversing steep rock slabs where no amount of pedalling finesse is going to help.

1 hour ago, Robbie Stewart said:

With regards to removing the cranks, that's when I visit the LBS. I don't need to do it often enough to justify the effort and pain.

Unfortunately I am the LBS, so the effort and pain would be mine alone.

[droo]

Removing SRAM cranks is easy. Take the wheels off, put the hex key in to the bolt about 1/8 of a turn ahead of the crank, put on ground, stand on hex key.

I have yet to find a crank I can't remove with this method.

Then, when reinstalling, anti-seize on the spindle thread. Next time you'll get it off on the stand.

[Nuffy]

Thanks @droo. I'll try that next time.

My method (if it doesn’t come off easily) involves leaving the wheels on, putting the opposite pedal under a convenient ledge and sticking a handlebar over the hex key for extra leverage. So far I’ve only had one that didn’t come loose like this. But if it’s my own bike and I’m not in the workshop I won’t always have a conveniently-situated ledge and spare handlebar…

Edited August 7 by Nuffy

[MORNE]

DMR also make nice ones. DMR axe. Silver or black. But another dumb proprietary BB unfortunately.

If you really struggle THAT much with pedal strikes…im not sure 5mm will make a huge difference from 170. A bigger tyre in front, slightly less sag, more support/LSC are all things that can mitigate that 5mm real easy imo. Hell, Even thinner pedals. You get flat pedald that are 13-14mm thick, vs others that are 17-19mm. Theres 5mm+(/2) right there.
 

10mm (165 vs 175) becomes more difficult. 

Is you new bike running the recommended front travel? Under forking by 10mm can easily drop BB by a few mm depending on the bike/geometry. It might just have a lower BB anyway…an unfortunate side effect of all this long low slack BS.

Edited August 6 by MORNE

[BaGearA]

Hope cranks come in 155mm , jus saying 

[MORNE]

13 minutes ago, BaGearA said:

Hope cranks come in 155mm , jus saying 

Nice if you’re 1,7m tall or…5y old?😅

170 is my limit. The side effect of having shorter cranks is your saddle height increases…and in my case, mine is already too high haha.

Edited August 6 by MORNE