Slx Cranks (shimano)

[Mumo]

llo, I have been thinking about to buy the slx cranks for my arcade, what can you say about this upgrade? (At this moment i'm running some truvativ howitzer cranks... I find them so heavy), and the differences between 175mm or 170mm?

[AndyT]

No idea on sprocket sizing concerning the arcade, but I run a 22?24? t chainring on my slx cranks on my hex...they are incredible cranks. So very cheap, so very very stiff and so very light... bomb proof for me.  Ali C apparently had some bending issues due to him taking very very high drops every day for demos...

 

I've run 175, 170- a combination of one 175mm crank and one 170mm crank for about 4 years..I really can't tell any difference, but for some reason prefer 175. In theory 170 should be better for balancing, 175 gives you a little more leverage if you want to try a harder gear...

[monkeyseemonkeydo]

I run SLX cranks on my Arcade with a 24T ring and really can't fault them at all, especially for the price! I went from the Hussefelts and the Shimano's just seem far more 'designed' and more refined.

[Dman]

Race face ***

[CC12345678910]

Raceface's system has a tapered spline, which wears much like isis, and requires a puller to remove the cranks. Before committing money myself, I read multiple (like 30+) reviews saying that the tapered RF system had/has machining faults relating to the spline being far too tight an interference fit (subsequently had 1st hand experience of this) and the axle being too long, resulting in the crank bolt bottoming out, and, like running isis or sq taper with a loose bolt, a set of completely fubard cranks. Oh and MTBers bitch about the bb's having crap life too.

I'm far from a Shimano fanboy, but HT2 does not have any of these problems so IMO the HT2 system is the best out there.

In relation to the OP, I've some older style M660 triple chainring version for the MTB (beware of the double ring and bash specific versions of SLX, they are beefier for abuse but I was advised that they give weird chainline, this would still apply to a trial bike) then bought for another build a set of m760 XT cranks which I believe are still on there original BB, and am currently searching for a 3rd set.

Given that the truvativ setup is outdated, heavy and requires the proprietary howitzer BB, swapping to any of the Hollowtech 2 cranks would be night and day difference. However, SLX (in triple ring configuration) are definitely the pick of the range. If you feel you need more strength maybe look at zee or saint? Honestly think that'd be unnecessary for trials duty though.

EDIT: In relation to crank length, think of it like this, 170mm will put your feet closer together, which in turn will put your arse higher in the air, since the effective length of your legs has got longer. Advantageous for back wheel control. I've also used this on my mod to give a false feel of higher BB rise.

175mm will do the opposite. But the cranks will turn slower when pedalling, which does feel quite good doing pedalup backwheels, and you potentially have more leverage over the 170mm's.

Personally I find being stood lower in the bike to be a disadvantage, and in this case of a relatively low bb rise, the feeling of the frame top tube and seat between your knees, pretty disgusting - like stood up pedalling a mtb with the seat slammed. There just a restriction of movement.

Edited June 8, 2016 by CC12345678910
Wow. Essay or what?

[JKH]

For an arcade, I would run 170mm at the very most. Longer cranks put your foot further into the front wheel, making it more likely for your foot to rub the tire.

I had 170mm SLX cranks on my Console that I pulled over from my Hex, but I ended up swapping for 165mm XTs recently, They are basically the same crank except the SLX has a pedal insert and the XT doesn't.

Edited June 8, 2016 by JKH