Race Face Next SL Cranks

Discuss light weight issues concerning mountain bikes & parts.

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Cnut
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jan 09, 2010 5:12 am
Location: Geelong

by Cnut

Has anyone had a go on these? There are options, though Race Face are looking good at the moment. A mate has just purchased a Noir set and is reasonably happy with them. There is a back order on XTR in Australia and they are a bit on the exy side. Not really that happy with the lockring/centerlock/lockring set-up. XX is really cool and shifting is amazing, but I want something different. It is for a race bike, so reliability is up there too.

Some help would be great.
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DuncanG
Posts: 54
Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2008 7:16 pm
Location: Vancouver, B.C. Canada

by DuncanG

there were lots of issues with them out here this year. spiders/bolt holes were sheering off on many different generations of them. RF bearing quality is also an issue.

I would wait for the xtr, unless you have a RF distributor close by to keep a fresh set of cranks under you...

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Jaker
Posts: 701
Joined: Wed Nov 01, 2006 4:55 am
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

by Jaker

I had a set of the 1st batch of Next cranks (not SL) and I suffered the same fate as others in that my chainring tabs broke off. Others have seen cracks, etc... before actual failure. However, Race Face were very good about replacing the cranks in a timely manner. Strangely enough, I live about 30 miutes drive from Race Face's headquarters, and my LBS is about 15 minutes bike ride from home. My cranks had to cross the country (almost 5,000kms) to the distributor in Quebec for them to inspect them before deciding to replace them.

I chose to step up to the SL version of the cranks (Ti spindle) for the expected 30g or so weight savings, but was horribly dissapointed to see only 11g difference in weight. I don't know what the actual weight of the current batch of Chrome moly spindle cranks are, but suggest that maybe the Ti spindle version would be a waste of money.

So far, I have had no trouble with my Next SLs, but they don't have anywhere near as many miles on them yet as the previous version did when it failed. I am not using the Race Face bottom bracket, as they are mounted on my Yeti ASR C which has a BB90 setup.

limba
Posts: 956
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2003 4:24 am

by limba

There's 3 or 4 guys on the mtbr forum that have broken them. I wouldn't buy them. I'd play it safe and get XTR or XX. Who cares if everybody else has them? They have them because they work.

Cnut
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jan 09, 2010 5:12 am
Location: Geelong

by Cnut

I must admit the replies are pretty mindblowing. You guys have just saved me a lot of money. Thanks heaps for your input.
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jbsteven
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 3:10 pm

by jbsteven

I have 2 sets of the 2010 Next SL carbon cranks.......zero issues. I also have a set of the 2009 Next carbon cranks......zero issues.

about 2500 miles combined on all of these. The SL's have taken 4-5 4 foot drops. The 2009 set have taken 12 or more 3 foot drops.

samlu4
Posts: 39
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:45 am

by samlu4

Don't buy. They are a rip-off. Their distributor told me they make them in Taiwan.

Just get an FRM crankset if you want a lightweight crankset.

I rate 2 out of 10 for the Race Face Next SL - and it's not really that light for them to call it an 'SL' crankset.


Edited. Original text was all caps. Thanks. Pete

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Powerful Pete
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by Powerful Pete

samlu4, please don't yell (posting in all caps = yelling). Thanks.
Road bike: Cervelo R3, Campagnolo Chorus/Record mix...
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checky
Posts: 369
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 12:52 pm
Location: in rocks and roots

by checky

samlu4 wrote:...
Just get an FRM crankset if you want a lightweight crankset.


FRM only Crank + axle = 508g
RaceFace Next only Crank + axle = 456g
RaceFace Next SL only Crank + axle = 443g

At my FRM CU2 Integrale fails at first the BB, changed to Shimano. Next: broken Spider: make one myself out of carbon plates. Next: axle wears out, the diameter decreases ( :noidea: ), axle became play in the bearings. From my point of view FRM Cranks are not worth the money.

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Powerful Pete
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Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2004 10:22 am
Location: Lima, Peru and the Washington DC area - it's complicated.

by Powerful Pete

I am with checky on this one. While not a mtb-er, (ergo, not speaking from personal experience) I have not heard good things through the grapevine here re: their cranksets.
Road bike: Cervelo R3, Campagnolo Chorus/Record mix...
Supercommuter: Jamis Renegade...
Oldie but goodie: De Rosa Professional Slx, Campagnolo C-Record...
And you can call me Macktastik Honey Pete Kicks, thank you.

njee20
Posts: 545
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 5:58 pm
Location: Surrey, UK

by njee20

samlu4 wrote:They are a rip-off. Their distributor told me they make them in Taiwan.


What's that got to do with anything? Taiwanese products are often better made than US products, they just do it cheaper!

FWIW, I wouldn't use RF cranks though, too many horror stories out there!

limba
Posts: 956
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2003 4:24 am

by limba

and they still have very average bottom brackets. Almost everybody switches to XTR.

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sdg71
Posts: 102
Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:12 pm
Location: ITALY

by sdg71

Just put on the scale my new crankset RACE FACE NEXT SL (the one with the TI 6/4 axle)....claimed weight in the RF website 675 grams (including BB and all hardware...) the result is 733 grams....have you experienced the same thing? I'm shocked about it.....
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limba
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Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2003 4:24 am

by limba

They probably had to beef up the cranks 'cause guys were breaking them.

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raceer
Posts: 46
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 9:31 am

by raceer

if they were so far over wt, i would send them back in a heartbeate with a strongly worded note to boot :-)
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