# RaceFace components any good?



## Hulley (Jun 20, 2014)

Hello everyone, new guy here. After a 20yr hiatus I'm getting back into MTBs. I've been road cycling for the last 6-7 years but I am not up to speed on anything MTB related. 

I've decided to build a bike and have already ordered a Transition TransAm 27.5 in silver along with a Fox fork and Cane Creek 40 series headset. 

So now I need to order the rest of the components. I need to keep on budget so price is an issue, and it looks like RaceFace components are reasonably priced. As of now I'm planning on a SS but that could change. 

I'm looking at RaceFace for the Cranks, BB, stem, bars and seatpost. I kinda like to have matching components but no big deal. 

Is there anything RF that I should stay away from? Another manufacturer that as good or better for less money? I dont want cheap quality stuff and will spend more if need be but dont want to go overboard on my first build. Trying to keep it under $2000-2300.

Thanks alot, great site here!


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## Mattcz (May 26, 2005)

I like Raceface. I think they make good stuff. Is it the best ever? No but it's pretty good. There bottom brackets are great.


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## Awshucks (Apr 14, 2013)

I would say so.

I just finished a budget SS build (around $900) and I went with raceface for a lot of the components because it was most affordable IMO. On the build all were raceface: cranksset and BB, handlebars, and seatpost.


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## bigkat273 (Jan 16, 2008)

Lots of deals to be had on closeout rf stuff especially if they don't have to be from the same model series. I run rf cranks, bars and stem.


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## Hulley (Jun 20, 2014)

Thanks everyone, I kinda blew my budget with the frame/forks so I have less to work with but I still want good stuff, plus RF is good looking components.


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## Thor29 (May 12, 2005)

I have had several RaceFace cranks. There's one thing I don't like about them that will prevent me from ever buying one again - lack of bearing preload adjustment. If your frame is perfect, RaceFace cranks work great. If it's not, then you can have unwanted friction. I would recommend looking for a 2x or 3x Shimano SLX crankset instead. JensonUSA has them on sale for $160 right now. Just pull off the chainrings, sell them on Ebay, and buy a single speed chainring and some longer chainring bolts for single speed use.

Also, I don't know if RaceFace has fixed it or not, but their BB bearings a few years ago weren't sealed very well and tended to fail in wet conditions. Shimano BBs seem to be better in that regard.

I hate plugging Shimano stuff, but sometimes they do have the best components out there. Especially cranks and brakes.


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## Hulley (Jun 20, 2014)

Thor29 said:


> I have had several RaceFace cranks. There's one thing I don't like about them that will prevent me from ever buying one again - lack of bearing preload adjustment. If your frame is perfect, RaceFace cranks work great. If it's not, then you can have unwanted friction. I would recommend looking for a 2x or 3x Shimano SLX crankset instead. JensonUSA has them on sale for $160 right now. Just pull off the chainrings, sell them on Ebay, and buy a single speed chainring and some longer chainring bolts for single speed use.
> 
> Also, I don't know if RaceFace has fixed it or not, but their BB bearings a few years ago weren't sealed very well and tended to fail in wet conditions. Shimano BBs seem to be better in that regard.
> 
> I hate plugging Shimano stuff, but sometimes they do have the best components out there. Especially cranks and brakes.


Thanks Thor29, I appreciate the info. Bearing preload is pretty important, anyone that has done wheel bearings on their car knows that. How about a Shimano BB and RF cranks? Would that work?


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## Ol' Grey Pug (Jan 18, 2010)

Hulley said:


> Thanks Thor29, I appreciate the info. Bearing preload is pretty important, anyone that has done wheel bearings on their car knows that. How about a Shimano BB and RF cranks? Would that work?


Agree with Thor on this. Shimano has the superior crank/BB interface.
RF cranks mostly use the Xtype bb which shimano doesn't offer (for good reason). I do like other RF stuff though. It has a pretty good price to quality ratio in my opinion.


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## Just J (Feb 14, 2005)

I've ran Raceface on all of my bikes for the past 15+ years I'd say. It's excellent stuff and my favourite mtb brands. 

I tend to run their cranks, bars, stems and grips over any other brands alternatives just because they look so cool and work so well.


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## Cujo (Jun 10, 2004)

I've been running Race Face cranks, bars, grips seatposts, chainrings, etc... for years with no issues. Bombproof, plus you've gotta love the color options you get to add some bling to your ride.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Thor29 said:


> I have had several RaceFace cranks. There's one thing I don't like about them that will prevent me from ever buying one again - lack of bearing preload adjustment. If your frame is perfect, RaceFace cranks work great. If it's not, then you can have unwanted friction. I would recommend looking for a 2x or 3x Shimano SLX crankset instead. JensonUSA has them on sale for $160 right now. Just pull off the chainrings, sell them on Ebay, and buy a single speed chainring and some longer chainring bolts for single speed use.
> 
> Also, I don't know if RaceFace has fixed it or not, but their BB bearings a few years ago weren't sealed very well and tended to fail in wet conditions. Shimano BBs seem to be better in that regard.
> 
> I hate plugging Shimano stuff, but sometimes they do have the best components out there. Especially cranks and brakes.


Well, as far as preload they work like every other non-shimano crankset for the most part, in that the shimano interface is quite a bit better and the RF relies on spacers.

That said, RF cranks are decent. The turbines especially are a low value to performance these days. Don't take it wrong, I run them on my fatbike, but that's just because there are very few choices for fatbikes and they are one of the few that comes in anno colors. A hollow-forged design like shimano makes is a better value, and if you are going to spend more money XX1 or X01 is a decent set (with a preloader, although it's still not as good as the shimano inteface) and if you are ok with spending LOTS of money, you can get the RaceFace Hollowgram crankset, which is one of the lightest out there and can save significant weight on a bike.

The X-type BB that RaceFace uses is fine, if the bearings die better ones are cheap from enduroforkseals.

Race Face is sort of an old standard that you know isn't going to be quite as light or as stiff as the Shimano stuff, but it's usually not going to let you down too much either or use crappy alloys that bend easily like some of the truvativ and FSA stuff.


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## thorkild (Jul 22, 2008)

The newest race face stuff is really incredible. I agree that the older cranks are not on par with Shimano. But the new cinch system stuff is better than anything else on the market. It has an XTR M975 style preloader ring that works great. It started with the NEXT cranks, which are so light you can't believe it. But there is now a Turbine version and SIXC cranks are in the works. Wouldn't be surprised to see it adopted across the range within a year.


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## dbhammercycle (Nov 15, 2011)

I'm an RF believer too. Some of the earlier x-type cranks and BBs weren't the greatest, but what is when first released. Anyway, I've got 3 bikes that have RF cranks and some parts. 1 of these has an old Prodigy ISIS crankset that keeps on going from 2002. The others are x-type and so far no issues with the BB, but I honestly haven't put it to the test much since I SS most of the time. I also have an older Evolve XC bar stem combo and a newer Turbine bar. No RF problems/worries for me.


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## googas7070 (Jan 2, 2014)

I have RF Chester cranks & BB, N-W chain ring, chain ring bolts, stem & spacers, bar, and seatpost. Cant get any better for the $.


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## jeffw-13 (Apr 30, 2008)

I like the Truvative Stylo 1.1 cranks for SS. It has a single 32 tooth unramped chainring and a bash guard. They run around $130 with a bottom bracket.

EDIT: Available on ebay for $100

Truvativ Stylo 1 1 Single Speed Crankset 32T 175mm Black | eBay


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## iscariot (Oct 24, 2006)

thorkild said:


> The newest race face stuff is really incredible. I agree that the older cranks are not on par with Shimano. But the new cinch system stuff is better than anything else on the market. It has an XTR M975 style preloader ring that works great. It started with the NEXT cranks, which are so light you can't believe it. But there is now a Turbine version and SIXC cranks are in the works. Wouldn't be surprised to see it adopted across the range within a year.


This.

Everyone else in this thread is thinking old and way off base.


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## wickerman1 (Dec 24, 2003)

I've been using the newer turbine cranks on my 29er HT and im a big guy at 265. Never had a bb issue in any type of riding or weather. Fantastic cranks. I've also added a set of RF Cadence cranks, BB and rings on my road bike which sell for 100 bucks CAD at MEC. RF rings cost more then that for the pair separate.


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