# Chinese carbon crankset



## Cerberus75 (Oct 20, 2015)

I know people have used frames,wheels, saddleso and bars. But haven't seen anyone post about the cheaper cranksets. Anyone tried them yet?


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## xcbarny (Jun 10, 2009)

Buy one and let us know. :thumbsup:


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## moefosho (Apr 30, 2013)

Link?


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## TBarnaby (Aug 1, 2008)

Not sure if these are the ones he's talking about but... Online Buy Wholesale carbon crankset from China carbon crankset Wholesalers | Aliexpress.com


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## Dan-W (Nov 21, 2014)

What on earth could go wrong with cheap carbon from Aliexpress?


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## RS VR6 (Mar 29, 2007)

Yikes...not sure about that. Until I see some kind of stress testing...nope.


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## Cerberus75 (Oct 20, 2015)

They're on Ebay. Not that there's much accountability there either. They look like they molded XT cranks. Price is too good to be true. But was worth asking. I may buy a set and test the crap out of them.


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## pop_martian (Mar 20, 2007)

They aren't molded after XT cranks. XT cranks have a flat surface on the inside. These cranks have a concave shape on the inside. They look like carbon versions of cranks you'd find on bikes at Walmart.


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## VinceMTB (Oct 10, 2016)

Yup. I installed a Chinese carbon crankset on my singlespeed and it lasted all of an hour. I rode on some fireroads with some short, but pretty steep sections. It was on one of those sections that it snapped as I was standing and hammering. The chain previously came off a couple of times on a prior hill, but I didn't notice any damage from that. The crank was bought on Aliexpress (Happy Riding Store). It was a great-looking crank and super light. Should have known it was too good to be true. Going back to my XTs for now. 

This was the first Chinese carbon component that failed for me. I've had frames, handlebars, seatposts and wheels. 

Vincent


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## NWS (Jun 30, 2010)

Bummer. But thanks for being the guinea pig.


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## alexdi (Jun 25, 2016)

How'd you like the arms? There's a direct-mount version of same also available for around $130. Less to break.


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## VinceMTB (Oct 10, 2016)

The arms were fine. I broke 3 of the four crank bolt holes. There was just a thin layer of carbon for an area where there's high torque.


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## Ole (Feb 22, 2004)

alexdi said:


> There's a direct-mount version of same also available for around $130. Less to break.


Link?


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## alexdi (Jun 25, 2016)

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New...axis-coiled-in-the-road-bike/32720458687.html

Sorry, didn't see this. Price went up to $190.


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## Ole (Feb 22, 2004)

Only 170mm?


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## Seb K (Apr 21, 2009)

One thing I have to ask Vincent . Did you install the chainring with washers on the back to support the load of the chainring nut ?!!! i don't see it in the picture .


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## Cerberus75 (Oct 20, 2015)

alexdi said:


> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New...axis-coiled-in-the-road-bike/32720458687.html
> 
> Sorry, didn't see this. Price went up to $190.


There is some on ebay that look like these. 125.00 without the chain ring.


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## Psydwaze (Aug 1, 2016)

Just checking to see if anyone has any more recent experiences with these cranksets. 

I'm a little reluctant to use the above post and photos as a solid example. Looks like a botched install to me. Wouldn't the single chainring normally mount on the frame side of the mounting tabs with the small square tapered spacers on the outside. This sandwiches the carbon tabs and protects them from the chainring bolts being tightened directly onto them. Also, chainring bolts tightened directly onto the tabs would simply pull through the hole with enough force.


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## sfer1 (Feb 22, 2009)

Psydwaze said:


> Just checking to see if anyone has any more recent experiences with these cranksets.
> 
> I'm a little reluctant to use the above post and photos as a solid example. Looks like a botched install to me. Wouldn't the single chainring normally mount on the frame side of the mounting tabs with the small square tapered spacers on the outside. This sandwiches the carbon tabs and protects them from the chainring bolts being tightened directly onto them. Also, chainring bolts tightened directly onto the tabs would simply pull through the hole with enough force.


I haven't tried them, but I agree with you. The chainring was incorrectly installed.


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## thesmokingman (Jan 17, 2009)

It seems one should use these with said carbon cranks. I wish these came in shorter lengths as they would be decent for a very light rider.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4pc...ed-gear-fixie-Road-crank-set/32847351252.html


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## PHeller (Dec 28, 2012)

Back from the dead!

I'm looking at a set of these for a new build.

Pros: 
SRAM Direct Mount Compatible (can use other rings I have in the garage) *EDIT just heard back from the USA reseller of these...no more SRAM mounts, the producer decided to go with a proprietary mount. Boooo*
Shimano 24mm spindle (works with other BB's I have in the garage) 
Relatively lightweight for DM style MTB crank: 480g +-20g
Reasonably inexpensive.
2-year warranty from USA partners

Cons:
It's typical Chinese "you get what you pay for" type stuff.

What I'm curious about:

Construction style seems to be an open back, non-hollow construction.









Does anyone have any examples of other more name brand manufacturers using this "open back" solid carbon construction?


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

PHeller said:


> Back from the dead!
> 
> I'm looking at a set of these for a new build.
> 
> ...


I'll say this, the pedal-spindle insert seems to be a critical point with these cranks. Even Race Face has trouble doing this right and I've had these crack on their Next SL cranks that saw generally light use. I recently tore a similar part out of my Sram XX1 cranks, except, they have an internal metal skeleton that runs the length of the crank arm that the pedal spindle screws into. This is filled with foam on the inside. This structure IME is incredibly strong compared to the RF one and they took 4+ years of serious abuse DH riding and racing, enduro racing, and generally being bashed to hell, including lots of rock-strikes. The Next SLs are on my XC bike and on my Fatbike. My point is that it takes a little more to make a durable carbon crank IME and not everyone even at the full on "legit component maker" level has this figured out. This is definitely not a carbon Chinese product I'd buy. I will buy a variety of carbon rims, because I don't see big differences in production and function, but there seems to be a fairly big difference here IMO.


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## VegasSingleSpeed (May 5, 2005)

Likewise, the carbon "clamp" interface on the non-drive side crank seems pretty sketchy, IMO. I understand carbon "clamps" are used in other application (like stems), but those are usually highly engineered components from respectable companies (and I'm still not chomping at the bit to ever run a carbon stem)...given the perceived lack of engineering in the arm design, I certainly wouldn't be the guinea pig on this component.

(disclaimer: show me an FEA that supports that arm design, or even the clamp design. Taking a design that might work in forged aluminum and repop'ing it in carbon does not give me much confidence...)


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## expostdelirium (Sep 2, 2009)

Late to the party as usual, but my SIXC carbon cranks did the same thing but didn't "give completely out" - AND I'VE RIDDEN THEM FOR WHAT?! 5 years or so. I've ridden LOTS of miles with them like this, and on varied terrain dirt single-track, Palo Duro rocky sandiness, snow, sandy permafrost, paved paths, gravel grinds in the Flint Hills of KS...

I don't know if I'm more stupid, more lucky, or more cheap, but seeing this reminds me that I need to get a new crankset. My titanium frame that the SIXC are on is from China, as are all the components. I've had a Chi-carb 29er frame and 2 Chi-carb 29er wheelsets. I bought another frame late 2018, ordered all the parts from the same site, slapped my old chi-carb wheels on and I haven't looked back. I bought a RaceFace crankset for that bike though. I will post here if anything catastrophic happens with the new cranks.


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