Anyone use sram red cranksets?

I've been eying these and some of the reviews I'm finding on the net are mixed... I like that they're carbon, made in every size (getting nice 165 or 167.5 mm cranks can be hard), and they've got a 52,36 compact option instead of the 50, 34... (I really like a 52/53 outer chain ring instead of the 50) A couple have been claiming that the bottom brackets are a bit more exposed to the elements than others.

a few people are saying the chain rings are really flexy - I'm assuming that these are probably stronger bigger guys than I am, but before I spend that much money on a crankset I thought I'd check what everyone else's experiences are.

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Catriona

I've been eying these and some of the reviews I'm finding on the net are mixed... I like that they're carbon, made in every size (getting nice 165 or 167.5 mm cranks can be hard), and they've got a 52,36 compact option instead of the 50, 34... (I really like a 52/53 outer chain ring instead of the 50) A couple have been claiming that the bottom brackets are a bit more exposed to the elements than others.

a few people are saying the chain rings are really flexy - I'm assuming that these are probably stronger bigger guys than I am, but before I spend that much money on a crankset I thought I'd check what everyone else's experiences are.

Thanks!

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I have the SRAM Red crankset with their Black Box ceramic bottom bracket on my Look 595 with 165mm crankarms...I have the compact 50/34 chainrings on it.

I have had zero problems. The bottom bracket is no more 'exposed' than my bike with Dura-Ace 7800 groupset.

As far as flexy...only for the strongest of the strong professional riders. There are a COUPLE professionals that run SRAM Rival cranks because they're among the stiffest cranks on the market. But all the other pros use Dura-Ace...Record...and Red. If some amateur TdF wannabe or local Cat X loser on some board is saying their flexy...he/she is an idiot just blowing smoke.

The Red cranks are actually one of the stiffest light weight cranks on the market: http://www.fairwheelbikes.com/forum/...hp?f=77&t=5468

I almost bought Red cranks, but after looking hard, I got the 09 Rival and the ceramic bearings. It's very stiff and much lighter than the crappy FSA Gossimer I had on there before. My last bike had old Dura Ace, and I find the new Rival shifts as nice, and the bearings are smooth and don't look to be any less well sealed. So far, the chainrings are holding up fine.

Did you get the rival because of the price differential or did you decide that they were in someway better?

A friend of mine runs the 52/36 Red cranks and loves it. She used to use a Campy (not sure which level) 50/34 compact.

I wouldn't worry about the BB. External BBs hold up just fine. The BB30 cranks are supposedly better (at least, they are lighter...stiffness probably has more to do with the frame design at the BB there).

Yeah, I'm talking myself into them... I've been watching my max speeds on various bikes... I definitely like a compact to climb, but the bike I manage to go the fastest on is the one with the worst wheels, but has the 53 outer chain ring. Average speed, I do better with the compact - which is probably just I climb better with them.

So I think the 52, 36 is a good compromise.

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Originally Posted by Catriona

Did you get the rival because of the price differential or did you decide that they were in someway better?

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Rival is stiffer and cheaper...Red is lighter.

Rival is among the stiffest cranks on the market regardless of price point or weight or anything. It's just stiff! I had Rival on my Specialized Roubaix Expert. It was fine, it worked great. I got Red...and it also works fine, it's great.

Unless you're an absolutel BEAST pushing a bazillion watts on a climb or sprint in the pro peloton, you won't noticed Red being any less stiff than Rival. Similarly, while riding, most people can't really tell that Red is a lighter crankset than Rival either.

If money is in good supply, just get Red...it's lighter, very stiff, and has bling factor. It might make you faster just via the psychological effect of knowing you have one of the stiffest light weight cranks.

Unless I find a great deal on the rival - I'm looking at a $60 price difference between the 2, and for $60, I'd be tempted to go for the carbon bling. I haven't looked whether rival comes in the 52 /36 compact.

I just switched to a compact red crank, not sure about chainrings since I run Rotor Rings, but I really like the crank. I just used my old GXP bottom bracket, I may still upgrade to the ceramic. I don't ride the Madone often in poor weather, but it does happen occasionally, and the ceramic BB is a little more fussy in poor conditions.

That said, Red is clearly the best value in a high end crank.

Thankfully you guys are convincing me that I should cave & buy one.