[Closed] Middleburn Chainset Or XTR?

XTR shifts better is is lighter. which for the money you'll shell out for either crankset is important i reckon

I'd say steer clear of isis, if your going that direction stick with square taper.

Not sure there is that much feedback on the middeburns, but XTR is very good, light, stiff, strong.

Are there any big differences weight wise or perhaps the aesthetic may sway your judgment.

There's no question that XTR are superb cranksets... Light, stiff, great shifting, look fantastic (IMHO)....

Worth considering replacement ring costs... I ended up selling my XTR and going back to RaceFace as the ring costs were way cheaper, cranks still look lovely and still pretty light and stiff.

Based on the above, I'd probably go Middleburn X-type from your choices. Are they available yet ? Any prices online ?

Why can't you use non-XTR chainrings on an XTR chainset? I do on mine...

clubber...

I'd hear differing things on that. Work ok for you though, yeah ?

Yeah, no problem at all on my M970

Well, just thought of one - I had to get some 2mm spacers to get a non-XTR granny ring to sit in the right position since the XTR one is dished but they're easy to get hold of.

ahhh - that makes sense, it was the granny ring I'd heard there may be issues with.... so I was never that confident shelling out on none XTR rings. In the end, I sold them for a decent amount and got a good deal on a set of Deus. Happy with the race face now.

Shifting is definitely better on XTR, I had a set of Middleburn slickshift rings on XT cranks and they don't shift anywhere near as slickly as XTR rings. OK so it's cheaper to buy a new chainset than a set of XTR rings but they do last well.

Taking on board the Race Face comment, would Deus cranks be better?
Looking at high end complete bikes, most either use XT cranks or go straight to carbon (Race Face, Truative etc) or go to XX double.
I don't really want double as I ride 'real' mountains still and don't really want carbon cranks.

middleburn you can run any rings you like on it. 5 or 4 arm spider 2 0r 3 rings. If your worried about shifting performance compared to xtr just put xtr rings on 🙂

M960 used a different PCD for the bigger rings IIRC, M970 will take the shimano standards. It feels a bit wrong putting deore chainrings on an XTR crank though, and yet it's so right.

Middleburn competes with XT not XTR, it only gets compared to XTR because of the price.[i] IMO[/i].

I've run my Middleburn cranks as a single with bash, double with and without bash (36/22 and 39/27 combos), and as a triple.
Slickshift hardcoat chainrings last well and are not stupidly expensive, and I've had an SKF Isis BB in 2 of my bikes for over 5 years with no problems.
Also you're buying best of British.

I think Freeborn have the X-Type Middleburns in stock.

Middleburn do look nice but are a lot more than XT, if that is the comparable.
Just been looking at the KCNC cranks, any good?

I would assume the comment about Middleburn's being comparable to XT is purely speculation.

I'm considering whether to buy the same 2 choices - XTR or Middleburn.

So far I'm leaning toward Middleburn because:

1. They are pretty much as light as XTR

2. I can run more options over time: Single, Duo or Triple chainrings (will likely start with "poor man's 2x10", i.e. 2x9 with the new RS8 X-Type and Duo ringset - available in a few weeks' time)

3. Replacement chainring cost is significantly less on the Middleburn's than for XTR

I don't see why a pair of cranks that weigh the same as XTR and have equally good finish would be compared with a lower crankset?

Lifetime warranty on Middleburns as well.

Middleburn and Sq taper all the way, spend the money on a first rate BB, ie Royce or Phil Wood, cranks for life

got kcnc cranks 3x9,had them a month or so, so far very happy with em. lighter than xtr and plenty stiff; i cant feel any difference. look pretty bling too.dont think they would cope with freeride/jumping though. not sure how long the bb/rings will last, but so far so good; no regrets. depends on personal opinion

Middleburns here (Square Taper)

Used them for a while now and have they have been fantastic.

I weigh near on 100kg and have never noticed them flex etc.

Prefer them to my external BB shimanos.....

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"I would assume the comment about Middleburn's being comparable to XT is purely speculation. "

It's not, no. Obviously Middleburn weight depends on what BB you choose but if you go with a sensible one, frinstance a crank bros steel isis, the weight is almost the same as an XT triple. Of course with the huge cost saving it's effortless to make the XT crankset lighter than the Middleburn. Stiffness is irrelevant with all of these things, pretty much all good cranks are stiff enough these days, and shifting performance is pretty much the same.

You can run single, duo or triple with XT of course. And the cost of replacement chainrings is irrelevant since you can choose which chainrings to use, so calling that a middleburn advantage makes no sense- if middleburn rings are better value, fit those to your shimano!

Middleburn do have the superb warranty of course, though you're not likely to ever need a lifetime warranty on an XT crank. And the finish is better than XT and XTR, though weirdly not SLX.

You can run single, duo or triple with XT of course. And the cost of replacement chainrings is irrelevant since you can choose which chainrings to use, so calling that a middleburn advantage makes no sense- if middleburn rings are better value, fit those to your shimano!

Can you change the spider on XT? No.
Will running a double set up look gash with XT? Yes.

Purely aesthetics mind you, but I still think Middleburn is the far more versatile chainset. Horses for courses I suppose. XT is cheaper.

Will running a double set up look gash with XT? Yes.

From that view yes, it does. Any other angle and you'd see the cut-outs in the spider where the big ring should mount. I couldn't live with it from an aesthetics point of view, but I am a fussy ****er. Beholder, eye, beauty and all that.

I've got both. I've had the Middleburn RS7's (square taper) for years and have fitted them to loads of bikes and used for all sorts (currently in Uno mode on my SS) and have the XTR (M970) on my 5 Spot. I don't expect them to be about in a few years.

Just to add a bit into the mix

Middleburns for external BB's

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"Will running a double set up look gash with XT? Yes."

OK, you've got me there I ended up putting a little toy lightweight bashring on my XTRs mainly so it doesn't look like a bit's dropped off.

[i]and shifting performance is pretty much the same. [/i]

It has to be said, that with normal rings, middleburns are a stern test of a front mech, IME. and even the slick shift ones aren't all that.