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About to buy a new bike, but with the intention of pulling the (NX) drivetrain to go 12sp Shimano, but I'm not sure what to do for cranks.
I'm going XT mech and block, and XTR shifter to try and get best bang for buck. Sound reasonable?
But cranks - I'd like something tough and not too boat anchor. Do I need to stick with Shimano rings for the best 12sp experience? Or are there others that are as good? I know Shimano rings are expensive, but are they worth it?
And what level cranks? XT the best compromise? Or shall I just look elsewhere? I want to run a 24mm axle, had enough of SRAM junk BBs
Thanks!
XT with a superstar oval ring works for me....
You'll want to use Shimano chain with a Shimano cassette to get the fancy new Shimano 12 speed shift quality - but Shimano chains won't work with all aftermarket rings, so be wary - in some cases, a SRAM powerlink fixes the issue, but not all. Shimano rings are certainly expensive, but they'll definitely work with your Shimano chain. There are a few third party alternatives designed for Shimano 12 speed chains, but they tend not to be cheap - Soperstar are one of the few cheaper options, i think.
You'll also need a new freehub to fit a Shimano 12 sped cassette, you probably know that already.
chains won’t work with all aftermarket rings, so be wary
Yeah, I'd read something like this, which was what had set me off on this way of thinking. Happy with a Shimano chain, so I guess I'd better go Shimano cranks.
XT then I guess?
Yup, sorted for the driver, soon to be on order 🙂
Yeah - can't really go far wrong with XT cranks - lightish, reliable, cheap (although not as cheap when you need a pricy chainring)