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I'm a bit lost when it comes to this subject. I understand that there are some differences such at stronger axles, pedal inserts etc. But would a crankset that came new as a twin ring + bashguard be able to take a triple chainring set up?
Being 110kg and liking to hit things I've been looking at Saints etc. but also I really need triple rings until I get fit again. Also I'm skint so it'll be strictly second hand kit. This means that my choices are limited; The only Saints I can find are twin + bash and if I went for, lets say, SLX then I'd want the stronger option.
The cranks would be for a heavily built up 456 with a Hope hollowtech type BB in it already. I did have Raceface Evolve XC cranks but the splines in the arm are done for. Oh and I'm definitely sticking with 9 speed, all my bikes with gears have it and I can't afford anything newer.
triple is fine on any old double [ 9 speed] and the big ring just replaces the bash
I assume its still ok on the MTB 10/11 speed set ups but i am not certain as I dont have any.
Not sure why you need the big ring if you are not fit as that is the hardest to pedal
You only need the big ring for tanking along at high speed (e.g. on roads) so a normal double will still give you the same lower end ratios for getting up hills.
I'd not worry about the strength of the cranks, I've never seen a shimano HT2 crank fail form an impact and plenty of downhill riders use XT or XTR cranks in preference to Saint.
I wouldn't worry too much about the bash ring either, 90% of it's job is to keep the chain on. They were fashionable a few years ago but have disappeared now even from DH (although they've been replaced by fixed ones under the BB).
Thank you all. Yeah good point on probably not needing the big ring, not yet anyway.
I've never actually broken or bent mtb cranks as such and I've used some really crap ones, albeit when I was lighter. It looks like the arm rode up over the axle splines so far on the Raceface ones so that the bolt, although done right up, was no longer holding the arm on tight.
My gut feeling was that LX, XT etc. should be more than enough, I'll widen my search to include that sort of thing and the twin + bash setups.