e*thirteen's carbon crank collection has been updated for 2019, with a slight change to the naming scheme, and more significant changes to the cranks themselves. The LG1R cranks are the toughest option in the lineup, and are designed to be able to handle the punishment doled out by EWS and World Cup DH racers.
The crank arms still have the oversized, slightly boxy look of the previous version, but the profile has been slimmed down a bit near the spindle for better heel clearance. That change didn't reduce the crank's stiffness – in fact, the cranks are claimed to be 10% stiffer than the previous version.
LG1R Crank Details• Intended use: enduro / DH
• Carbon fiber arms, aluminum spindle
• Weight: 500 grams (with 32-tooth direct mount ring)
• Lengths: 160/165/170mm (83mm BB), 165/170/175mm (73mm BB)
• Five year warranty
• MSRP: $399 (cranks only)
•
www.bythehive.com The fixed spindle has been moved to the non-drive side, which is meant to make chainring installation and adjustment a little bit easier. There's also no need to use a different chainring depending on whether a bike has Boost or non-Boost spacing. Instead, a 3mm spacer is used to put the chainring in the right position. e*thirteen's unique triangular-shaped spindle / crankarm interface remains, and there's a self-extracting crankbolt on the driveside to make removal as easy as possible.
Additional crank length options have been added into the mix - there's now a 160mm version of the LG1R for use with 83mm bottom bracket shell widths, which will be good news for DH riders searching for a little more ground clearance.
With crank boots and a 32-tooth chainring, the 170mm LG1R crankset featured here weighs in at a very respectable 500 grams, which makes it one of the lightest DH-oriented cranksets on the market. The cranks alone retail for $399, with the BB and chainring sold separately.
InstallationInstallation was straightforward, thanks in part to the e*thirteen's handy chart that makes it easy to figure out how the chainring should be oriented. Once it's spaced correctly, the ring is secured in place using the same tool that's required to install e*thirteen's threaded bottom bracket. That tool is proprietary to e*thirteen, but it's also included with the cranks.
The one small complaint I have about getting the cranks set up has to do with the plastic preload adjuster. It can be hard to get a good grip on it due to the rather low height of the ridges around the perimeter - it'd be much easier to turn if those were a little bit taller.
Performance Cranks aren't the most exactly the most exciting component to review – if they're performing properly you shouldn't have to think about them, no matter if you're hucking a big drop or laying down the watts on a stout climb. That was the case with the LG1R cranks – they're stiff and solid underfoot, and all of the hard landings and root smashing they underwent during the test period didn't cause any problems.
I did notice that the e*thirteen chainring felt a little more 'grindy' in sloppy conditions than the SRAM Eagle ring I'd had on before – the interaction between the chain and chainring didn't feel as smooth when things got really mucky. In less grim conditions there weren't any issues, and overall the LG1R cranks have held up to the elements very well - the bottom bracket has survived all of the mud puddle dunkings I've subjected it to.
It's a little detail, but I'm a fan of the way the LG1R's protective sticker covers almost the entire crank arm, which helps keep it from snagging on a shoe and beginning to peel off. The crank arm boots also have a design that's slightly different than the norm, with extra material around the perimeter to keep the crank ends safe from hard impacts with rocks or other trail obstacles. After all, if you're shelling out the cash for a set of fancy carbon cranks, you might as well keep them looking good for as long as possible.
Pinkbike's Take | Carbon cranks aren't for everyone, and even though they can take some serious abuse they're probably not the best option for perennial rock smashers, or penny pinchers for that matter. All the same, the LG1R cranks offer a considerable weight savings over aluminum in a stiff and strong package.— Mike Kazimer |
The interface we use for chainring lockring and BB is a 46mm or (1 3/4") 12-point socket. You can often find those at your local hardware or auto parts store but the tool we sell is likely less expensive than a socket that size. We have had some smaller OEM customers in the past decide to include the tool with the bike, but most do not. Including the tool is an option for OEMs.
@hairy1976 - Il send you a PM to figure out why you didn't get a reply. I can check our zendesk system for what happened there.
I've come to the realization that at least 50% of the time the top comment on pinkbike article's are misguided if not completely wrong. But they are sensationalist so they get the clicks. Be smarter pinkbikers.
But if you're riding for fun it doesn't make any sense unless you get fun out of having the most expensive equipment (which some people do and it's perfectly fine too)
@wowbagger: I definitely have more fun on a light bike than on a heavy one.
My X01 11 speed are solid as a rock. Over 2,500 miles on a hardtail with me at 200+ pounds almost the entire time. No flex I can feel during riding and none by hand either.
Always.
There is a reason so many BMX racers use Shimano DXRs or cranks like Profiles, with torque you can feel the arms twist if they arent stiff.
Ride with someone who has twisted and snapped crankarms, however it is definitely a different pedalling style.
Me: Gets to work. Reads review of carbon cranks.
Feel like if I was buying a bike with full XTR I would rather see Next cranks than these as the replacement for the vaporware XTR cranks.
I've got a fundamental problem with these flyweight reviewers on stuff like carbon cranks. They're known far and wide by bigger riders who go hard to fail way too often.
Carbon cranks: never again. Wrong material for the application since bonding in aluminum inserts is problematic.
Can't comment on e*thirteen cranks, but sram carbon cranks are bombproof and as long as you buy the correct version for your riding they are not going to break.
@ironxcross: We're more like tubby bros (I'd call us amigos, we're more fun than "bros") riding 20 miles and lots of vert to our next DH segment here in Cascadia.
@mtbman1980 You're probably right. I'm totally convinced those hard on gear should steer clear of carbon cranks. In my circle of riding I can't think of one brand of carbon crank that hasn't broken (usually unbonded, but some XX1 stuff has sheared off) on someone. We're lucky to have lots of big, rowdy trails right in our backyards here in the PNW.
Think of it this way: saving 125 grams over some ultra-reliable Turbines is dropping your total weight 0.1%. For $200.
Aside from wheels, a lighter than average bike just makes you happy when putting your bike on the car. All my friends with super fancy bikes readily admit this. Nothing wrong with that.
The crank’s bottom bracket fails after a year usage, the chaingude’s opening mechanism broke, a rear hub’s aluminum flange separated from the carbon hub shell, the cogset makes noise due to weak xd lock mechanism. I have bought these parts with bikes, but I will not buy anything from this company.
You can find that info on our tech page here:
support.bythehive.com/hc/en-us/articles/208906446--How-to-install-and-remove-TRS-crank-spiders-and-integrated-rings
That said, with the new cranks where the spindle is on the NDS, you easily can use a torque wrench and 46mm 12pt Socket to achieve the 30NM torque also.
shovelcomponents.com/product/addict-oval-chainring
But on the other hand, he had good experience with customer care...
There's nothing out there in titanium for DH and at decent pricetag yet. I'm still waiting for a sub 500g Ti crankset for ~500 bucks...
Titanium is far more durable than aluminium, and it can be lighter as bonus.
I've striked my pedals many times and my carbon cranks are not bending.
I do ride the SixC on both DH & street/park bikes and will never go back to aluminum. Imo any gramms I can get rid of makes the bike feel more playful, more active and you fight less against your bike.
You must assume they are customers willing to get a steel frame with alloy components, while some others go carbon for the weight, that's a choice.
Here the subject I pointed was using titanium, the most reliable and possibly the lightest material for cranksets but no DH option yet... I may be interested in it if the msrp has 3 numbers.
Carbon doesn’t really bend. It’s either in shape or it breaks. It can flex some though
You feel every gramm when you remove them everywhere. 100+50+250+... and you got few KG digits off your ride.
I have personally seen two SixC cranks with loose inserts. Don’t know how many Srams and Next SL. At least 10 total. Internet is full of pics of wastes carbon cranks. How many bent alu cranks? I won’t lie if I say 3 total. And there are a few folks around here who say they wasted saints and then ride for years on SixC. Yeah right. Get out more, hang out with more people then.