Review from Cycling Plus

You've probably noticed the growth of outboard-bearing cranksets as they spread through the various manufacturers ranges. Just in for 2008, this XT Hollowtech II crankset has 26/38/48T chainrings suited to the larger gear ratios of road touring. The spindle is integraed into the driveside crank, rather than a seperate cartridge bottom bracket and bearing gups sit outboard of the frame, screwing into either side. The upside is that bearings are bigger and spaced more widely apart, spreading the load better. The downside is that they are more exposed to the elements...they're incredibly easy to fit, although you need to be careful not to overtighten the preload. A low weight isn't necessarily a pre-requisite for touring bikes, but the Hollowtech II system certainly shaves some grams. With it's oversized mass of metal, it's alos incredibly stiff in the process, although aesthetically I'm not sure that they'd enhance the looks of a classic tourer. the chainrings themselves are anodised aluminium, ensuring they're light, though heavier steel would ultimately last longer. Shifting is excellent, witht he chain ramping up smoothly between rings. Square taper means the benchmark for reliability and availability around the world, so we'll be testing a set long-term to see how the seals and bearings compare over the rigours of touring.

In conclusion...

Good quality and easy to fit. We'll be reporting back on longevity.

Rating: 8/10