Product Review by Bryan Hall
It was with great glee and amazement that I unpacked my new Shitmano 97 LX Triple Cranks. To my astonishment these cranks were of a comparible weight to my Campagnolo road bike cranks. How remarkable, how did they do it? I did not stop long to concern my self with this, prefering instead to install my new super low geared cranks and get ready for a week long ride through the southern Snowy Mountains out the back of Indi Caves.
Every thing was going really well for the first 2 1/2 days and then while riding gently down a narrow road the front wheel threw a stick up into my undercarriage. Being used to the minor inconvenience of chains getting caught around front deuralliers I automatically began to pedal backwards 1/2 a crank to release pressure on the gears believing them to be jammed.
When this did not have the desired effect I looked down at my cranks and realised that much to my amazement saw nothing there (in the way of chain rings). Opps! I had discovered Shitmano's secret formula for making light weight cranks - sacrafice as much strength as you can get away with. There was no repair possible both the chain rings had snapped like a coke can hit by a truck!
I decided to push on and spent the next 4 to 5 days riding in only low range (and what was left of the middle ring down hills). Of course, true to Shitmano form, the repair bill for two new chain rings exceeded the cost of repalcement cranks. I bought some new Sugino cranks of excellent qualiity but having steel chainrings. Beware of the Mtb that tips the scales at under 22 pounds - leave it on the shelf!
Bryan