Another option if you're like me is to scavenge from a local bike shop...they usually have some old crank arms layin' around you can use at least until you get something you really want.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by brantshali
[B]XT should be fine...but LX will be cheaper and tough as heck.

 

In case you hadn't figured it out from my earlier posts on this thread, my mountain bike was just such a donor bike at my friends bike shop. That's why I need a fork, headset and new saddle...

 

The problem with scavenging for parts is that here in College Station, there aren't any bike shops hardcore enough to carry used parts of the quality I'm looking for. They only sell "college bikes" - you know, the ones everyone buys just to get around campus but not look like a total dweeb. So they rarely even carry anything higher than an LX - everything else has to be special ordered.

 

XT will take quite a bit more abuse than the XTR in those situations. The drops you're talkin' about shouldn't snap 'em...too quickly. The reality is that any cranks will have a fatigue life, but I think the XT will serve you well...

Assuming you land smoothly, gapping stairs shouldn't overly stress the cranks. It's the excessive lateral loads on the crank arms from a goofy landing that hurt them...

 

I'm talkin' super short term...something you can just throw on the bike and go rail around with. If they look ugly or cheap...spray paint 'em matte black...

 

On a DH bike the core riders will look at the mix and match parts as a badge of honor...

 

LOL ya, I could do that. Although I do have another one of my bikes here (my Karakoram) so I could make do without my Dare for a week or two.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by brantshali
[B]Assuming you land smoothly, gapping stairs shouldn't overly stress the cranks.

 

I had a friend that ran a free pair of old school blue Kooka cranks he painted black on his DH bike. They were chipping and nasty and looked SO cool!