We received the 2007 M970 crankset and they look pretty sharp. Weight for the complete crankset comes in at 770g, approximately 100g lighter than the XT crankset we weighed before.
Some highlights
• Patent-protected chain ring design means unmatched shifting performance:
Market
standard front shifting performance (when combined with a Shimano front
derailleur) is taken even further by the precision molding and
machining of the composite carbon fiber and titanium middle chainring
and greater rigidity of the outer chainring.
• Enhanced durability
The
titanium teeth of the middle chainring along with Ni plated the double
anodized chain interface surface of the outer ring combine to a
conservative 100% increase in durability over prior generation XTR
chainrings.
• More precise bearing adjustment
The new
left hand crank arm mounting system provides a higher integrity
solution that creates more precise bottom bracket bearing adjustment,
extending the bearing life while keeping rotating resistance to a
minimum.
• Lighter weight and more versatile
Even with
all of the additional benefits over prior generations, the new FC-M970
shaves even more weight from the current model thanks to the composite
carbon fiber / titanium middle chainring. The 44-32-22 rings also share
the same bolt pattern as other popular Shimano cranksets such as XT and
LX.
Jack will be testing out a set in the near future and posting his thoughts in a review. We'll also be installing them on the our TR (Trans Rockies) inspired Rohloff equipped Moots so we'll have a chance to put it through its paces as well over the course of the season.
Team Spokewrench
