# Dura Ace/Ultegra vs Bontrager cranks



## the sky above tar below (Mar 31, 2004)

Hi. I think the centerpiece of a component set is the crank; it is the largest piece and stands out the most. I'm aware that the only Shimano crank available on the Performance Fit Madones is on the 5.2. 

How do you feel about the Dura Ace/Ultegra crank vs. the Bontrager cranks?


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## blehargh (Mar 17, 2004)

Easy. Buy the shimano crank.

It shift well, super stiff. Dura-Ace is super sexy... done.

-don


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## the sky above tar below (Mar 31, 2004)

blehargh said:


> Easy. Buy the shimano crank.
> 
> It shift well, super stiff. Dura-Ace is super sexy... done.
> 
> -don


But that's an extra $300 to $400.


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## blehargh (Mar 17, 2004)

the sky above said:


> But that's an extra $300 to $400.


Heh. now why do you have to make it all ugly by mentioning money? 

haha. you didn't say anything about price in your OP. Anyhow. I personally think both the DA and Ultegra cranks will shifter better than the Bontrager. Whether that's worth the extra money, if up to you tho. 

Ride them both. see which one you like better, and whether that's worth whatever the money difference is that you're paying. 

GL,
-don


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## the sky above tar below (Mar 31, 2004)

Can I ask you an honest question blehargh? Why do you think Trek put bonty cranks on instead of Shimano? Trek uses other Shimano components on the same bike?


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## blehargh (Mar 17, 2004)

the sky above said:


> Can I ask you an honest question blehargh? Why do you think Trek put bonty cranks on instead of Shimano? Trek uses other Shimano components on the same bike?


because trek owns bontrager and cranks are $$$$. so rather than give money to Shimano, they are keeping their money in house, or possibly offering the bike at a lower price than they could by specing the Shimano crank.

-don


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Trek uses Bontrager cranks because of the deal they have with Bontrager and hence, they use as much Bontrager as they can. Something like that. I think....

Why not use Deda bars? right?

That said, I like the DA cranks coz they're light, stiff and cool looking. I did use an older Bontrager Race X Lite Ltd Edition crank but I prefer the DA cranks to those.


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## mikbowyer (Feb 20, 2006)

they used bontrager cranks on the performance fit bikes that are triples/compact only.

because DA is not available in a compact, and they didn't want to have to say

crankset triple shimano dura ace
compact double shimano r700

then everyone would get the triple thinking the DA would be better, it would but it would be more expensive for trek, and with the amount of performance fit madones they're going to make that is a lot of money. also many riders would benefit from a compact double over a triple, and NOT getting dura ace would affect their decision in a way other that what is best for them. offering the bontrager crank makes sense because they can just use the triple and compact version of the same crank, it costs them way less because there is no middle man "manufacturer" since they own bontrager, and everyone makes the right decision as to which crankset is best for them.

good job trek


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## mtbdcd (Jul 7, 2002)

I have DA 7800 on one bike and the Bonty Carbon Cranks on the other. Can't really tell the difference in shifting or stiffnes. The Bontrager design for mounting is a little simpler to me. Big bolt, vs push on with a plastic tool and use a pinch bolt design of the Shimano's.
I believe the Bontrager cranks are made by Truvativ which is owned by SRAM.

However, i have a creak somewhere in my Bontrager Crank drivetrain that i cannot seem to fix. Have replaced everything with no luck. Going to try different cranks and bb to see if it goes away. If in fact the creak is some problem with the carbon crankset, will be unhappy.


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## daver42 (Apr 21, 2006)

The Bontrager (Truvativ) Race Lite Crank I had been using gave me 3500+ trouble free miles. Just swapped it out for a Truvativ Rouleur compact. Love the GXP BB - easy install/uninstall and turns smoothly. Had a creak too - turned out my eggbeater pedal needed servicing.


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