FSA Gossamer Road Triple

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Ski Market

Summary:
This crankset come on my Specialized Allez Elite. I haven't had any issues. It's a triple so it must be heavier than a double.

Strengths:
Stiff. Reliable. Easy to work on. Looks good. Robust finish.

Weaknesses:
None worth mentioning.

Similar Products Used:
2004 Shimano XT (MTB 2 piece), Truvativ Elita (isis), Truvativ Elita GXP

Price Paid:  $166.00 at Bikeman.com

Bike Setup:
Cannondale Six13. Ultegra, Ritchy, FSA components. Topolino wheels

Summary:
I've been very happy with this crank for the money paid. Although only a recreational rider, it's met all my essential criteria - shifts well, light for a triple, great design, stiff...and black..! Not to mention, it's an improvement over my previous crank, a 5 year old Ultegra triple.

Strengths:
Bottom bracket design. External, oversized bearing cups are much, much stiffer than my older Ultegra, although Shimano's latest crank designs appear to perform similar to MegaExo. Yet the FSA's come in black which, however cosmetic, was an important criteria. Cranks arms are noticeably stiffer, too, although I'm knocking on wood given the other review...

Weaknesses:
Triples are still too heavy. Not sure how to cure this, though, without the use of exotic materials and better engineering (translation = big $$$, which I don't want to pay)

Similar Products Used:
Shimano 105 & Ultegra

Price Paid:  $150.00 at ???

Favorite Ride:
plains with hills

Summary:
Well, what can I say - concerning cranksets there´s just one main criteria: durability. But it failed. It was the left one which broke right in the middle. Fortunately it did not break all of a sudden but the crank buckled more and more. Before I bought it I was also considering to buy a carbon crankset. But my main concern here was ift it break it breaks all of sudden which - depending on the current situation when it breaks - could lead to an ugly accident.

I bought it, bacause I was searching for a black crank set and I didn´t want to buy the black Shimano 105. That´s the first time I experienced a broken crank (I do also ride MTB and have never had any problems although the use should be much here - maybe because I have onls used Shimao parts on my MTBs so far)

Strengths:
decent looks. Looks much better than Shimano 105 black

Weaknesses:
Durability!!!!
I am always trying to ride with high cadence and less by standing on my pedals. So it´s kind of strange to me that it broke. My MTB cranks have to bear a lot more and never failed so far - maybe because they have always been Shimanos...

Similar Products Used:
Shimano 105 & Ultegra