I was going to get some shimano saints for christmas, but my mum brought me a new pc instead !! yay. Any way, my birthday is comign up (25th) and i am going to put some money towards getting seom new cranks.
I want external bottom bracket as they are (aparrently) much stronger, as my freinds and people on here claim.

So what ones do i get, my LBS recomends the race face evolve dh's but alot of people recomend the saints. I also have seen the charge cranks. Do they use external bb, and anybody know how good they are ?

I am alot more into street riding now, but still do the odd bit of downhill, dirt jumps, and go to the skate park now and again.(dont know if htat makes any difference to your recomendations)

I'm looking at getting Saints, something like £120 on CRC.... most reasonable.

Though I don't have experiance of either yet...

yh same here, the evolve dh cranks look alot nicer though, (i know its only aesthetics but its an extra point :))

Mate has Hone (more hard XC orientated) cranks and says they're good and pretty light, no issues with bearing sealing, easy to fit aswell. One of my Explorer leaders uses Saints, rides dh on Intense M1 and they seem to do him a good job. IMO Saints look very nice in the flesh.

Saints, stiff strong and proper bling :-)

I've been really impressed with my saints. They are really stiff and I haven't heard a creek of groan from them in the 6 months I've had them (ISIS BB's were only lasting a couple of months). Only thing is the rings last no time at all. I bought the cranks with 3 rings but would have been better off buying with a single ring and replacing that with a decent set of rings from the start. Just fitted Blackspire Super Pro's.

Whats the deal with facing the BB shell for external bearings, I hear that it has to be done very precisly otherwise it bugggers bearings etc up, is this true?

I had my BB shell faced to a degree when my frame was powder coated, that should make things alright shouldn't it?

they have to be faced to mkae sure they are completely true (i believe) other wise the bearings ware down REALY quikly( or so ive been told )

I guess I'll have to check HOW true mine are then.....

i guess i was wrong

Sorry, that wasn't a dig, rather appalling use of punctuation on my part!

Who out there is running outboard bearings and what did you do in terms of bb facing?

LBS done mine £10.

I had a mare after my frame was powder coated, the shop sent it to a bloke, who went to Japan on a business trip - full sus-less angry me for the summer.

lol =D

You need to face the frame to make sure that the bearings are parallel on the bike, otherwise they'll wear unevenly and consequently far faster. It'll cost you a few squid and take five minutes.