Strengths: Integrated axle is very strong and smooth, cranks are really stiff, Looks good, excelent price.
Weaknesses: Can be a faff to prepare your bike properly, Incredibly soft rings (3 Months of not particularly hard use!)
Overall: Marketed as a budget alternative to saint 'freeride' type cranks, The hone chainset is a great option for those of you looking to give your bike a bit more toughness and durability. The Hollowtech 2 system is smooth and well-sealed, and the cranks are reliably stiff and solid, without being too heavy. But there is a downside- The rings are made from a stunningly soft alloy that will vitually self-destruct in no time at all, which for a crank which styles itself as 'all mountain' seems ludicrous. Swaping to a deore steel middle ring will add a tiny amount of weight, but give you a massive boost to durability. They also look a great deal more purposeful with a bash-guard to replace the outer ring. When you consider that the price includes the cost of a bottom bracket, you realise that these cranks offer stunning value, but be prepare to spend a little extra to get them just-right.
Overall: An incredible well-specced bike, which gives great value! Now actually comes equiped with Hayes hydraulic disks, Sun rims, Titec bars and Truvativ cranks! This bike rides incredibly well, much like a Specialized enduro, with the same sort of geometry and travel (changable between 4.5 and 5.1 inches). The group set is the solid Deore, with a set of Truvativ 5d cranks to add a little 'Name credibility'. Light wheels, reasonable tyres(Maxxis Dy-no-mites), and a surprisingly low weight mean that the Fluid3 is a great all-round trail bike. Best of all the design of the frame means that the standover hight is the same in all the sizes, and is ultra low, so even my girlfriend with a 26" inside leg can ride it! Downsides? Well the headset and BB work, but are worth upgrading to make the most of the bike and the Marzocci EXR Pro forks are pretty low-level items, wiyh no real adjustment to speak of, but for a price of just under a grand, you get a hell of a lot of bike for the money! Do budget for a set of pedals though, as the ones fitted are truly terrible- no grip, flimsy and cheap. Overall, if you are looking for a great value, well performing and high specified steed, especially if you are a bit lacking in the leg length department, you wont go far wrong.
