The crank of choice for many aggressive riders the world over, the Shimano Saint has a fantastic - and well-deserved - reputation as a hardcore crankset.
The oversize Hollowtech crank arms have been manufactured with strength and durability in mind. They are at the heart of its high performance – they’re stiff as hell but comparatively light.
By reinforcing the pedal/crank interface and also the alloy crankshaft, Shimano has ensured the Saint has no weak points. The dark grey anodized finish is hardwearing and gives the cranks a sleek, elegant look.
Fitting the cranks is simple and effective. It all just slots together with no faff; no wrestling with 8mm Allen keys or a ridiculous amount of spacers.
The plastic bash guard isn’t the strongest out there, but it does its job well enough for most riders and helps keeps weight down to 1168g. As with most Shimano components, the Saint is also well priced at £160.
The loose pedal reinforcing inserts are a pain if you swap pedals regularly though, and the 32-tooth chainring on the double might be undergeared for some. You’ll also need a new bashguard if you get a bigger ring too
