Shimano FC-M985 XTR Race Crankset
Shimano XTR has undergone some serious changes over the years, with each and every version revealing a new look and new technical attributes. Perhaps the most notable change for this XTR Race 2x10 Hollowtech II Crankset FC-M985 is that it foregoes three chainrings for just two. We're 2x10 devotees, so this move by Shimano is a welcome change. However, they also offer a 3x10 XTR crankset, called the XTR Trail, if you like more gear options. This 2x10 XTR Race Crankset is perfect if you like to hammer and have little use for a small ring and the added complexity and extra grams of the triple ring setup. Like the last generation XTR cranks, the FC-M985 XTR Crankset uses Shimano's Hollowtech II hollow cold-forging process. This makes for a crankarm assembly that is both lighter and stronger than designs with solid arms. The outer chainring is hollow as well, and the advanced 3D shape is stiffer and more resistant to deflection when you're trying to make quick shifts up to the big ring. The chainrings are shaped according to Shimano's HG-X tooth profile design. What this means is that the shifts have been optimized. And the simplification to two rings makes shifting even easier and faster. The XTR Race 2x10 Hollowtech II Crankset FC-M985 comes in four crankarm lengths -- 170, 172. 5, 175, and 180mm. You can also choose between 28/40t and 30/42t chainring configurations. It comes as a complete crankset with an XTR Hollowtech II bottom bracket. This XTR Race 2x10 Crankset uses an 88mm Bolt Circle Diameter (BCD) that is unlike anything else on the market. So that means only XTR double rings will fit. The XTR Trail triple and 28/36t double cranks do not share this BCD. This M985 Race crankset also has a 6mm narrower Q-factor than the M980 Trail crankset.