Touring - chainset advice please

help me out here lads ,im going well with my bike build (thorn sherpa) but im having problems on chooseing a new chainset.the frame came with a square taper bottom bracket,now do i leave this bb on the frame, and go for square taper chainset (if so what is worth considering),or should i go for the more modern like shimano xt .if i go for xt it would mean i would need to get the bottom bracket faced ,i intend to use xt derailers 9 speed,
any thoughts thanks in advance

Americans call that a crankset. This is one place where there is a LOT of
flexibility. If you want a perfectly good but cheap way out, get a Sugino crank.
Not sure if you can get their triple cranks over there.

Basically, any crank will do. I'd stick with the BB you have, and see if you can't
find a crank for it.

thanks late,ill try and sus out that crankset ,any particular model of sugino i should look for.

Square taper is preferable to octalink or isis splines, the bearings are larger and more durable.
The external BB systems seem to hold up well but you wont get any performance advantage from them. Look for a good forged crank with durable rings. Select a bolt Circle Diameter (BCD) that allows you to fit the smallest chainring you need. Specialies-TA do rings for every size and tooth count so see what takes your fancy.

Have a look at Spa Cycles and at the Stronglight range of chainsets. Talk to the guys there and they will recommend a BB which will match. There are plenty Chainsets for your particular bike but I'm wondering why you ask these questions in an American forum when the obvious place would be the CTC forum at

http://forum.ctc.org.uk/index.php