Originally Posted by
SurlyLaika
Hey Peter, on the Deore M591...is it the blast black finish on the crank arms that you dislike? The M590 has the option of silver or black, still researching the difference in component quality, though...I know Deore is only a step above Alivio. I would like to find something with silver crank arms, 48/36/26, 9 speed compatible in the SLX or XT range. Am I asking for too much? Should I just settle with the Deore M590?
It's the painted finish, yes. I much prefer polished silver, but nowadays even most silver components are painted rather than polished. IIRC, the M590 has 44t or 42t -- the M591 is the Deore level w/ trekking 48t rings. I didn't come across any M591 with silver arms.
You've got a few options. You could stick w/ square taper and get a Sugino XD600 or Velo Orange. Rivendell also has a nice-looking Sugino triple (the XD2). For modern Shimano cranks, the LX T661 is offered w/ 48-36-26.