Originally Posted by tarwheel

You can't go wrong with Shimano, IMHO. However, I have a Sugino as well as Dura-Ace triple cranks on two of my bikes. The Sugino (50-24-24) is definitely geared better for carrying loads, and that one is on my touring bike. The DA crank is geared a little too high for loaded touring (52-39-30) but works great on my sport touring bike that I use for commuting, recreational riding and supported tours.