Shimano

SLX SM-CRM75 Direct-Mount Chainring

special tool required, heavy

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

You need a special tool to install this on the crank arm, either Park Tool LRT-4 - Shimano Direct Mount Lockring Tool or Shimano TL-FC41 DM Chainring Installation Tool. Neither of which is common enough for any local bike shop to stock. This should be called out in the description. The manuals for this ring cover bottom bracket installation and crank-to-bike installation, but say nothing about installing the chainring on the crank arm. This is actually the 3rd "special" tool needed to install new BB-MT800 bottom bracket, FC-M7120 SLX crankset, and this chainring. First you need a special bottom bracket tool which used to be included with the BB-MT800 bb but either isn't anymore or I got a bb with missing pieces. Then you need the tool I mentioned above. And finally you need another small plastic tool to install/remove the cap on the non-drive side. Shimano should be ashamed of themselves, there are plenty of other crankset manufacturers that only require one special tool, rather than 3. This is likely the last shimano crankset I'll ever install. It's also heavy. It's weird that it is a 2-piece chainring where virtually every other manufacturer just uses a single piece. The chainring itself feels really heavy compared to every other one (from other brands) I've ever installed. The weight feels like it's the center piece rather than the ring.