I am in search for the stiffest, lightest, and all around performance road bike crank money can by! Any feedback would be a huge plus!-Quin

http://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/drivetrain/cranksets/shimano/PRD_288883_2491crx.aspx

You're going to need specify a price range because cranks can run from about $100 to $1200 or so.

No price range. The more $ usually the merrier!

I am getting the Campagnolo Record 5 piece set but without the cranckset bc i am thing of adding the Zipp 300 instead of the Record's carbon set.

Time AXS costs about as much as or more than the Zipp

IMO once you get into the mid lines of the popular name brands there's little difference. As far as stiffness is concerned, none of them flex so you'd notice. What you feel flexing is your bottom bracket on your bike. My suggestion is to pick the one you think looks the nicest.

No price range. The more $ usually the merrier!I've got a pair of Suntour Cyclone cranks I'll sell for $5,000. That should put out the fire in your wallet.

Clavicula cranks are really light, and supposedly quite stiff. I don't have the $ to afford them though.

Clavicula cranks are really light, and supposedly quite stiff. I don't have the $ to afford them though.

+1. I'd say THM Claviculas or the Zipp cranks. Storck Powerarms are nice....and made by THM. Outside of those, I'd spring for Record Ultra Torque cranks.

Time ASX and Dura Ace cranks are two of the ugliest cranksets I've ever seen.

Yep, the Zipp crank weighs less than the Campy Record UT crank by about 180 grams, but the Zipp BB weighs about 140 grams more than the Campy BB cups, so the entire weight gain is about 40 grams. I'm not paying that much for a 40 gram savings even if I have the money.


Ronin7,

Do you honestly have nothing better to spend or invest your money into? Utterly insane. Don't get me wrong, I love nice bikes and have 3 Colnagos with Record groupos on them and I have almost every Zipp wheel that is made, but at some point you just have to say enough is enough. Every day there will be something that is "better" than what you already have.

+2 on the THM Clavicula cranks. It just doesn't get any lighter, stiffer, smoother and just great looking.

Just get the claviculas- there's nothing else if you've got the money.

The Claviculas look pretty nice, but why do they give the weight of the bottom bracket and crankset without including the chainrings in the weight. With that weight of 420 grams, they seem to be super light, but how much do chainrings weigh. Also, with the Claviculas, there is an 85 kg rider weight limitation. Still, they do look really nice, but so do the Zipp 300 and Campy Record carbon cranks.

The Claviculas look pretty nice, but why do they give the weight of the bottom bracket and crankset without including the chainrings in the weight. With that weight of 420 grams, they seem to be super light, but how much do chainrings weigh. Also, with the Claviculas, there is an 85 kg rider weight limitation. Still, they do look really nice, but so do the Zipp 300 and Campy Record carbon cranks.

1. THM doesn't sell chainrings w/ the Claviculas, so why would they include the weight, especially when they don't know what chainrings you'll use?

2. The weight limit on road Claviculas is 95kg.

1. I had no idea about that. You would think for $1,800 they would include chainrings made out of titanium even though titanium would wear rather quickly and be quite expensive.

2. Sorry for the typo. 95 kg/207 lbs. is the correct weight limitation.

No cranksets could be worth that amount! I've read that most people out there say that the zipp 300 are the best sets money can buy. If you actually paid that much for a set i feel for you! I see the pros are either using dura-ace or Campy record.

The zipps are good, but i think that even with the double row of bearings, its not as good as the external BB setup. Since you are running campy, run the Record UT, and get the upgraded ceramic bearings. that is the cats meow. I don't care what any one says, campy shifts/run better on campy and shimano runs better on shimano. if you ran DA, i would say get the Dura-ace crank, and again upgrade to the ceramic bearings. I have a set of the record UT, and they are sweet. and plenty stiff (and i am a bigger guy that usually worries about stiffness over low weight).

trust me, you will not be disappointed with the UT!

Thanks for the input mpk, can i get whoever i buy my campy record groupo set from add the ceramic bearings instead of the ones that come with it? How much are the upgrade for the ceramic bearings as well as should i get the compact carbon record crank, is that the same as the ultra torque? A lot of q's i know but this info is vital upon spending this kind of $$$! Thanks, Quin

can i get whoever i buy my campy record groupo set from add the ceramic bearings instead of the ones that come with it?

Here's a way you can spend the same amount of $$ and get the same performance improvement. Buy a regular Campy crank set and send me the extra $$ you would have blown on the ceramic bearings. I'll donate the $$ to a good charity, the world will be a better place, and your crankset will perform just the same as if it had ceramic bearings in it.

should i get the compact carbon record crank, is that the same as the ultra torque?

You want the best crankset and you don't know whether you should get a compact? Something's fishy here! You get a compact if you need lower gears (34 or 36 small chain ring vs. 39 on a regular set). Ultratorque is Campy's current BB design on their higher end cranks, and so it would come with either Record or high end compact. Maybe you need to do a little more riding and learning about bikes before being so willing to throw money at this :)

Thanks Kerry, i appreciate the info on this. I work my ass off as a contractor and i make very good money so i guess i don't have the experience of the bike riding lingo as you do. The rest of my time i spend at the gym getting in shape not only to please myself but to keep myself in shape by being able to take out all these little hot-ass girls in Mississippi. If you want to be a ****in-smartass about this then go ahead but please don't even attempt to compare your life with mine. I have graduated from a top-notch college and my family owns a very successful building/apartment management company so who gives a **** how well i know this, that's why i am on here for some answers *******!

Ronin7.... you're a TOOL.

I'm sure your a real true winner mister Flyn! Nice TOOL lingo!

Personally, if you have the money, I say spend it if you want to. I am 36 with my own law/CPA practice and an $8,000 bike. Raced in my second race of the year this weekend in men's Cat V 24-29, and got 14th out of 40. On the last lap we had a guy go off the front and nobody could pull him back in. In the group sprint, I passed two guys coming up from the back. Do I really need a $8,000 bike to race in this group? Do most of us really need the setup we have to ride leasurely on the weekend or a couple of times a week that we do? NOPE. What is great about this nation is that you can spend your money ALMOST any way you want to. almost = no illegal drugs, bribes, kickbacks, etc.

I had been riding the same bike for the past 20 years and even though I had been eyeing up some Colnagos and DeRosas on Wrench Science over the past 5 years, I never pulled the trigger on one. When I decided to buy a new bike last year, it took 6 months of research to figure out what I really wanted. Now, I own 3 Colnagos and am looking for a 4th if anything inspires me. Do I need all these bikes? Who knows.

Since you are just getting into cycling, I would suggest that a Campy Record groupo would be just fine for you. You could also probably get away with a standard crank instead of the compact unless you are looking at doing some pretty big climbs. About the only time I need the small chainring anymore is for a 500 foot, 1 1/4 mile climb that I do around here.

If you are at all mechanically inclined, you will be able to swap out the bearings in the crankset if you decide you really need them, but since you aren't racing I don't see any need for ceramic bearings. Heck, I am racing and they will be the last upgrade that I make to my bike if I think it would even make that much of a difference. From what I have read, ceramic bearings only make a real difference on things that spin REALLY quick, and your cranks, wheels, or whatever else on your bike that could possibly spin, will not be spinning that quick.

As far as smart remarks are concerned, it happens on here, but usually in a good way. Kerry Irons seems to be a pretty good guy, so try not to take him the wrong way.

ronin7, in all honesty, it sounds to me like what you are really looking for is the best performing crankset with a big bonus for the most bragging rights. That's fine if you can really afford it. You'll find that once you get to a certain level, things are fairly similar performance wise. I think what you want to get is something that most people can't afford or find. Try getting your hands on a set of Zero Gravity cranks, if you can find them. There are some pre-production sets out in testers hands somewhere. With those you'll get all the performance and "WOW" factor you want.
Good Luck finding some :)

1. I had no idea about that. You would think for $1,800 they would include chainrings made out of titanium even though titanium would wear rather quickly and be quite expensive.

2. Sorry for the typo. 95 kg/207 lbs. is the correct weight limitation.

$1800? No way. They're $1200 or so right now. You have to handle a set to really see why they are priced the way they are. They are very labor intensive to make, and they come out of a small shop. That leads to increased cost. Then there's the whole demand thing. Demand last year meant wait times of over 30 weeks. I'm not sure what the wait is this year. Demand definitely drives the cost up. Also, the cost of CF rose pretty sharply causing a $200 increase in cost.

I'm guessing the reason that THM doesn't package them with cranks is that they are a CF shop only. It's possible that they want to leave the decision on chainrings up to the buyer. I dunno.

No cranksets could be worth that amount! I've read that most people out there say that the zipp 300 are the best sets money can buy. If you actually paid that much for a set i feel for you! I see the pros are either using dura-ace or Campy record.

People say all kinds of things. Some say Dura Ace are the best. Some say Campy are the best. Some say Stronglight are the best. Some say Tune are the best. Some say Time are the best. So, who's right?

If no crank is worth that amount, why'd did you say or imply that you didn't have an upper limit on your price range?

Pro's use what they're given. In case you missed it, Thomas Voeckler used Stronglight Pulsions when he was wearing the yellow jersey for all those days in the TdF a few years ago. Does that mean that Stronglights are the best? I see lots o' pros using Flite saddles, Ariones......and they kill my ass. Does that mean I'm wrong because the pros use them?

And why should you feel for anyone based on what they spent for a bike or parts? It's their money and their ride. It's no concern of yours, and I'm willing to bet they wouldn't put much value in having your pity.

Thanks Kerry, i appreciate the info on this. I work my ass off as a contractor and i make very good money so i guess i don't have the experience of the bike riding lingo as you do. The rest of my time i spend at the gym getting in shape not only to please myself but to keep myself in shape by being able to take out all these little hot-ass girls in Mississippi. If you want to be a ****in-smartass about this then go ahead but please don't even attempt to compare your life with mine. I have graduated from a top-notch college and my family owns a very successful building/apartment management company so who gives a **** how well i know this, that's why i am on here for some answers *******!

Golly. A top notch university, a successful building/apartment management company, hot-ass Mississippi girls, AND you pump yourself at the gym. Rock on, dude!

Kerry wasn't insulting you at all. He raised a valid point: that is, you said you're looking for the "best" crankset available; yet you aren't sure what kind of crank you want or need. You should ease up on the sensitivity pills. I think they're making you over-compensate.

And Kerry is spot-on about the ceramic bearings. Ceramic bearings best property is that they drain a wallet efficiently. Outside of that, their benefits are marginal.

$1800? No way. They're $1200 or so right now. You have to handle a set to really see why they are priced the way they are. They are very labor intensive to make, and they come out of a small shop. That leads to increased cost. Then there's the whole demand thing. Demand last year meant wait times of over 30 weeks. I'm not sure what the wait is this year. Demand definitely drives the cost up. Also, the cost of CF rose pretty sharply causing a $200 increase in cost.

I'm guessing the reason that THM doesn't package them with cranks is that they are a CF shop only. It's possible that they want to leave the decision on chainrings up to the buyer. I dunno.

Wow!!! $1200 and you still don't get the cranks! I guess I must be rich! ;^)

Ronin,
i just moved from miss (i was in meridian as a flight instructor for the navy advanced strike training program) and i would say that you should probably go for the standard crank. there are some hills in Miss, but its not like you live in CO or NH and are climbing mountains all day. a std crank with a 12-25 rear gearset would be fine for just about everything you would probably ride.

as far as ceramic bearings go, the are good. they have been around for decades in other industries, and cycling has just adopted them. will you notice a difference, maybe, maybe not. same thing goes if you get the zero gravity ti brakes from the standard record brakes. you really think saving 10-30 grams (or what ever it is) is going to get you another 3-4 mph average on your favorite ride? but, all of this stuff is a cumulative gain. you add light parts, you get ceramic bearings on the crank and wheels, it all adds up. thats how guys get light bikes.

the reason i said to go with the ceramics (and i have the record UT, but with the std bearings) is because you asked "what is the best", and thats it. i think when you get to the top level the are all real good. and every has on opinion. i mean i am sure the guys over at zipp are not making there $1000 crank and bb setup and say "boy this stuff is just crap and i can't believe anyone would even run it". i mean they have there opinion and lots of smart guys trying to make a good product.

i just don't think that it will shift as good as the campy crank will with the campy setup. case in point. i used to run 9 speed DA with a 9 speed record front crank. it ran, but i droped the chain shifting the front derailleur on that setup more than on any other setup i have ever run. when i switched that setup out to the full 10 speed record (same frame mind you), i have not droped the chain at all, and i really tried to get it too, just to see if i had something else going on.

All of this is just my opinion, so take it any way you like. i am sure there are people out there that are as good, better or worse at wrenching on a bike than i am or riding that totally agree or disagree with me. thats ok. thats why there is more than one brand of parts out there.

best of luck and sorry for the long winded explination. let me know if you want any other info.