Cranks, Cranksets, Chainrings

Things to Know

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Purchasing a pre-owned crankset can provide one of the most cost efficient ways of obtaining one of the most important components on a drivetrain without spending a fortune. At half the price of new, you can get something that performs just as well. But, there are things you need to look out for in order to avoid hidden costs.

Bottom bracket compatibility. Make sure your cranks will work with your bottom bracket.
Crank arm length. Make sure the crank arm is the right size for your body. 165mm for shorter, 170mm – 172.5 for average height. 175 for taller. Your knees will thank me later.
Wear and damage – while the arms will last forever, the rings will wear out over time. Look for shark teeth! If the teeth on the chainrings are sharpened to a point with rounding at the base, that’s a big warning. Newer teeth will be rounded and squared. Most chainrings have different shaped teeth to catch the chain and shift smoothly. So, different shapes aren’t the problem. Sharp pointy teeth with cavernous lows are.