This hollow forged crankset is designed for heavy-duty big terrain duties. It's super-tough without carrying around any excess weight. Chromoly steel pedal inserts add durability, as does a chunky polycarbonate bash ring, which is ideal for hopping across logs and rocks in a clumsy/carefree manner without possible outer chainring damage.
The bash ring obviously adds a bit of extra width to the complete crankset so you don’t get the theoretical bonus of a narrower Q factor (the width between the pedals), but most riders won’t notice that. The two inner rings still give you the same chain line advantages as on other doubles.
The middle chainring is aluminium, while the inner is longer lasting heat-treated steel. They're nicely profiled, which ensures excellent shifting. This crankset is available in 165, 170 and 175mm arm lengths with various ring combinations, including single rings, or you can opt to buy the crank arms alone.
Also consider: Gravity Maximum ISIS, £70. The 6061 alloy, ISIS-axled version is a bargain, complete with a bash ring and a choice of crank arm and chainring sizes.
This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.