The only quibble we’ve ever had with the Comet is that a smaller inner ring option would be good, but with cassettes offering up to 36 teeth now available you should be looking at triple cranksets if this is a problem.
The reasonable price of the 386 makes it a great choice for anyone who regularly damages kit: you can pay this much just for two new chainrings on more costly cranksets. Wide-profile scalloped arms are stiff and the wide three-arm spider gives lots of support to the rings. It’s a durable setup that can handle punishment.
The rings have fewer ramps and pins than some of the more costly opposition but shifting is reliable, if slightly clunkier under power than more upmarket cranks. The steel inner ring is very durable, making up for its extra weight, but the all-in weight still compares with more costly units. Bottom bracket performance is good, far more durable than FSA bottom brackets used to be.
Also consider: FSA Comet MegaExo triple, £130. Gain a bashguard without spending much by buying a triple Comet and replacing the outer ring.
This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.