Verve has released the £4,740 InfoCrank 3D-printed titanium power meter.
The new Verve InfoCrank 3D Ti is triple the cost of the brand’s InfoCrank Classic, making it one of the priciest – if not the priciest – power meters available.
The crankset is made from 3D-printed titanium and offers dual-sided power measurement.
Verve claims this ensures power accuracy with data error of less than one per cent, and there is no need to recalibrate or zero the device.
The 3D Ti works the same as other InfoCrank power meters and has ANT+ connectivity.
The company claims the measurement tool is water- and weatherproof, and doesn’t suffer data drift – when temperature fluctuations interfere with readings.
The track crank has a bolt-circle diameter of 144mm, and the road crank is available in 110mm or 130mm diameters.
How and why is the Verve InfoCrank 3D Ti made from titanium?
According to Verve, the perfect shape for a crank arm is a sealed box with internal parts and varied wall diameter.
This is hard to achieve using typical manufacturing methods, but 3D printing allows the inner faces of the crank to be designed as required, the manufacturer claims.
Metron Additive Engineering’s Dimitris Katsanis – formerly of British Cycling and Team Sky – assisted Verve with the design of the InfoCrank 3D Ti.
The manufacturing process sees Ti6Al4V titanium powder melted by a high-power electron beam in a vacuum.
By comparison, the InfoCrank Classic is made from aluminium and weighs 909g. Verve has not disclosed what weight reduction the new material composition brings.
However, Verve’s Dave Parsons explains that titanium’s advantages extend beyond its durability, stiffness, strength and low weight.
“The 3D Ti AM method of manufacture enables anyone to specify exactly what they want from the crank,” he says.
“Asymmetrical leg lengths, optimised chainline, weight, strength, shape, BCD, whatever you want, and it can be done quickly and to the highest aerospace-grade tolerances.”
What should we expect from the Verve InfoCrank 3D Ti?
Verve says the InfoCrank 3D Ti is the first dual-sided power measurement tool to use a titanium 3D-printed crank arm.
The 3D Ti is supposed to share other qualities of its predecessors such as the Verve InfoCrank Classic.
It is designed to provide accurate power data by recording the force produced by each leg independently, before combining the data into a total power output.
Previous InfoCrank power meter models needed little recalibration or zeroing, and Verve claims the 3D Ti will be similarly fuss-free.
The 3D Ti measures torque and cadence from within each crank arm 256 times per second, according to Verve, which should supply enough data for riders who love crunching numbers.
Which bikes is the Verve InfoCrank 3D Ti compatible with?
The InfoCrank 3D Ti’s spindle is 24mm, which is the same as the InfoCrank Classic. This means it should fit into standard Shimano bottom brackets. The track crank has an ISIS bottom bracket.
The brand also says the InfoCrank 3D Ti comes in multiple lengths and both four-arm and five-arm spiders, making it adjustable to different setups.
When is the Verve InfoCrank 3D Ti out?
Great Britain track cyclists are already using the track version of the crank. Verve says 30 per cent of track podium finishers in Tokyo 2020 trained for the Games with an InfoCrank.
The power meter is also being used on mountain and BMX bikes.
The road model will be on sale in spring. It will cost £4,740 / AU$7000 / $5,400 / €4,750. Verve says prices for bespoke designs are provided on request.
