The Noir 1.1G is a 104mm BCD (bolt circle diameter) singlespeed-specific version of Truvativ's excellent unidirectional carbon fibre Noir triple crankset.
Truvativ have opted for a 32T ring and fly-looking carbon guard to ward off accidental chain derailings. The 32T ring is spot on, and used with 15-19T rear sprockets will allow you to fine-tune your singleton to the terrain without changing the front chainring.
Anyone who has used the Noir as a triple will attest to its inherent stiffness thanks to the AL-66 alloy spine hidden deep within – an important factor on a singlespeed, which will see far more out-of-the-saddle pedal mashing than the average bike.
The Noir 1.1G, available in 170mm or 175mm lengths, gives a great performance spinning sweetly on its Truvativ GXP bottom bracket (BB). Weirdly, Fisher Outdoor – the UK SRAM importers – don’t offer the 1.1G with a GXP BB, although they do with the triple-ring version. We hope this changes as the cranks aren’t cheap and singlespeed users deserve to get a BB like the triple-ringers.
If this is your first carbon crank, remember that carbon marks when rubbed or bashed – something that happens more on singlespeed cranks than triples – but while the finish may scuff and the crank ends will get bashed, they’ll suffer no ill effects and can keep on going for years.
We’ve got several first edition versions of Noir cranks still going strong – even if they do look like they’ve been to hell and back.