You may be thinking about having a new crankset for your mountain bike. A crankset, sometimes called a chainset or groupset, is an essential part of a mountain bike that comes with a crank, chainrings, and bottom bracket. It can provide you with smooth shifting, high speeds, and good-pedaling efficiency. In spite of these features, the right crankset may even be one that fits you better.
When it comes to choosing the best MTB crankset for your bike, it may become challenging to have the right one. Different types of cranksets are available on the market today, which will make you fall into confusion. For that reason, we’ve shared a review of an excellent MTB crankset with you. So, keep reading the whole article to know how it functions properly with your mountain bike.
Review of SRAM GXP 175mm 50-34T White Apex Compact Crankset
The SRAM While Apex Crankset is one of the best MTB cranksets in today’s market. It offers maximum stiffness with minimum weight, so many professionals highly accept it. Also, this crankset itself is a 175mm 50-34T length, which is the standard size among professional mountain bikers. Besides, this MTB crankset includes some other essential features. So, let’s check them below.
Chainrings and GXP Spindle
When we take a look at the GXP spindle, we can see this one is a spindle of 24 to 22 millimeters. The GXP Spindle comes with AL-7075-T6 hard-anodized excellent chainrings. And these small chainrings provide you pick-up spikes and a precise tooth profile. You will also find them durable for a long time.
Bottom Bracket
You’re also going to have a bottom bracket in this crankset, which is mainly a threaded bottom bracket. Then you can see outboard bearings into the bottom bracket. It also rides right on the bearing seats on the spindle of the crank. Finally, you need to attach the bottom bracket with both the crank arm and the chain wheel.
Crank Arm
Let’s take a look at the crank arm of this crankset. It is a non-drive crank arm and will mount on the other side of the crankset. It’s a pretty nice looking crank arm which you know is made of solid aluminum. Besides, the crank arm features cold-forged alloy and provides smooth shifting as well.
Overall Weight
The total crankset weight is 796, which is certainly not a lightweight crank. But considering the cost and the performance, you can get it as it is a rather good piece of equipment. On the other hand, the threaded bottom bracket is a pretty good looking piece that weighs only 109 grams. So, we find this MTB crankset less than 890 grams, which is provided by the manufacturer.
Pros
- Offers maximum stiffness
- Comes with cold-forged alloy crank arms
- Provides long-lasting finishes
- Includes bottom bracket
- Ensures durability
Cons
- The chainrings might not be as durable as your expectations
Conclusion
The SRAM Apex provides almost everything that a mountain biker wants to have. It comes with quality materials so that you can use it for a long time. It also offers an excellent gear range and brings a familiar performance package within an affordable price. So, if you choose this gear for your bike, it may be a suitable option for you.