Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Short cranks are officially in! Race Face is the latest component brand to offer short cranks to improve bike fit and reduce pedal strikes. Learn about the new 160mm Race Face Era and Turbine Cranks here…
If you’ve ever wondered if shorter cranks are right for you, a good place to start is the real-world crank length test that my friend Dave and I published last winter. To summarize, after a handful of experiments, we discovered that short cranks won’t slow you down like you might expect. Go too short, though, and you run the risk of negatively affecting your position on the bike. Our big takeaway was that most people should at least try running shorter cranks if the opportunity arises, and many of us could benefit from dropping 10-20mm of crank length from what we’re already using.
Over the last few years, we’ve seen more and more component brands begin offering shorter versions of their cranks. The latest to join in on the trend is Race Face in Canada. Previously only available in 165, 170, and 175mm lengths, Race Face has expanded the Era and Turbine crank lineup to include a shorty 160mm option.
According to Race Face, the option for shorter cranks has the potential to reduce pedal strikes and knee pain while improving bike fit and descending performance. The Era is the strongest, stiffest, and most durable carbon crank ever created by Race Face, finished with a unique stainless steel wear plate to protect against shoe rub and scuffs. The Turbine is Race Face’s workhorse crankset and has been around for 30 years. It’s made from 7050 Aluminum and offers excellent value for a durable alloy crankset.
The 160mm Era crankset weighs 506 grams (17.8 ounces), complete with a 32T chainring and all hardware. The 160mm Turbine crankset weighs 579 grams (20.4 ounces) with a 32T chainring and all hardware. The Era crank comes in a variety of color options and costs $499 USD, while the more affordable Turbine crank costs $179 USD.
To learn more, you can visit Race Face’s webisite or stop in at your local dealer. Find details for the Era Crank here, and the Turbine crank here.
Further Reading
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