If you need a higher speed and better pedaling efficiency for your bike, you should get a new crankset. You can get all these benefits and more from the SHIMANO Alivio 9-speed crankset. This SHIMANO crankset offers optimum performance and maximum longevity on all parts.
Installing a good crankset on your mountain bike will make it ride faster and allow you to switch between gears smoothly. But to enjoy these benefits, you need one that fits well. Getting a perfect match for your bike is quite difficult, that’s why we have provided great information to reduce your shopping worries.
No matter your budget or preference, we got you covered with our selected best crankset for mountain bike. We also provided criteria to help you choose the right one that will suit your biking needs. So, no need to worry if you don’t know the best chainring size or crank arm length for your bike.
Top 5 Best Crankset for Mountain Bike
1. Our Top Pick – SHIMANO Alivio 9-Speed Mountain Bicycle Crankset
A bicycle that functions without snags is the joy of the rider. The SHIMANO Alivio 9-Speed Mountain Bike crankset guarantees that all parts of the bike work ideally. It ensures that your components last longer and are more reliable in action.
Besides, it comes with four detachable Allen screws that sustain the larger chainring. The screws hold the 40-tooth cog on the outside, providing smooth riding through the mountain. It features a unique setting where the biggest and middle chainring shares the same bolts. But the smallest chainring in 9-speed has different fastening nuts.
What’s more, this SHIMANO crankset is the best replacement for the original crank in any mountain bike. It is also easy to detach when disassembling the bike components. However, always ensure that you grease it all the time to avoid snags and friction.
Drawback
It ticks all the boxes for a top choice crankset, but there are a few letdowns. First, It doesn’t come with the bottom bracket, which causes extra expenses because you will buy from a store. Also, no instructional manual included, so whatever you need to fix, you have to search the internet or take it to a professional.
2. Best Unisex Crankset- SRAM GX Eagle DUB Crankset
Achieve the smoother shifting between gears with the SRAM GX Eagle DUB Crankset. It comes in a unique package to offer a performance that is second to none. It comes with one of the most durable unified bottom brackets. This feature combines excellent performance with impressive quality.
Furthermore, due to the unified bottom brackets, the tool is compatible with any bike. So, whether your bicycle has a threaded, press-fit, or BB30 bracket, SRAM DUB will fit well. Hence, the quality and longevity of your bike components improve on an even keel.
SRAM GX features optimal stiffness and reliability across all twelve gears. Also, it is lightweight and easy to fuse in and out. But you need to grease it well to avoid too much stiffening. It offers improved standards on your machine parts since you don’t need an entire replacement.
What’s more, it comes with 165mm crank arms that prevent pedal strikes. This feature ensures that even at high speed, you don’t crash into the tree when you brake abruptly.
Drawbacks
The Bottom bracket makes a creaky sound that is quite annoying when rode on mud. Another downside is that you need strong wrenches to detach this crankset because they are tough to remove. Moreover, if you have a SuperBoost rear end, consider other option brackets because this one isn’t compatible.
3. Best Budget Crankset – CDHPOWER Single Speed Crankset
The CDHPOWER single speed crankset comes with forged alloy crank arms. It’s best to give it a go! Imagine the durability guaranteed by the carbon steel chainring, absolutely fascinating. However, it is compatible with 9/16-inch pedals and quarter-inch chainrings.
Besides, the crankset is very lightweight and doesn’t cause snag on the bike’s speed when installed. It is also easy to fix in thanks to its square taper interface and 200mm length. And the brakes are so fluid since it has pedal crankarms that are 165mm long.
The crankset doesn’t just come as a complete package on the left and right crank arm, but it also includes the chainring. This CDHPOWER crankset is incredibly durable and long-lasting, but it also comes with 12-month parts and a labor warranty.
If you wish to go faster on the bumps of hilly terrains, you need a larger and stronger chainring. CHDPOWER provides the compatibility your bike needs to perform better at a low price. It’s one of the best budget cranksets on the market.
Drawbacks
A bigger chainring in front comes with its issues and drawbacks. One of them is that it makes the bike hard to climb the mountain terrains. With that said, you need advanced gearing to surmount a steep and high hill. That means more expenses.
4. Best Single Speed Crankset – Ganopper Single Speed Crankset
This Ganopper crankset comes with many amazing features, is very affordable, and has widespread compatibility. Yes, it is well-matched with numerous 1X systems like the 9, 10, and 11s crank system. It comes with a left and right crank and an arm’s length of 170mm.
Moreover, it sports a threaded bottom bracket, which is usable on Shimano and FSA system bikes. You can get this Ganopper crankset if you have an SRAM XX1 system with single speed technology. It’s also a worthy stand-in for square-taper cranksets. What’s more, the crankset has a noiseless operation.
Drawbacks
The factory failed to tap the threads on the cranks for the pedals. The blank threads can cause issues for you when riding, so you have to find a place and fix it. The chainring works great to prevents chain drops, but they wear out after a short while.
Criteria for Choosing the Best Crankset for Mountain Bike
Crank Arm Length
On regular-sized mountain bikes, the crank arm has a length of 175mm. However, smaller models come with crank arms of 165mm.
If you are one of the many that have been asking how do I know what crankset I need, here are excellent tips for you. Well, before choosing a suitable-sized crank arm for your bike, consider how you use your bike. If you spend more time uphill, you should select one with a shorter arm length. But if you are taking a downhill ride, a more extended variant will be the best option.
Also, think about the size of your legs. If you have short legs, you should choose a short crank arm. For people with longer legs, go for one with a longer arm length.
Apart from these tips, you can try out a crank arm of various sizes. But choose the option that feels comfortable.
But if you don’t want to spend hours finding the best crankset for mountain bikes, then consider seeking advice from a professional bike fitter. That way, you don’t get the wrong crank length.
Crankset Materials
A crankset has crank arms and chainrings. Usually, they are made from materials like titanium, aluminum alloy, carbon fiber, and various types of steel.
There are many bike crankset types, so before you choose any, consider the material. If you want something light but sturdy, choose a carbon fiber MTB crankset. But if you are on a low budget, go for aluminum or Chromoly steel crankset.
Chain Rings and Gear Ratio
Asides from the length of the crank arm, you should consider the gear ratio. This feature provides the energy needed to pedal your wheels. If you want to see the value of your gear ratio, you need to put the size of the front chainring and rear cog into consideration.
If you have a large front chainring but smaller rear cogs, your bike has a high gear. But if the rear cog is larger, then your bicycle has a low gearing.
High gear bikes are ideal for downhill rides or cycling across flat land because they offer incredible power and speed. However, they require a large amount of energy. For smooth uphill journeys, take a low geared bike because they produce less speed with less power. If you don’t know the best chainring size or crank arm length for your bike, then read on.
Consider the Number of Chain Rings
The earliest shifting bikes featured single front chainrings. But as time passed, companies manufactured bikes with double or triple chainrings. The cranksets with dual and triple traveled at greater lengths and moved faster than single – chained models.
But multiple chainrings have some drawbacks. First, they are expensive and weigh more than single models. Furthermore, they also have complicated features.
If you want the best crankset for mountain bike rides, try getting a model with single chainrings. But make sure the rear cog can withstand frequent ascents and descents on uneven ground.
If you love long-distance ride or climbing uphill, single chainrings cannot meet your needs. Instead, stick with cranksets that come with double or triple chainrings.
Bottom Bracket
When it comes to MTB crankset and bottom bracket compatibility, there are things you should consider. For one, different frames have different sizes of bottom brackets. Two distinct parts make up the bottom brackets- the bracket itself and the space (for the bracket) on the bicycle frame.
A compatible crankset should fit a bottom bracket without any hassles. But If you can’t get the right fit, you can purchase an adapter of the same brand as your crankset.
Some crankset comes with a bottom bracket, but if yours doesn’t, you can buy a new one or reuse the old bracket.
Final Word on Best Crankset for Mountain Bike
Effortless pedaling and good speed are some factors that bring about a great ride with mountain bikes. With that said, your bicycle needs one of the best cranksets MTB to pull this off. You can get a crankset anywhere, but buying the best is quite challenging.
Therefore, we gathered enough information and selected the best crankset for mountain bikes on the market. Pick anyone we listed above because they feature the best crank arm lengths and chainrings for a smooth and enjoyable ride on rough terrain.
