Product news: If you take a closer look at racing bikes, you can often tell which groupset is installed by looking at the crank. This usually comes from one of the three major manufacturers of groupsets (Campagnolo, Shimano, Sram) and the manufacturers have also increasingly included variants with a power meter in their lineup. But it doesn't always have to be a standard manufacturer, because specialists like Rotor focus their cranks on this important core element and offer a variety of cranksets that can not only be adapted to individual needs, but are also compatible with all groupsets.
Bolt circles, chain ring bolts, spiders and the associated compatibility lists - all this unnecessarily complicates our life with the road bike. The Direct Mount standard, which has been perfected for a long time, tidies up in the long term and now also enables the use of this fantastically simple and sensible system solution on racing bikes, which is also backwards compatible with Direct Mount spiders. Direct Mount took the mountain bike market by storm a number of years ago and is now the standard for single systems. A few years ago, the Rotor cranks also promoted the topic of direct mount on racing bikes.
At that time, Rotor had paved the way for Direct Mount on racing bikes with the introduction of the completely newly developed racing bike cranks Aldhu and Vegast as modular systems (left crank arm, right crank arm, axle with DM spline) plus a Direct Mount chainring. Because the big advantage is the easy installation! Assembly/disassembly is child's play with an 8 mm Allen key. All 1x/2x chainrings are installed by unscrewing the right crank arm, detaching/attaching the chain ring and fixing the crank arm. With a single standard tool, this process can be completed in just a few minutes. This not only brings practical advantages during assembly, but is also significantly more efficient while driving, because the power transmission has been significantly improved.
Of course, the Rotor Direct Mount cranks are fully compatible with Shimano, Sram and Campagnolo.
Rotor Aldhu Carbon Crank - Inspired by Alpe d'Huez
At 260 grams (only crank arms in 172,5mm), the Rotor Aldhu crankset is the manufacturer's lightest crankset. No wonder that the name of this lightweight is an abbreviation for the legendary climb to Alpe d`Huez. The Aldhu crank features Rotor's innovative modular design with OCP Mount for the oval Q-Rings and Direct Mount technologies. In combination with the one-piece chainrings, which are CNC-milled from individual aluminum blocks, you get the perfect balance between low weight and high rigidity.
Rotor Direct Mount Crank Vegast - The new standard at a competitive price
The name Vegast is a composition and comes from three legendary climbs of the GrandTours: VELeta (Vuelta España), GAlibier (Tour de France), STelvio (Giro Italia). The focus here is on high-quality workmanship, an attractive weight and the necessary portion of robustness. Direct Mount technology is also used on this Rotor crank and consists of a special interface that connects the crank arm, axle and chain ring. The Vegast crank also features the Trinity Drilling System with three internal holes from the axle to the pedal. This gives it a particularly low weight and at the same time superior rigidity.
The advantages of Rotor Direct Mount on racing bikes
Quick and easy assembly/disassembly, no special tools required, perfect adhesion - since the chainring and axle are directly connected to each other, fewer components and low weight, aerodynamically and visually advantageous.
Rotor power meter cranks
In times of well-structured training programs and individual units, everyday cyclists can hardly be imagined without power meters. On the one hand, it allows us a more targeted training control and, on the other hand, the values can be compared quite nicely with those of the professionals. Rotor has always had its finger on the pulse with its power meters and is still a popular way to control your training today.
The Rotor 2InPower is the manufacturer's top model and comes with power measurement on both sides. The whole thing is delivered in elegant packaging and leaves a good impression as soon as you unpack it. A permanently installed and waterproof sealed lithium-ion battery can be charged via a USB cable with magnet connection. With a full charge you can drive and measure about 200 hours. The special feature: With the Rotor 2InPower, you rely on two different measuring systems in one device. A total of 8 strain gauges and an acceleration sensor take care of recording the force and movement data, which are recorded and output individually from both legs. The strain gauges are installed in both the axle and the right crank arm. The cadence is determined via the acceleration sensor. The manufacturer assures that the recalibration required for most devices before each ride is not necessary with the Rotor 2InPower. Data can be transferred to all common devices via ANT+ or Bluetooth Smart.
A big advantage of the Rotor 2InPower crank compared to other systems is, as already mentioned, the measurement on both sides. In our case, conclusions about the seating position could also be drawn from the left-right distribution recorded from this. In addition, a double-sided measurement is particularly recommended for athletes with previous injuries or complaints, since the risk of a strongly one-sided load and a resulting imbalance can be prevented here.
Rotor cranks - conclusion
Some prefer to rely on add-on parts and components from a single source, while others prefer to beautify their bike with more exclusive parts. For the latter, a look at Rotor is definitely worthwhile. Among other things, especially against the background that the major manufacturers such as Shimano, Sram and Campagnolo are difficult to deliver and also have hardly any power meters in stock. So if you are looking for high-quality alternatives or something more special parts with high precision, best workmanship and an appealing look, we think Rotor gold is the right choice. We had loads of fun with the parts and the ease of assembly is just the icing on the cake.