Sea Otter tech: New crank and rings from Rotor
Rotor introduces a new lightweight crankset with almost universal compatibility, along with new ovalized rings for four-arm MTB spiders
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MONTEREY, California (VN) — Rotor has announced a new forged aluminum crankset, dubbed the 3Df, with a new BB axle that will be almost universally compatible. The new offering uses much of the same technology found on the existing 3D model cranks, including the company’s Trinity Drilling System, which bores out the crank arms to drastically decrease weight without decreasing
A new 30mm UBB (Universal Bottom Bracket) axle makes the set lighter than the 3D, and, best of all, keeps the new crank compatible with virtually every frame on the market.
That’s right, the 3Df will be compatible with BBright, BB386, BB30, PF30, BB86, ITA, and BSA bottom brackets, without the use of silly shims. The only standard with which the cranks won’t work is BB90/94.
The 3Df will come in compact and standard road versions, as well as 110/74 BCD 2×10 and 104/64 3×10 mountain versions. Weight is only 532 grams, and available arm lengths include 170, 172.5, and 175mm.
Pricing is $450, placing it right in between the lighter 3D+ (470g) and regular 3D (540g) cranksets.
New rings
Mountain bikers rejoice: Rotor has also announced the imminent release of their ovalized Q-rings for four-arm mountain bike spiders. The rings are designed to convert a triple 104/64 BCD crank to a double, with the small ring on the inner spider and big ring on the outer.
The rings are available in 26”- and 29”-specific formats. The 26” version comes with an 81-gram, 40-tooth outer ring and a 29-gram, 27-tooth inner. The 29” version gets a 70-gram, 38-tooth outer and 25-gram, 25-tooth inner ring.