A_M _B_2015_02_03_

http://www.ambmag.com.au - 65

TESTED

Praxis 1x Wide/NarroW ChaiN riNg

I tested the Girder M30 cranks with a 32t Narrow/

Wide chain ring from Praxis. Unlike their other rings

these are machined, not forged. They don’t need to

shift, just hold on. I used a new Shimano XT 10 speed

chain when setting it up, with a clutch rear mech – as

recommended. My chain never budged for the whole

test period.

The narrow-wide option has been accepted as almost

completely secure, and Praxis still recommend an

upper guide for rough terrain or just added security.

Even in rockier riding on a hardtail in Sydney the

chain stayed put though. The ring is available from

30-38t sizes, and has a hard anodized black finish

which looked great and adds to the product life.

ESSENTIALS

HITS

• Good value and size range


• Easy to fit and change

MISSES

• Limited to 30t minimum on 104BCD

RRP $75-$79 (size dependant)

From: Dawson Sports Group

Praxis are known for their for forged chain rings,

and range of bottom bracket converters. I’ve used

both in the past with great success. So it was with

some interest when it was announced that they

were producing cranks under the Turn brand. But

there are a few things that make the Girder M30

MTB cranks stand out from the crowd.

THE M30 SpINDLE

The bike industry seems to use the word

‘standard’ as some sort of joke, especially when it

comes to bottom bracket standards. Turn make

just one crank and axle, and the M30 aluminium

spindle is 30mm thick, and hollow. It steps down

to 28mm on the left side. The short, thick and

light axle is very stiff without a weight penalty.

The only downside is the use of a different tool

interface to most BB cups.

CHANgE your boTToM brACkET,

NoT your CrANk

Praxis have shown their expertise in bottom

brackets, and you choose the correct BB to suit

your frame. All the Praxis M30 bottom brackets

are compatible with Turn cranks: English

threaded BSA, Shimano press fit, BB30 or PF30.

So while a Shimano press fit or regular threaded

BB might offer a pretty wide stance, the narrow

shells of a BB30 or PF30 frame don’t, which can

decrease bearing life. The M30 bottom brackets

place the bearings outside the frame, allowing a

really wide stance for stiffness and large bearings

for long life.

WoRDS: MIkE BLEWITT

PhoToS: RoBERT CoNRoy

TurN girder

M30 CraNks

ForgED ArMS

A great axle and bearing interface is all well and

good, but Turn finish the product off with hollow

forged crank arms. This is probably the best

construction method for alloy cranks. Turn have

used a process that aligns the grain of the metal

through a very high amount of pressure when

forging, resulting in a stronger and stiffer product

than other forged cranks. Independent testing has

shown the Zayante crank (the road cousin of the

Girder) to be the stiffest on the market.

The Girder M30 is currently only available in

175mm and in a 104BCD 1x option in Australia.

Praxis rings come as standard (see inset review).

gET SET AND go

I fitted the Girders on my hardtail, taking the

opportunity to set it up as a 1x10 rig at the same

time. The M30 BB was the PF30 model, which

uses a sleeve that the BB threads into to expand

and lock into place. It works well and stayed creak

free for the entire test.

What really struck me was the wide stance. But

beyond having outboard bearings, the crank’s

arms are wide, and so is the ‘Q-factor’, the

distance between your pedals. The cranks and

bottom bracket felt absolutely amazing when

pedalling out of the saddle – there are always lots

of variables but they did feel astonishingly stiff.

But sitting and spinning up a climb, they also felt

really wide.

It was similar when looking at the drivetrain

too. The chain line wasn’t great in the lower

half of the cassette. It was really loud in the

four lowest gears, and didn’t feel smooth when

backpedalling.

Fitting these to an XC styled bike where I’ve

optimised the Q-factor and chain line did make

for a big change. I didn’t notice the feel after a

few more rides, but the chain line never really felt

good, or ran any smoother. on bikes with a 73mm

BB shell this is unlikely to be a problem.

The Girder M30 is a trail crankset, not one aimed

at light Italian carbon cross-country bikes.

And with that in mind, it’s brilliant. one of the

best BB interfaces has been married with a

versatile range of bottom brackets, and brilliant

manufacturing to create a strong, stiff and good

value crankset.

ESSENTIALS

HITS

• one crank to suit them all


• Perfect combination of strength,
  weight and price

MISSES

• May compromise chainline


• Not for weight weenies

RRP $300 incl. chain ring. M30 BB: $110

From: Dawson Sports Group