Race Face Atlas Cinch Crank Arm Set: Rider Review

For the most part now, the days of the four bolt crank arm is over. It looks like direct mount chainrings are here to stay. Besides the clean look, it is a lot less painful to switch out a chainring to. Our valued customers Patrick Price shares his experience with his Race Face Atlas Cinch crank arm set. Check it out!

Overview

Not only is the new Race Face Atlas crankset sleek, beautiful, and color complimentary it truly is next level as far as cranks go. I am new to the use of direct mount chainring, and I’m really loving it so far. I paired the crankset with the Race Face direct mount chainring.

The crankarms now use Race Face's Cinch interface, a change that allows them to accept direct mount chainring. Cinch also allows for axles to be swapped out, which means that if you installed the Atlas cranks on a DH bike with 83mm bottom bracket spacing, and later decided to put them on an enduro rig with a 73mm BB, a new axle would be all that was required, rather than a complete crankset—which is great for me as I have several bikes and enjoy being able to swap parts over time.

My favorite part of the crankset so far is the stiffness. Now I know this may be a negative aspect for some people, but not for me. I am a heavier guy so when I come off drops or big landings, I want a solid feel under my feet. There is never a worry about a break or potential bend off a big landing.

I did ride in some muddy conditions recently and mud got caked into the backside of the crank arms but if you maintain/clean your bike regularly as you should, this won’t become an issue.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, I am beyond satisfied with my purchase of the Race Face Atlas Cinch crank arm set. I always trust Race Face products, but I knew this would be an adjustment because of the new Cinch direct mount technology. I highly recommend this product for riders looking for a stiff, strong, downhill worthy crank but also it's light enough to be used on an all-mountain or trail bike as well.