Late last year, we checked out some unique cranks, BBs & chainrings that Aerozine had shared back at the tradeshows. Now the Taiwanese company is back, adding two new hollow forged aluminum mountain bike cranks to their catalogue – the XEN A1 and XEN O1.
Aerozine XEN A1 & O1 alloy mountain bike cranksets
Aerozine calls these cranks “suitable for those who want the strongest”, intended to handle everything from XC to DH riding. Between the two models the crank arms and spindle are the same, the key difference being that the A1 comes equipped with round chainrings, while the O1 model features oval rings.
Xen Tech Details
Probably the most interesting part of the XEN’s hollow-forged, then CNC-machined 7075 aluminum crank arms is their adjustable crank length. Aerozine’s ALS (Adjustable Length System) uses pedal boss inserts that can be flipped to allow for 5mm adjustments. Between the inserts and a few different crank arm lengths these cranks should fit just about any adult rider, plus some junior-sized bikes too. Crank arms are offered in 155/160, 160/165, 165/170, 172.5 & 170/175mm options.
Aerozine also gives you two options for your chainring interface. The XEN cranks can host direct-mount chainrings, or can also run a Shimano-standard asymmetric 4-bolt BCD96/64 spider. Aerozine’s round or oval chainrings are made from CNC machined 7075 aluminum. What Aerozine calls ‘Spider Rings’ (what would be better described as spiderless/direct mount) are available in two-tooth increments ranging from 28-40t. For the O1 cranks, their Ovality Spider Rings are offered in the same sizes.
Aerozine’s 30mm aluminum ‘Way-Point Axles’ (spindles) come i three lengths to fit 142, 148 & 157mm spaced rear ends. To ensure a snug fit on your BB shell, these spindles can adjust up to 2.5mm in width without using a wave washer or similar gadget.
The XEN cranksets come with Aerozine’s BSA-30-HS threaded bottom bracket, but they’re also compatible with their PF30 and PF4130 press-fit BB’s. With strength as the main goal, the XEN crank arms set weigh in at 559g. The A1 and O1 cranks are available in three colors: Blast Black, Blast Gold & Blast Blue. Included chainrings come in Black only.
Pricing for the XEN A1 or XEN O1 crankset ranges from $414-428, and are available online now.
