The term “downcountry” may be falling out of fashion, but the style of bikes and riding it describes certainly isn’t. In fact, in the past few months, it seems like the light trail, downcountry, aggressive XC genre (whatever you want to call it) of mountain biking is as strong as ever. With recently launched bikes like the Ibis Ripley SL and the Allied FITZ, which are specifically targeting lighter weight and trail bike capability, there seems to be a resurgence of interest in the lightweight trail bike category.
The folks at Race Face seem to recognize this, and actually seem pretty committed to the concept of downcountry. According to Race Face, “Mountain bike community members may argue whether Downcountry is real, relevant, dead, or simply just modern XC. But riders keep choosing bikes and components that help them climb like XC and descend with real Trail confidence. Category blur is a thing.”
This is why, alongside the ERA SL wheels that came out last year, Race Face is launching its new ERA SL cranks, a lightweight set of carbon cranks for XC racing, trail riding, and everything in between. Race Face claims the ERA SL cranks are “the lightest XC crank you can buy, with the strength to hold up to your daily abuse.” Let’s check them out.
Race Face Era SL Crankset Details
The Era SL cranks look very similar to Race Face’s standard Era cranks, although they’ve been put on a diet to reduce weight significantly. They are made of carbon fiber, of course, with a “layup that reduces bulk in every possible area with no compromise to long-term durability.” Race Face shaved additional grams by bonding/integrating the 30mm-diameter 7000-series aluminum alloy spindle to the non-drive-side crankarm.
Like the standard Era cranks, the SL features an integrated, but smaller, stainless steel wear plate to prevent scuffing from repeated shoe contact. The Q-factor is stated at 170mm (including pedal washers), with options for 52mm and 55mm chainlines, using DM and DMW chainrings, respectively. They use Race Face’s Cinch direct-mount chainring interface. They come with crank boots, pedal washers, and spindle washers — chainrings and bottom brackets are sold separately.
The new Era SL cranks start as short as 160mm, with 165, 170, and 175mm options available to suit varying needs and preferences. The crank arms are black/carbon-colored with a silver stainless steel wear plate and small ERA SL logos. Those logos are available in three color options: Black, Kashmoney, and Stealth. Race Face means business, and the Era SL cranks are backed by the brand’s impressive Lifetime Warranty, which includes damage from crashes.
How Light are They?
Race Face claims a set of 170mm Era SL cranks with a 32T chainring weighs just 422 grams. Perhaps there are some lighter boutique options out there, but the ERA SL is very lightweight.
For comparison, the latest XTR cranks in the same configuration weigh a combined 597 grams, a difference of a whopping 175 grams (6.17 oz.). SRAM’s XX SL cranks (175mm w/ 34T ring) are 53 grams (1.87 oz.) heavier with a claimed weight of 475 grams. Compared to Race Face’s standard, and already pretty lightweight, Era cranks at 499 grams, the Era SL saves you 77 grams (2.72 oz).
These cranks strike me as a sensible upgrade for riders looking to shave some weight off of stock Shimano XT or XTR Di2 builds. That 175-gram difference is quite significant, and with Race Face’s lifetime warranty, it’s not really a roll of the dice, either.
Key Specs
- Available Lengths: 160, 165, 170, and 175mm
- Q-Factor: 170mm (including pedal washers)
- Available Chainlines: 52mm (DM ring), or 55mm (DMW ring)
- Spindle Diameter: 30mm
- Weight: 422 grams (170mm cranks, 32T SHI-12 DMW ring, hardware)
Race Face Era SL Crankset: Pricing and Availability
Race Face’s new lightweight ERA SL cranks are available now with a retail price of $577 USD ($650 CAD, £469 GBP). Head to the Race Face website to learn more, purchase them directly from the brand, or find a dealer near you.
