We make both carbon and aluminum cranksets because we believe different riders need different solutions. This guide will help you choose the right one for YOUR riding—whether that's our premium carbon option or our high-performance aluminum crankset.
The Basic Differences
Let's start simple. What's actually different between a carbon crankset and an aluminum one?
Weight
A carbon crankset is lighter—usually 100 to 200 grams lighter than aluminum.
To picture this: that's about the weight of a smartphone.
➜ Does it matter?
If you're climbing hills a lot or racing, yes.
If you're riding casually around town, probably not much.
Stiffness: How Your Leg Power Gets to the Wheels
Imagine pushing on a wooden board versus a rubber mat. The wooden board doesn't bend much—all your push goes straight through. That's stiffness.
High-quality cranksets, whether carbon or aluminum, need to be stiff.
The CRODER SPIRIT CARBON ARM achieves incredible stiffness at just 118 grams, while the SPIRIT CRANK ARM G2 delivers excellent stiffness with proven aluminum engineering. Both ensure your power goes into moving you forward, not flexing the crank.
➜ Does it matter?
If you're sprinting or climbing hard, you'll feel it.
For easy rides, not so much.
Comfort: The Vibration Thing
A cool benefit of carbon is its ability to filter out road buzz, meaning your feet feel less tired and numb after a long ride. It's a real comfort advantage for every rider, not just racers.
While high-quality aluminum cranks perform excellently, carbon has an inherent advantage in comfort.
How Long They Last, will they break easily?
Here's the honest truth about durability:
Aluminum and metal fatigue: Aluminum gradually weakens with use, like bending a paperclip back and forth. But this happens very slowly—a good aluminum crankset easily lasts 30,000 to 50,000+ kilometers.
Carbon and pedaling stress: Carbon doesn't fatigue from normal pedaling. In lab tests, carbon cranksets handle millions of pedal strokes without weakening. For regular riding, carbon is actually more durable long-term.
But here's the honest truth about impacts: Carbon's weakness is sharp hits—crashes into rocks can crack carbon, while aluminum just dents.
This isn't a flaw, it's physics.
➜ What this means:
Road cycling and racing: Carbon's impact weakness rarely matters. You're not hitting rocks.
Mountain biking and gravel: Use crank boots with carbon, or choose aluminum for worry-free riding
General durability: Both last years with care. Carbon excels at pedaling durability; aluminum excels at impact resistance
Feature
regular Aluminum crankset
CRODER'S Carbon
Winner?
Weight
720g/set
520g/set
Carbon
Stiffness
Excellent
Exceptional
Carbon (slight edge)
Comfort (Vibration)
Good
Excellent
Carbon
Price
More accessible
Higher investment
Aluminum
Maintenance
Simple
Simple (watch for impacts)
Tie
Aluminum vs. carbon crankset comparison
Should You Buy a Carbon Crankset?
Carbon Crankset Makes Sense If You:
Race or ride competitively: Every watt matters. The stiffness and weight savings give you real advantages.
Climb a lot: Weight matters most when going uphill. You'll feel the difference on every climb.
Ride long distances often: The vibration damping keeps you fresher. After 100+ kilometers, this comfort really adds up.
Already have a high-end bike: Carbon Crankset matches your quality level.
Aluminum Crankset Makes Sense If You:
Want pro performance at smart price: Serious results without premium cost.
Value proven reliability: Aluminum cranksets have decades of proven performance. They're battle-tested and dependable.
Prefer worry-free durability: No concerns about protecting from impacts. Just ride and enjoy.
