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review
Easton EC90 SL Arms Only 172.5mm£399.99
VERDICT:
Not the cheapest option out there, but you can't fault the stiffness or the looks
Weight:
344g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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Easton's new EC90 SL Cranks form part of one of the latest fully customisable chainset options to enter the marketplace. It's pricey against some of the opposition, but you are getting a very stiff set of lightweight cranks.
- Pros: Super-stiff; light
- Cons: Quite pricey
Easton has used RaceFace's Cinch technology for these cranks, which gives you a modular system when selecting the front gears for your bike. You buy the cranks and rings separately, with options to be able to run 1x or 2x systems and swap easily between the two should the need arise.
> Find your nearest dealer here
We've got the Easton 52/36 direct mount spider option (review to come) to test with the EC90 SL cranks, and you literally slot them onto the splines on the rear of the drive side crank before screwing on the lockring using a standard bottom bracket tool. You get clear instructions included in the box for assembling everything, so any competent home mechanic shouldn't have any issues.
Unlike most standard chainsets, the spindle is attached to the non-drive side so once this is positioned inside the frame, the drive side is attached by aligning the splines on the spindle with those on the crank and tightening. Any side to side play is taken care of by the pre-load ring.
In use, the cranks are very stiff, helped not just by their hollow carbon fibre construction, but also the larger 30mm diameter axle. Stamping hard on the pedals, I couldn't detect any flex whatsoever, although the Shimano 105 crankset these replaced isn't exactly floppy either.
Size options are the usual 170/172.5/175mm lengths, and give a Q-factor (the distance between the pedal faces) of 149mm including the pedal washers.
When it comes to money, the Eastons aren't exactly cheap. A similar setup that I tested from Praxis, its Zayante Carbon M30 Direct Mount chainset, costs £300 including the rings.
The EC90 SLs are £399.99 on their own, with another £159.99 for the rings and spider. That's an extra £259.98 for a saving of just 27g for the full setup.
> How to trim bike weight on the cheap
It looks a little better when compared to the Campagnolo Record Carbon chainset, which has an rrp of £479.99; the Easton setup is still £80 more, but you are saving over 120g.
The similar RaceFace Next R cranks are around the same price, though they are aimed more at the mountain bike market.
Overall, these cranks deliver everything you could possibly ask for when it comes to performance and looks, but they aren't cheap.
Verdict
Not the cheapest option out there, but you can't fault the stiffness or the looks
road.cc test report
Make and model: Easton EC90 SL cranks
Size tested: 172.5mm
Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Easton says, "The EC90 SL crank utilizes the Race Face Cinch technology which allows for direct mount 1x rings as well as direct mount 2x spiders, and industry leading versatility. Increasingly popular 1x setups have many advantages including weight and simplicity, although their major limitation is adaptability. A Cyclocross rider's ability to ride a course, then effortlessly change chainrings to their preferred setup is a major necessity that has, until now, been overlooked. Narrow-Wide chainring design has revolutionized the mountain bike world, effectively eliminating dropped chains and chain guides. Easton refines the design for larger ring applications with improved chain retention while reducing running noise and friction. Finally Easton launches a new line of low friction Bottom Brackets to complete the EC90 SL Crank package."
If you race many disciplines, the option to be able to change rings over makes a lot of sense.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Easton lists:
Hollow carbon construction paired with the highest grade aluminium pedal insert and spindle.
Cinch interface with a road specific 30mm spindle.
Road standard Q-Factor of 149mm and will fit every major road BB standard.
1x chainline optimized for increasingly popular 135/142mm rear disc bikes.
Built For - Road / CX / Tri-TT.
Size - 170 / 172.5 / 175mm.
Ring Configurations - 53/39, 52/36, 50/34, w/ Removable Spider.
Single Direct Mount - 40T, 42T.
Weight - 590g (172.5mm 52/36 w/o BB), 442g (172.5mm 40T w/o BB).
Chainline - 2x 43.5mm / 2x Disc 46mm / 1x 47mm
Q-FACTOR (with washers): 149mm.
Spindle Diameter - 30mm.
BB Options - BB86, BSA 68mm, PF30 68mm, BB30 68mm, BBright, 386Evo.
Material - EC90 Carbon.
Finish - Matte Carbon.
Rate the product for quality of construction:
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
10/10
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
9/10
Rate the product for value:
4/10
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Light weight and offer loads of stiffness, exactly what you want from your cranks.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Easy to fit and loads of options.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The price will put some off.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
Against other cranksets we've tested, it is priced quite high.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
At the top end of the price spectrum but the overall performance, quality and customisation keep the score up.
About the tester
Age: 40
I usually ride: This month's test bike My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed
Since writing his first bike review for road.cc back in early 2009 senior product reviewer Stu has tested more than a thousand pieces of kit, and hundreds of bikes.
With an HND in mechanical engineering and previous roles as a CNC programmer/machinist, draughtsman and development engineer (working in new product design) Stu understands what it takes to bring a product to market. A mix of that knowledge combined with his love of road and gravel cycling puts him in the ideal position to put the latest kit through its paces.
He first made the switch to road cycling in 1999, primarily for fitness, but it didn’t take long for his competitive side to take over which led to around ten years as a time triallist and some pretty decent results. These days though riding is more about escapism, keeping the weight off and just enjoying the fact that he gets to ride the latest technology as part of his day job.
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6 comments
I recently purchased these cranks to replace a well worn set of Rotor's that finally broke. My issue with the Easton BB30 Bottom Bracket is that the tolerance is so tight, once I push the crank-arm through the cranks do not spin smoothly. Before I try re-facing my BB shell again, I'd like to know if anyone else has tried using a different brand Bottom Bracket with the Easton EC90 SL Cranks? I'm really not sure it will work with these cups as there is barely any thread left once I put on spacers.
I'm going to try a set of (expensive) Chris King BB30 threaded cups and the conversion kit #23 for a 68mm threaded bottom bracket shell. I am pretty sure this will help with the tolerance issue as I have used CK Bottom Brackets on this bike before with no crank issues, though that was with a 24mm spindle.
It would be great to hear if anyone else has used these cranks on an older bike with a BB30 and 68mm threaded shell.
"we received cranks to review from Easton"
"great, anything else to test right now?"
NO
Sh... did they send a BB?
YES!
Can you remove the chainrings?
Sure, in a Cinch (hahahaha)
Ok then write me a review on the cranks, then the chainrings and the BB
Do you want me to review the chainrings separately too chief?
No that would be too obvious
you're right chief, let's go!
"we received cranks to review from Easton"
"great, anything else to test right now?"
NO
Sh... did they send a BB?
YES!
Can you remove the chainrings?
Sure, in a Cinch (hahahaha)
Ok then write me a review on the cranks, then the chainrings and the BB
Do you want me to review the chainrings separately too chief?
No that would be too obvious
you're right chief, let's go!
New Easton EC90SL have been announced for August from Easton ......
How would these compare to the Cannondale Si cranks which are similar buy everything seperately approach?
I've worked on both and I would rate them about the same. The only thing annoying is the propietary tools you need to remove the crank arm and the spider, on the Cannondale crank. Other than that you can't really go wrong with either of them. Plenty stiff the both of them.