A bicycle rider has three points of contact with the machine, namely the handlebars, saddle, and pedals. The handlebars and saddle contribute to vehicle control and support. Meanwhile, the pedals are the only component through which the rider's pedaling force is transmitted to the machine and transformed into forward motion. And although the pedals come into direct contact with the rider, the crankset is the only component that plays an active role in power transmission.

As the crankset is the most immediate medium of power transmission from pedals to bicycle, loss of pedaling force is unacceptable, making stiffness the prime consideration. The second most important criterion for crank performance is weight minimization, to which the adoption of carbon fiber contributes greatly. In the era of all alloy cranks it was nearly impossible to get the weight of a crankset under 600 grams, but with the use of carbon fiber composites, major brands are competing to edge closer and closer to 500-gram mark.

Everyone approaches crankset weight reduction in different ways, with some eliminating the use of any alloy structural elements. However, all-carbon design plus an alloy-free structure introduces the age-old problem of strength. After extensive experience with a broad assortment of products, Peloton has adopted a four-arm spider design with full alloy structural core to reduce weight while fortifying stiffness and strength.

A "spider" of five fixed points connects the crank arms with the chainrings. These five points transmit the force from the crank arms to the chain via the chainrings (cogs), which drives the rotation of the rear wheel. If the design uses external spider legs, their strength and stiffness directly impacts the transmission of pedal force as these are the only points at which the crank arms are connected to the rest of the transmission.

With an external four-leg design, as one of the chainrings' five connection points is directly attached to the crank, the pedaling force applied to the crank can be transmitted more directly to the chainrings, while also fortifying the crankset's stiffness and enhancing power transmission. More importantly, one less leg effectively reduces the crankset's structural area, helping save weight.

Most brands eliminate the internal alloy structure from their cranksets to save weight, but even the stiffest carbon fiber material is still basically more flexible than metal. Thanks to its four-legged design (as opposed to five), Peloton's crankset need not eliminate the alloy structure to save weight, enabling that structure to improve the crank set's stiffness and strength. So while it may appear to be a less high-tech method, this approach actually greatly enhances the performance of Peloton's cranksets.

Extensive road testing has shown that Peloton's cranksets offer power transmission that can stand up to comparison against anyone's, making it one of the most responsive cranksets available. And at just 520 grams per set, weight is not even an issue. We're sure that the outstanding performance underneath its unassuming exterior will have enthusiasts singing this crankset's praises.