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Step 1
Plan your budget for road cranks. The price of road cranks varies across the board, and what you pay largely depends on your wallet. While the most technically advanced models cost the most, you can still find a crank to fit your needs at a lower cost. Knowing your budget will help focus your search.
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Step 2
Research what material you want your cranks to be made of. Material determines two things with cranks: durability and weight. Recently, alloys have come along, combining light weight metal with maximum strength. However, these aren't for the smaller-budgeted rider. Normally, you will have to find a balance, as lighter metals aren't as strong and vice versa.
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Step 3
Inspect the crank's construction. Many cranks are solid pieces of metal. However, newer cranks made with alloy metals are able to cut out large inside portions of crank to decrease weight. Find which option best fits your needs as a rider.
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Step 4
Look at how the axle is incorporated into the crank. Newer models will have the axle fused into the body of the crank, while older cranks will have the axle loose. Experts agree that the single-piece style decreases your chances of malfunction and breakage.
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Step 5
Test the stiffness of your cranks. The stiffer the crank, the higher percentage of your effort will go directly into spinning the gears. The more flexibility, the more you are going to lose power.
