Rotor power cranks review
A few hundred miles in, and the Rotor power cranks haven’t put a foot wrong

There are a lot more clever functions and features, like auto on-off, the Q-ring adjustment and training software, which will be covered in our full test later in the year. But so far, so good.
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+
Easy to install
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+
Reliable
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Not much
Out of the box, they are easy to fit if you follow the instructions and, of course, have the correct bottom bracket (we had a Rotor BB to match). There’s no need for any specific tools.
Front mech adjustment needs to be spot-on, but when it is, the change works well, even with the Q-rings that move the chain up and down through its revolution. The front mech misfired on a couple of occasions, but I’ve yet to ride a bike on which it hasn’t.
The pinch-bolt (that locks the crank in position) did come lose but once re-tightened it stayed in place, so we are happy to put that down to the bedding-in process.
The hollow 3D cranks (each side housing four strain gauges) are incredibly stiff, and this, coupled with carbon-soled shoes, made my steel winter bike’s drivetrain feel as stiff as a race bike. All Rotor components are CNC’d out of one piece of aluminium at its HQ in Madrid, and beautifully so.
Power data is sampled 500 times per second and quickly fed through to my Garmin 500 (via Ant+) and has remained reliable. The batteries — mounted in that small pod at the end of each crank — have worked flawlessly throughout the wettest winter any of us can remember.
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Editor of Cycling Weekly magazine, Simon has been working at the title since 2001. He fell in love with cycling 1989 when watching the Tour de France on Channel 4, started racing in 1995 and in 2000 he spent one season racing in Belgium. During his time at CW (and Cycle Sport magazine) he has written product reviews, fitness features, pro interviews, race coverage and news. He has covered the Tour de France more times than he can remember along with two Olympic Games and many other international and UK domestic races. He became the 130-year-old magazine's 13th editor in 2015.
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