There are a few things to consider when it comes to a crankset, and it’s an often overlooked part of the bike when it comes to upgrade potential.

First of all, the chainset needs to be stiff. But this is for a couple reasons, rather than just power transmission. Sure, you want your cranks to transfer energy put through the pedals as efficiently as possible, but the other reason is just practical: shifting.

Front shifting relies on the chainrings running straight, in other words not moving around, so the front derailleur can move the chain into just the right position for optimal engagement with the teeth. If the chainrings are wobbling about due to crankset flex (or chainring flex), then front shifting will be poor, no matter how many hours your spend tinkering with the derailleur.

Outside of that, the crankset is an obvious area to lose some weight if you’re trying to make a super-light bike. A lot of lower end models come in at 800g or more, and if you upgrade that to a sub-600g set, you’ve already shifted at least 200g from the bike, ideal if you’re trying to beat the 6.8kg UCI weight limit, or simply trying to build the lightest bike you can.

We’ve compiled this list of six cranksets to consider if you’re venturing into component upgrades, but remember not all will work with every bottom bracket type so check before you buy…