In recent years gravel bikes have gained vast popularity. A gravel bike offers a lot to a rider looking for a machine capable of handling on roads. And it is with excellent speed. Also, which does not compromise the rough terrains.
If you already own a Gravel bike or looking forward to getting one for yourself. Then the next thing you must be looking for is the best Gravel Crankset. Because the crankset is the most crucial part of your gravel bike gearing.
Now there are tons of cranksets out there available in the market. So, it is quite normal to get overwhelmed.
Hence, we did research on 25+ products. And wanted to find the best 6 cranksets available out there that suit gravel bikes the most. Moreover, we’ve added a buying guide to help you choose the most suitable crankset for your Gravel bike.
So, without further delay, let’s check these cranksets out!
Comparison Table
| Image | Name | Chainring Size | Crank Size | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
  | SHIMANO M361 Hybrid Crankset | Comes with 3 chainrings of multiple size options | 170mm/175mm | Click Here |
  | BUCKLOS MTB 170mm Square Taper Crankset | 32T/34T/36T/38T/40T/42T | 170mm | Click Here |
  | GANOPPER MTB Crank Arm Set 104 BCD | 30T/32T/34T/36T/38T | 152mm/ 165mm/170mm | Click Here |
  | SRAM S300 Courier Crankset | 48T | 165mm/170mm | Click Here |
  | SHIMANO Shim CKST Tourney | Comes with 3 chainrings of 24T/34T/42T | 185.5mm | Click Here |
  | GANOPPER 170mm Crankset | 30T/32T/34T/36T/38T | 170mm | Click Here |
SHIMANO M361 Hybrid Crankset
The first product on our list is the Best overall SHIMANO m361 Hybrid Crankset. Shimano is a leading Japanese bike component manufacturer company. They have been making remarkable gearing for decades.
Let’s start off with the dimensions of the product. The crank has an overall size of 10.75 x 2.25 x 12.25 inches. The crankset weighs about 1.92 kilograms excluding the bottom bracket.
It’s worth mentioning that, this crankset weighs the highest in our review list. And you must be thinking about what extra weight might cause. Let us make it clear.
For a gravel bike, the more lightweight your bike is the better it becomes. Although, its extra weight is because of its 3-part chainring. Which we are about to talk about in detail later.
Now, let’s go through the full Crankset part by part. The length of the crank is about 170mm. Most of the crank comes in this size. And most of the riders with average height find it pretty comfortable riding.
Talking about the crank ring size. Shimano m361 has 3 crank rings.
The size is basically measured by how many teeth it has. The first variant has 22T/32T/42T Which has a 170 mm crank size. This crankset is also called a 3x crank. Because it has 3 rings.
So in terms of gears, it has 3 gears up front. Besides, you can only pair a 7-speed rear cassette with this crankset.
In addition to that, The Shimano m361 comes with three options. One with a 170 mm crank size that has 28T/38T/48T chainrings.
And the other one has the same chainrings as the first variant of 22T/32T/42T but the crank size is 175mm. So if you are tall and a regular 170mm crank doesn’t suit you well, Shimano got you covered.
Overall, the 3 ring crank is a lot handy, Especially when you want to ride your gravel bike uphill or on rough terrains. Cause you are getting a lot of gear selection.
Room for Improvement:
The only drawback with this product is, This crank does not support more than 7 gears. Although it gives you 3 gears upfront. Still, Are you looking for a 9-speed or above rear gear system? Then you should check on the next product – BUCKLOS MTB 170mm Square Taper Crankset.
BUCKLOS MTB 170mm Square Taper Crankset
The Second Product we are about to review is the BUCKLOS MTB 170mm Square Taper Crankset. We keep it in the second place because it’s the Best value-for-money crankset you can buy right now for your gravel bike.
Without further ado, let’s go find out every detail about the crankset.
Let’s start again with the dimensions of the product. This crankset has an overall size of 10.91 x 7.09 x 1.97 inches. And it weighs only 0.58 Kilograms.
As we already know the lighter your crank is the better your bike is to ride.
Cause lightweight makes you quick. But the only difference between this crank and the previous one is not the weight. But also, the crank rings. Don’t worry, We are going to elaborate on it in the next section.
Now, talking about the parts of this crankset. This crankset comes with a crank size of 170mm. Comparing it with the previous Shimano m361, it does lack behind in crank size.
This particular crankset is designed for single-speed chainring. Unlike the previous one, it does not give you the option for multi-gears upfront.
This crankset has a 104 BCD ultralight crank. To elaborate, it is basically the bolt pattern. So even if your crank ring teeth get dull or break, you have the option to replace the chainring. That’s surely a plus.
The 104 BCD chainring comes in 32/34/36/38/40/42T sizes. So, according to your preference you can choose the size. Besides, the chainring has a thickness of 4mm.
Even you can opt for round or oval shapes. Added to that, it has two color options- Black/red. Although that’s only for aesthetics. Still, you have it.
One thing worth mentioning, the Crank uses a conventional square-taper bottom bracket. But the package does not come with any.
Overall, this crankset is durable, easy to install, and also comes in many different sizes. And if you are a person who cares about looks and aesthetics, then this is the right choice for you. Because this is the only product in our review list that comes with a color option.
Room for Improvement:
The crankset does not support multiple chainrings, Also the size of the crank is 170 mm. Are you a tall person and need the crank size of 175mm? Then you can check the previous Shimano m361 model.
GANOPPER MTB Crank Arm Set 104 BCD
The third product on our list is the GANOPPER MTB Crank Arm Set 104 BCD.
This crankset is the Best Compatible with gravel bikes. Without wasting any time let’s go see how it stacks up against the rest of the products.
Let’s start again with the dimensions of the product. This crankset has an overall size of 9.53 x 7.09 x 2.05 inches. And it weighs only 0.71 Kilograms.
As we already know the lighter your crank is the better your bike is to ride.
Cause lightweight makes you quick. This crank is a bit heavier in weight than the previous one. But the difference is not significant.
Now, talking about the parts of this crankset. This crankset comes in three different crank sizes; 152mm, 165mm, and 170mm. Compared to the previous products this one has an upper hand in terms of crank size.
Just like the previous product this crankset has a 104 BCD ultralight crank. To elaborate, it is basically the bolt pattern. So even if your crank ring teeth get dull or break, you have the option to replace the chainring.
The 104 BCD chainring comes in 32/34/36/38T sizes. So, according to your preference you can choose the size. It does not have the 40t and 42t option chainrings like the previous product.
But it has the same bolt pattern design, so even if your chainring gets dull or broken you can replace it with a new one. And the installation process is also super simple. All you need to do is remove the 4 bolts and replace the old ring. Then screw the bolts again.
Like the previous crankset, this crank also uses a square-taper bottom bracket. But the company does not provide any. You have to buy it extra.
Room for improvement:
The crank does have multiple sizes but the highest you can get is 170mm. So if you need 175 mm you need to get the Shimano m361. Besides the chainrings are limited to 38t size. So, if you need an even bigger ring you still have the option to buy the previous crank – BUCKLOS MTB 170mm Square Taper Crankset.
SRAM S300 Courier Crankset
The fourth product on our list is the SRAM S300 Courier Crankset. This crankset is considered by us the most premium in this segment. Are you excited about this crankset? Why not find out what it has up its sleeve?
This crankset has an overall size of 11.25 x 9.25 x 6.5 inches. And it weighs about 1.18 Kilograms. The weight of the product is a bit high because it comes with a bottom bracket.
Now, talking about the parts of this crankset. This crankset comes in two different crank sizes; 165mm, and 170mm. Compared to the previous products this one also has crank size options. But the previous model had a 152 mm smaller crank size option too.
As we already mentioned this one is the most premium Crankset in this segment. And here is why. This crank uses a hollow tech bottom bracket design. The rest of the products that we reviewed has a conventional square tapper bracket. The hollow tech is much simple to install and also lighter in weight.
The only drawback with this crank is its chainring size. It comes with only one option. The chainring size is 48T. Although this is the massive chainring in this segment. No other crankset has this many teeth in the front Chainring.
Overall this crank ring is very easy to install, ultra-durable, and fits very nicely in gravel bikes.
Room for Improvement:
The only room they left to improve is the chainring size. So, If you need the small-sized chainrings you can choose the GANOPPER MTB Crank Arm Set 104 BCD.
SHIMANO Shim CKST Tourney
The fifth product that we have on our list is also manufactured by the renowned company Shimano. Which is the Best Cheaper Alternative SHIMANO Shim CKST Tourney.
Talking about the dimensions. The crank has an overall size of 12.36 x 10.71 x 2.05 inches. The crankset weighs about 1.29 kilograms excluding the bottom bracket.
As we know, For a gravel bike, the more lightweight your bike is the better it becomes. Although, its extra weight is because of its 3-part chainring. Just like we saw earlier in the first Shimano m361 crankset.
Now, let’s go through the full Crankset part by part. The length of the crank is about 170mm. Most of the crank comes in this size.
Talking about the crank ring size. The Shimano tourney has 3 crank rings.
It has a 22T/32T/42T crank ring size. Although the Shimano m361 has multiple crank ring size options. But this one doesn’t.
This crankset is called a 3x crank. Because it has 3 rings. So in terms of gears, it has 3 gears up front. Besides, you can only pair a 6/7/8 speed rear cassette with this crankset.
In addition to that, the Shimano tourney comes with a plastic chainring cover. That’s an extra plus.
Overall, the 3 ring crank is a lot handy, Especially when you want to ride your gravel bike uphill or on rough terrains. Cause you are getting a lot of gear selection.
Room for Improvement:
Although this crankset is the cheaper alternative, Only if it had different crank sizes it would be preferable. Although if you badly need a bigger crank size you can go for Shimano m361.
GANOPPER 170mm Crankset
The last product on our list is the GANOPPER 170mm Crankset.
This crankset was chosen for gravel bikes. Because it has good options.
Only because his product stands in the last place on the list, don’t think it’s bad by any means. Besides, it took its position by beating out the rest of the products available in the market.
Let’s start again with the dimensions of the product. This crankset has an overall size of 9.69 x 6.14 x 3.9 inches. And it weighs only 1.05 Kilograms.
Now, talking about the parts of this crankset. This crankset comes with three different crank sizes. Compared to the previous ganopper product this one lacks in the different crank size availability.
Just like the previous Ganopper product this crankset has a 104 BCD ultralight crank. To elaborate, it is basically the bolt pattern, So even if your crank ring teeth get dull or break, you have the option to replace the chainring.
The 104 BCD chainring comes in 32/34/36/38T sizes. So, according to your preference you can choose the size. It does not have the 40t and 42t option chainrings like the previous product.
But it has the same bolt pattern design, so even if your chainring gets dull or broken you can replace it with a new one. And the installation process is also super simple. All you need to do is remove the 4 bolts and replace the old ring. Then screw the bolts again.
One thing is different in this than the previous Ganopper model. Which is this one uses a hollow tech bottom bracket. Which is an absolutely good thing to mark.
Room for Improvement:
The chainrings are limited to 38t size. So, if you need an even bigger ring you still have the option to buy the previous SHIMANO Shim CKST Tourney crank.
What to Consider Before Purchasing the Best Gravel Crankset?
In this segment, we’re going to discuss some common factors about gravel cranksets. You must have to get some knowledge to figure out the ideal one for you. So, don’t skip this part.
Crank Size:
Even if it’s a road bike or gravel bike crank size is an important factor for riding any bike. Because the size of the crank varies from rider to rider. When you are about to buy a crankset for your bike, you must choose the crank size. It is according to your comfort.
The average height people usually use 170 mm of crank size. But if you are a tall person above 6 feet then you can go for 175mm. Besides shorter people may be able to choose, between 152 mm and 165 mm. It is according to their riding comfort.
Crank Ring Size:
Often Gravel bike riders get confused about which crank ring to buy. 1x or 2x?
There are also 3x crank rings available out there in the market. Let us elaborate on everything about crank rings so that you can find the most suitable for your need.
First, you need to know how the crank ring sizes are measured. You might often hear 32T or 42t Crank Ring. But what does actually mean by 32T or 42T?
It’s simple, 32T means the ring has 32 teeth. Which grabs the chain, so the more teeth a ring has the more it becomes. Let’s go to the next section.
1x or 2x cranks?
1x crank rings are basically those which have only one ring. But whatever the size maybe it is up to you. You can choose of your need. You can find a variety of sizes from 32T/34T/36T/38T/40T/42T. Some of them come in an even bigger size.
2x or 3x cranks are 2 part and 3 part cranks. Those have 2 crank rings one small and one big. And the 3x has 3 crank rings. The sizing is basically like this – 24T/34T/42T.
Now, You all must be thinking about which one suits the gravel bike better?
Actually, It’s all up to personal preference, If you use a 3 part crank you get the extra sets of gears. Some people find it easier hill climbing. Because they can ride up the hill easily with the help of a small crank ring.
Those who ride on the road, find 1x crank more useful. Even with the 1x crank, you don’t need a front derailleur or the front shifter. So, you lose about 200-250 grams of weight. That helps the rider gain more on-road speed.
Here is everything summed up on Crank rings. Hope you have no confusion left.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I Use A Hollow Tech Bottom Bracket With Any Crankset?
No. You cant use a hollow tech bottom bracket in any crankset. Cause the cranks which use hollow tech is made different. It won’t fit.
Which Is More Suitable 1x Or 2x Crank?
There is no such thing as suitable for bike riding. The 1x crank and 2x crank depends on totally you. It’s up to personal preference.
Can I Off-Road With A Gravel Bike?
Yes. Gravel bikes are designed for getting speed like a road bike. Also, it has a wider tire for off-road riding too.
Final Words
Well, that’s everything summed up for the Best Gravel Crankset. Before buying your crankset go through the facts discussed in the article.
We have already explained every topic that might need to know before purchasing the product. Hope you get all the information and now it’s your turn to pick the best one. So, Good Luck!
