voltman

Does anyone have any experience with the Truvativ Rouleur Carbon crankset?



Thanks.

FlashBazbo

Yes. To summarize my experience:

1. It doesn't provide great shift performance. It was a noticeable upgrade moving from the Rouleur to (at the time) a Shimano 700-series compact.

2. It's not really a carbon crankset. It is a layer of decorative carbon over a metal crankset. It's not very light. It's not very stiff.

Overall, I would call this crankset mediocre. It gets the job done and is neither awful nor very good. This is Truvativ's economy crankset, primarily for the OEM market.

knowledgdropper

Not the latest & greatest, but mine have gotten the job done for the thousand, or so, miles that I've had them. I was told it's the same crank as SRAM S900- could be wrong though. My rings aren't ano'd, though. Worked out nicely for me since it is Quarq compatible, too. Can be had for fairly cheap, too.

akeelor

I've got one I pulled off one of my bikes after 500 miles +/-. 175 arm length. For sale. Make an offer.

umd

Are you sure about that? My understanding is that it is the same as the SRAM S900 and I'm pretty sure that the S900 is full carbon. Definitely not light, but plenty stiff. I want to see the power output of all the people claiming that they aren't stiff enough.

FlashBazbo

Yes. I don't know if it's the same as the SRAM item, but if you view the crank from the other side, you can see the metal spider.

My experience of flex came in the mountains. On level ground, no problem.

umd

The spider is metal but the arms are carbon.

FlashBazbo

No. Check out the Truvativ portion of the SRAM website. Carbon wrapped around forged aluminum.

And it sounds better the way they put it on their website than they appear in person. Keep in mind . . . this is a $150 crankset. Actually not a bad crankset for $150 -- but not what you really expect when you're buying a "carbon" crankset.

umd

I've seen it in person, as far as I can tell it is the same as the S900, which I have two of. Nowhere does it say carbon wrapped around forged aluminum, it says carbon arms with a forged alloy spine (meaning the spider).

intence

I'm going to agree with UMD. It looks identical to the S900, except the S900 has no markings on it, while this has the Truvativ logo.

umd

Also rebranded as a Bontrager somethingorother

GP

You need a new bike.

FlashBazbo

I've not just seen it, I've owned it. Used it. Worked on it. Photographed it. Packaged it. Shipped it when I sold it.

I can't believe you're even arguing this point. Amazing.

Now, I'm no expert on a SRAM S900, but why is the SRAM 35% higher in price than the Rouleur Carbon? Is it the SRAM label?

Rocket-Sauce 

While it is a bit vague, I think the product description does mean that it has carbon arms and alloy spider. Their exact wording is "Carbon arms with forged alloy spine"
https://www.sram.com/en/truvativ/road/rouleur/carbon.php

Looks very similar but not quite identical to the 2010 Sram S900
https://www.sram.com/node/103/brand/sram-road/src/cat

umd

I haven't owned one but I have held one. I can't discern any difference between the two. Don't discount the markup of labels and rebranding. But regardless, what are you seeing that it's carbon wrapped aluminum?

umd

They changed the graphics and the shape slightly for 2010 it seems. Here is the older one, with a Quarq on it...

umd

Here is the back of my crank arm (actually it's kuf's)

mike868y

I think they are assuming that "spline" means the inner part of the arm, which IIRC is incorrect, it refers to the part which goes through the BB.

mkbruch

The 2009 SRAM S900, Bontrager Race X Lite and Truvativ Rouleur Carbon cranksets are all the same, just branded differently. We have broken those arms on our fatigue tester while testing CinQos so we've seen what they look like inside. The cranks are structural carbon with an aluminum spine and foam core.

FYI, the 2010 model of the SRAM S900 (S975) cranks are hollow carbon and about 50 grams lighter than the 2009 model.

Mieke
Quarq Technology

umd

There we go... an answer from someone who knows

Thanks Mieke.

How has winter been for you up in Spearfish?

mzeffex 

I don't get it. I am aware I am incompetent. Is the crank arm aluminum in the middle?

voltman

I wouldn't know what size to get.

voltman

How did they do?

mkbruch

Yes, the crank arm is aluminum in the middle. However, it is just an aluminum spine and not an aluminum crank with a thin carbon wrap. A big part of the crank's structure comes from the carbon that is wrapped/pressed/bonded (don't know the correct terminology) around the aluminum and foam core.

Mieke
Quarq Technology

mzeffex 

Ah okay, cool.