Are Tracer Two Rings Cranks any Good?

[SpeedBikeNut32]

I have a two ring Tracer crank on my ross road bike. I am just wondering if it's any good or not.

[DaveM]

I'm not familiar with the brand, but a quick google search makes them appear to be reasonable quality. If they have aluminum arms and use recessed, allen bolts to hold the chainrings, they are at least basic, decent quality. Steel arms, welded chainrings, or ones held on with hex head bolts are typical of low end cranks.

That all said, in general I think people worry about crank quality too much. On modern, high-end drivetrains you will notice a difference in shifting speed with better cranks (or chainrings). But on a mid-range or older bike, you won't get much of any performance difference from a "good" crank than from a "bad" one. The crank just isn't doing anything complicated. Good brakes, well lubed and adjusted bearings, and good tires make the biggest impact in how a bike rides.