Rotor's 3D cranksets have been around long enough for many cyclists to have ridden them, or at least gazed with jealousy. The distinctive look of the 3D series cranks may be design mag worthy, but the heart of the crank arms derives not from design, but from engineering. Cervelo riders likely make up the largest group of Rotor crank users, as the companies have collaborated on crankets for the BBRight bottom bracket system developed by Cervelo. The Rotor 3D30 BBRight crankset was built to match the PressFit 30, BBRight interface used by Cervelo on some bikes. This particular crankset has 36-52 Rotor NoQ (round rings), designed for 11 speed drivetrains.

Rotor's 3D crank development started a platform for it's aftermarket Q-rings; eccentric shaped chainrings. With many manufacturers opting for proprietary bolt patterns or ring interfaces, the company wanted to offer a lightweight stiff crankset that could perform at a high level, take advantage of new bottom bracket systems and provide standard spiders for chainrings. The key to delivering strength and lightweight at reasonable prices was the use of cold forged aluminum arms. The distinct shape and design is attributed to two processes. First, Rotor drilled the three channels through the length of the material. This Trinity Drilling reduced weight. Then, using precise engineering, the arms were CNC milled on the outside, removing excess material over the solid sections adjacent to the drilled cores. This further reduced weight and resulted in a shape that resisted torsion forces. An aluminum spider interface was designed in 130 and 110 (compact) bolt circle diameters, to be part of a modular mounting option. Rotor used a hollow thru-axle design that integrated with the drive side arm, similar to the 24mm Shimano Hollowtech design, but with the modular spider.

With the 3D30 BBRight Crankset, Rotor borrowed the UBB30 spindle interface from their more expensive 3D+ cranksets, and integrated with the BBRight design, to match the Cervelo bottom bracket. BBRight is the only bottom bracket standard that allows for an oversized bottom bracket axle (30mm diameter), an oversized left chainstay, as well as seat and down tubes (11mm wider). This offset system maximizes the framebuilder's ability to add structural width and balance the torsional forces that come from the drivetrain sitting on the right side of the bike.

If you need a 170mm BBRight crankset for your bike, and desire a compact spider for maximum chainring flexibility, this is it. The 36-52 NoQ Rotor rings deliver solid, efficient shifts for 11 speed drivetrains, and you can easily replace them with 110 bcd round or elliptical options if you prefer. You will enjoy the stiffness and responsiveness of this 148mm q-factor crankset. Return to Top