[Updated] Review: Intend's Rocksteady Magic Cranks Let You Shift While Coasting

Oct 10, 2022
by Matt Beer  
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Cornelius Kapfinger is the brainiac behind the product line of sleek, industrial components from Intend. Based in Freiburg, Germany, Cornelius has designed, tested, and manufactured a clever array of parts primarily from aluminum, such as stems, locking headsets, and laser-cut steel rotors. Intend also has a range of front and rear suspension, including the limited edition Bandit USD fork that incorporates half of an upper crown. Aside from the suspension, one of the standout components has to be the nifty Rocksteady Magic cranks that allow you to shift gears without pedaling, at least when the tires are rolling forwards.

Intend Rocksteady Magic Details

Specs: 170mm arm length, 167 Q-factor
Compatibility: 30mm spindle, Race Face Cinch mount
Weight: 700 grams w/ bearing & hardware (actual)
Colors: Black (raw is no longer offered)
Price: 749€ (incl VAT), inc. lock ring tool
More info: intend-bc.com
By relocating the ratcheting mechanism to the crank arm, it replaces the need for a clutch in the rear hub. This means the chainring rotates around the crank spindle with a bearing and pawl system. A simple zip tie holds the cassette to the spokes and acts as an engineered fail-safe to keep your derailleur from exploding should something jam the constantly rotating drive. Weighing 700g in total with the necessary proprietary lock ring (included is the necessary tool), the crankset is targeted towards trail, enduro, and freeriding. The only required specifications are a bottom bracket to accommodate the 30mm spindle, noting that Intend insists on the use of an upper chain guide.

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Construction and Features

All of Intend's components have a raw, artisan vibe to them. Each pair of Rocksteady Magic cranks are cut to 170mm in length from 7075 aluminum once an order is made and do not use any steel thread inserts. From the outside, they look like a two-piece system, but the drive-side crank arm is mounted from the factory, while the non-drive side uses a preloading to draw the crank onto the 30mm spindle and is held by one sturdy looking pinch bolt. If you like a loud hub, the clutch mechanism in this crank arm will put Profile or Industry Nine hubs to shame - the ratcheting of the 47 points of engagement resonates through the frame.

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The system is straightforward to install, but I had to manipulate the teeth of the supplied tool to get any bite on the lockring up to 20 Nm of torque.

Installation & Setup

Intend is a boutique operation and Cornelius is very transparent in his craftsmanship, as he states on the service section of the website, "With Intend it is important for me to play with open cards and let you know what you need to know before." He stands by his products, but isn't wasteful; some finishing imperfections are possible, but that doesn't warrant them unusable. He also reuses boxes from other vendors, so it was no surprise that the cranks arrived in minimalist, plastic-free packaging with clear instructions and its own lock-ring tool. As for the chainring, you'll need one specified to interface with Race Face's Cinch system.

All of the torque values are well stated and the install went fairly smoothly. The chainring did protrude inboard enough to keep the tool from perfectly matching the keyed slots of the lockring. I ran into the same problem with two different chainrings, which made it challenging to achieve the 20 Nm of torque. A quick modification with a punch allowed a firmer connection against the lockring's teeth. The rest of the bolts use standard equipment, like a cassette lockring tool and a 5mm hex key. A step-by-step instructional video for the Rocksteady Magic cranks and other products are listed on Intend's YouTube channel.

You'll also have to resort to a thin zip tie to work with a Shimano cassette due to the gaps between cogs compared to a SRAM one. The small zip tie didn't last more than a couple rides at which point the drivetrain reverted to safe mode, letting the hub freewheel.

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The bulge of the crank arm around the drive-side spindle interface hides the magic clutch bearing that does all of the freewheeling.

Ride Impressions

Since the introduction of larger cogs and 29" rear wheels, shifting from the middle of the cassette to the top requires more rotation of the rear wheel and takes a longer amount of time. Gearbox bikes' most valuable selling point is the fact that you can shift without pedaling. The Rocksteady Magic cranks give you that same benefit on a traditional frame, thanks to the constantly rotating chain. Now, you can select a necessary gear well in advance of any inclines where obstacles may impede pedal strokes.

Quickly, this became an effective and intuitive way to shift. Vancouver's North Shore has abundant sharp changes in topography, even on primarily downhill trails, which is where this component was highly useful. For example, steep descents where you don't want to change your balance, but will need to pedal out, like a deep ditch crossing. Even while coming to a resting spot, the Rocksteady system is effective and becomes second nature, like downshifting a vehicle while approaching a stop light.

Shifts also take place in a shorter amount of time, since the chain moves in relation to the speed of the wheel. The chainring is often rotating rapidly, faster than you could turn over a full revolution of the cranks. Even though the chain is rolling through the drive quickly, the shifts also sounded quiet and calm. I can't say what kind of increased wear this would put on the chain without a substantial long term test with controlled variables, but it could be argued that a higher percentage of shifting is done with less load on the chain. When the cranks were stomped on, the engagement and sound reminded me of a Hope Pro 4 hub. There were never any hints of the clutch slipping or missing a beat.

Throughout the test, I tried the RockSteady Magic cranks on three bikes: a Norco Range, an Orbea Rallon, and a Canyon Spectral 29 CFR. Issues quickly presented themselves on the Range with its idler wheel to navigate the high-pivot suspension layout. The top of the chain routing became slack when the bike bounced down compressions on the trail, accompanied by a cacophony of noises as the chain struggled to stay engaged on the cassette. Thoughts of the wheel chewing the derailleur to bits played through my mind, but somehow it survived until I could remove the zip tie and allow the rear hub to freewheel.

I spoke to Cornelius regarding the dilemma and he explained that the system must use the second-generation SRAM derailleur that features increased shrouding around the lower pulley wheel from the cage. The derailleur spec checked out, B-tension position was spot on under sag, and all of the torques were revisited. Our best guesses were that the chain wrap around both the cassette and chainring were insufficient due to the high pivot design. Oddly enough, Alex at T.E.B.P had tried the Rocksteady Cranks on his Kavenz VHP 16 without a hitch.

One other thought that might explain the chain skipping issue could be due to how close the chain rides to the rubber along the seatstay of the Norco Range. As the chain bounces against that material out on the trail, it might have enough friction to slow the feed to the chainring and cause it to become slack. That means that there could have been excessive tension put on the derailleur cage and portion of chain below the swingarm, causing it to skip off of the cassette.

With that theory fresh in my mind, I proceeded to install the Rocksteady Magic cranks on the Rallon, a frame built around a Horst-link suspension design. Unfortunately, the same skipping dilemma persisted, this time on a full Shimano-equipped drivetrain. The Rallon's rubber-coated chainstay also sits quite close to the chain, which could have caused a similar problem to the Range where the chain feed was delayed.

2022 Norco Range C1
Norco's Range uses a high-pivot suspension layout where the chain doesn't wrap around the cassette or the chainring as much as a traditional system.
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Similarly to the seatstay on the Range, the Orbea Rallon's chain nearly rides on the chainstay in the highest gears. The friction of the chain touching the rubber protector could have slowed the feed of the chain, causing the system to tangle.

Update:

After further discussion with Intend to debunk the chain feed issue, I installed the cranks on a brand new Canyon Spectral 29 CFR with a BSA bottom bracket and Shimano drivetrain components. The stock Race Face chainring (not pictured in the video above) was also transferred to the Magic cranks and all torques were diligently respected.

From the first rotation of the drivetrain in the work stand, it was immediately apparent that friction from the crank’s clutch or the chain and ring interface were not an issue here. This simply baffled me. On pavement, in dry conditions, the difference in timed trials with and without the Magic crank system proved to be indistinguishable. No measurable drag or drivetrain problems were experienced during this test.

Was it because this bike had a brand new BB? The Norco Range also received a new BB treatment when the Rocksteady Magic cranks were installed. That BB was also reinstalled after the first trail tangle to make sure all components were properly aligned. I can only report on what was experienced.

Switching back to a traditional drivetrain, I missed the functionality of the Rocksteady Magic cranks. The theory and craftsmanship behind these cranks put them in their own league, especially given the price and exclusivity. As for the chain feed issues, I would advise speaking to Intend first to inquire about which frames they have had success with. If you're looking for a new gadget that will change when and how you shift on the trail, then this component is certainly appealing.



Pros

+ The ability to shift without pedaling is addictive
+ Quick, solid engagement


Cons

- Loud clutch engagement may not be for everyone
- Unexplained chain feeding troubles arose on two of three test bikes




Pinkbike's Take
bigquotesIntend's Rocksteady Magic cranks are a savvy solution for traditional drivetrain bikes to shift while coasting, like a gearbox, but without the constraints associated with those frames. If you ride in an area that has notoriously undulating, technical terrain, shifting without pedaling could be a game changer for you. However, I suggest consulting with Intend for the optimal frame compatibility first. Matt Beer


Author Info:
mattbeer avatar

Member since Mar 16, 2001
360 articles

218 Comments
  • 111 0
 Man, something like this with an Onyx-style sprag clutch could be a game-changer. Cut down on drag & noise, instant engagement.

I definitely see the appeal of shifting while coasting. With all the quick ups and downs we have around here, I've often found myself scrambling to shift back up at the bottom of a descent, still in granny gear from the climb right before.
  • 51 0
 The drag isn't just from the pawls. Its the chain going around two big cogs and two small derailleur cogs.

Minnaar in some podcast was reminiscing about the Honda days, and how much he loved that bike, but the one downside was that it didn't have a freehub. The racket was in the system (derailleur in a box gearbox). It allowed you to shift without pedaling, but the drag was "very noticeable", so bad that they experimented with having the whole thing in an oil bath. A traditional, external derailleur thats exposed to the elements would be even worse.
  • 10 7
 Could basically shift while coasting with Shimano rapid rise. Was also excellent under load. And drive train lasted longer.
  • 26 1
 Imagine kicking up a stick into your shifty bits going about 30 in the woods. All that stuff zinging along just WAITING to suck up some fun from the wheel.
  • 2 2
 @hamncheez: Problem with Honda is that it is a 2 stage!
The drive where cranks drive one chain that is connected to sprocket that drive an other chain to the wheel, that is less efficient! Than direct chain from cranks to rear wheel
But would be better if both chains were sealed, to eliminate any contamination, but apparently you are not allowed to do that, as I tried patenting it back in 2007
But still better efficiency than most gear box bikes?
  • 3 0
 @aljoburr: The efficiency loss is in coasting. Most gearboxes don't have that issue, I think.
  • 1 3
 @CantClimb: My experience wasn't so good. You have to pedal to downshift, and you couldn't multiple downshift. It also wouldn't downshift well if your chain wasn't lubed well or muddy. Theres a reason why it never caught on.
  • 9 2
 @CantClimb: Umm, what? You sure you know what RapidRise was?
  • 4 2
 @5poundplumbbob: How is it much different from a stick into your wheel at 30 in the woods? It's usually the rapid spinning of the wheel that eats stuff, doesn't usually matter if the chain is moving. I've way more often saved a mech and spokes by braking and intentionally locking the rear wheel when a stick or something gets stuck, versus maybe just saving a chain falling off by just stopping pedaling.
  • 9 0
 @andraperrella27: Thank you! This guy is doing great work and I'm really surprised we haven't seen much, if any, about it on Pinkbike
  • 3 16
flag bunjiman82 (Mar 18, 2022 at 10:12) (Below Threshold)
 @seanchad: Dude, you climb in granny gear...?
  • 5 0
 @unfknblvbl: WRP news is pretty well covered by PB.
  • 8 4
 @CantClimb: people didnt want to adapt, which is a shame as rapid rise made perfect sence & did improve shifting, especially the massively reduced lever effort.
  • 2 0
 @hamncheez: Good points. Looking at it a bit more, I'm not sure I'd run one of these even if it was silent and zero drag.

Maybe the solution is to stop relying on the chain to move *itself* to the next cog - the whole business of "ramps" and whatnot feels clunky to begin with. I've thought about trying to come up with a derailleur that pulls the chain off the cassette entirely, then plops it back on to the next cog, but that would probably come with its own set of problems.
  • 4 2
 @5poundplumbbob: that, coupled with the wear factor of having your all your drivetrain parts moving constantly. If you were only pedaling for half the time before, is it safe to say you now wear out your chain, cassette, chainring and pulley wheels twice as quickly? Sure, maybe not under the same load but just thinking out loud
  • 2 0
 @seanchad: the issue with moving away from ramps is that you can't really shift under load without them.
  • 2 0
 @andraperrella27: WOW! I like Kapfingers version but this one seems even better using a sprag clutch. Expensive as hell though. www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdRZqr2FcF8
  • 2 1
 there's obviously a ton of drag just watching video. Carrying that chain around and spinning the chainring takes a lot of energy
  • 5 1
 @peterman1234: No, it wouldn’t be close to double wear. While each unloaded articulation may cause a tiny amount of wear, it takes a load pulling the pin against the link to generate the abrasion that wears out chains.
  • 1 0
 @5poundplumbbob: omg so scary haha
  • 1 0
 exactement
  • 1 0
 Agreed. AZ riding also.
  • 1 0
 Not even needed.

The only product that needs to exist is basically a trials style freewheel, just with the teeth on a carrier to make it 32 or 34 teeth.

Then you just simply take any of the super strong trials crank/bb combos and run that.
  • 2 0
 @hamncheez:

Drag isn't an issue with crank freehubs. Or more accurately, drag solely depends on the diameter of the freehub outer ring - if the crank one is the same size the one in the hub, drag will be near identical. The driving torque to overcome the pawl friction comes from the rear wheel radius. Chain efficiency is pretty high. The only thing that matters then is the friction force radius, which is the size of the freehub.
  • 1 1
 @8a71b4: Chain efficiency is not as high as you'd expect. Yes, a well lubed, clean chain in the shop is great, but take it on one ride and now its enough to be measurable
  • 2 0
 You’d need some kind of chain guard because turning your chainring into a chainsaw is an accident waiting to happen.
  • 2 0
 There is a section of trail on the local here that is a fast and steep descent right into a short but really punchy/rocky climb that requires a dumping gears and praying that you dropped enough to torque up the climb. Too expensive for my blood but would love to try the theory out.
  • 1 0
 @andraperrella27: This is a really neat product that appears to be better than these cranks.
  • 2 0
 @poleczechy: if you're not pedaling on that descent anyway (due to the fact youre suggesting you cant), just go into it in a lower gear to begin with.
  • 1 0
 @scantregard: I kinda loved my Rapid Rise back in the day. Still have it on an '04 Enduro, with the XTR integral disc brake levers and shifters. Fun to take out and relearn now and again.
  • 1 0
 @seanchad: Rapid rise just have spring tension in opposite direction, made up shifts better, but so does ramps on cogs, which is why they stopped using it!
  • 1 0
 @hamncheez: May have had better results sealing both chains?
But you are not allowed to do that!
  • 1 0
 @peterman1234: I have a perfect section where this would be great. A techie punchy climb to a drop that lands you into a fast flow/jump trail. Problem is, after a couple burms there's a spot you need to pedal to keep your speed (and need a very high gear due to speed). The climb to the drop I'm in a very low gear and there is no opportunity to shift to a higher gear for that acceleration section. Or, if I'm trying to shift in advance, I'm wobbly on the fast burms and jumps. Keeping attack form and enjoying the trail and only having to click in advance would be fantastic.
  • 2 0
 @andraperrella27: $1200??????????????????
  • 3 0
 @Chuckolicious: Perfect use case for a gearbox, esp. Pinions grip shift. A flick of the wrist and you've upshifted 7 gears without pedaling.
  • 1 0
 @hamncheez: Oh absolutely! I really do hope Shimano cracks that nut. I think the current offerings cons are still too substantial.
  • 1 0
 Why not a fixed rear hub, save all the weight.
  • 3 0
 @Chuckolicious: So I've heard really, really good things about the Kindernay hub. All that weight being unspring tho has its issues, so I'm designing a steel bike that has the Kindernay mid mount, high pivot, just like the old Zerode G1/G2 back in the day.
  • 1 0
 @hamncheez: a friend of mine has a pinion gearbox with a fixed rear hub, he says he notices it quite a bit. Mine runs on a regular hub so that's not an issue. The only thing is that the engagement on a pinion gearbox is quite low so adding a second freehub just leaves even more space for Freeplay.
As for efficiency I'd like to get some numbers with a gearbox past it's bed in period (pinion claim ~1000km, and mine did get noticably better over the first few months) vs a regular drivetrain in the same gear, that's to say with the chain line as it is in the 51 or 52 depending on the cassette with a 30 tooth chainring. Hell, throw in some grime and a 15 tooth idler to the regular drivetrain and surely the gearbox will look more interesting!
  • 1 0
 @hamncheez: That sounds pretty cool. Post updates!
  • 1 0
 @CantClimb: yep. Don’t know why so many people didn’t like that system. Makes so much sense for a mountain bike. Road bike not so much.
  • 1 0
 @fattyheadshok: I think it was the learning curve. Or just reprogramming your brain.

Especially if you have other bikes still in the shed with std. rise?????

At the time I had rapid rise on one bike and standard on the other. I rode the standard 75% of the time and rapid rise bike 25%. So every time on that bike I did a mental check list . Literally flipping a brain switch on. If I didn't remember to do it, the first time in anything techy and needing to shift and I would bugger it up.
  • 1 0
 WRP Centrehub.
  • 41 2
 I don't really get it but it's cool that somebody made it!
  • 10 23
flag SATN-XC (Mar 18, 2022 at 8:21) (Below Threshold)
 seems to be very specific to instances where the rider is trying to shift under load going up a steep climb...and they entered the climb in the wrong gear (not sure pros out weigh cons for my style of riding... but still super cool)
  • 25 1
 I just had a 70's Schwinn Suburban in my shop that has this from Shimano! Called the FFS (front freewheel system).
  • 9 0
 @SATN-XC: Could be wrong here, but it seems like shifting is the same when you’re pedaling, it just takes the load off it the drivetrain when coasting and shifting. A lot of ebikes have similar mechanisms in them to protect the motor nowadays.
  • 1 3
 @SATN-XC: Yeah I don't see a point other than this specific application... aside from making testing videos that blow the mind.
  • 2 0
 @marinshredder: I think you are likely on to something with the mention of e-bikes...could see this as a way to extend the life of the drive train
  • 7 1
 @cbrannin: FFS!
  • 6 0
 @marinshredder: @SATN-XC: those would be nice but neither is accurate. All derailleurs require the chain moving and cogs spinning in order to shift. You can’t shift if the hub ain’t spinning. What this system does is keep the hub spinning even when you are freewheeling (not pedaling). So if you are stuck in the wrong gear on a climb it’s not going to help.
  • 2 1
 @blackthorne: these cranks have nothing to do with keeping the chain/cogs spinning (unless you pedal), the zip-tie they want you to install holding the cog to the hub/spokes is what allows your momentum to keep the cog and chain spinning....this system only makes pedaling independent of the chain moving...thus keeping the entire drivetrain operational while coasting. When entering a climb, its assumed you already have some forward momentum...its this forward momentum that would allow you to shift without having to pedal.
  • 2 0
 @SATN-XC: I think you just explained what I wrote… and from experience getting stuck in the wrong gear on a sudden climb you often don’t have enough wheel rotation (gear inches) to perform a shift, meaning you have to put a little bit of pedaling into it which defeats the purpose of this system for that scenario.
  • 3 0
 @blackthorne: Exactly, but it does help if you are stuck in the wrong gear for the downhills are don't want to pedal. Nothing about chain wear though, and if anything, it could wear your chain more (but only slightly), as the chain is still running through the cassette and derailleur.
  • 1 0
 @SATN-XC: That's a big assumption. If you're late to shift before a climb, it's not gonna help. Might help you not be late to shift in a tight section where you can't pedal immediately before a climb, but you still have to remember to make the shifts at the right time.

As @blackthorne said.
  • 4 0
 @justinfoil @blackthorne ...I follow....that said, cons of this system seem to vastly outweigh any pros...especially the whole zip-tie requirement and hoping the zip-tie fails before your spoke or derailleur explodes if a stick/rock gets wedged in the drive train
  • 1 0
 Agreed. Very cool. Too much added complexity and not refined enough to be adopted by the industry, but very cool.
  • 1 0
 @SATN-XC: you're describing the one situation where shifting in time is crucial and simultaneously very hard without crunching the gears. Seems like a good development to fix that situation.
  • 1 0
 I think it could be extremely useful on a trial bike with undulating terrain that loops, being able to upshift at the end of a trail that flattens out without risking a pedal strike for example
  • 1 0
 I think I get it more than I used to. It would be illuminating to see how many techniques you have developed to accommodate a traditional drivetrain. I bet it would open some doors to be free to shift while coasting. Doesn't sound like this system is quite ready for universal adoption but I love that it's being explored.
  • 25 0
 It looks like an elegant solution without a problem.
  • 4 0
 It's also a solution that's been done before. Trials riders have been using crank freewheels for a while now, for different reasons of course, but the hardware could easily be adapted to fit this solution.
  • 22 0
 Done this before with a trials crankset, was great until the chain dropped. Then a world of mess!! wouldnt like to see what would happen with a carbon chainstay.
  • 1 0
 So true. Never thought of that. Outweighs the other cons...
  • 1 0
 Still a massive issue if the chain drops, but what if i slip a pedal and the back of my leg lands on the chainring or chain?!
  • 19 5
 "A simple zip tie holds the cassette to the spokes and acts as an engineered fail-safe to keep your derailleur from exploding should something jam the constantly rotating drive."
Is the fail safe that the zip tie breaks before the spoke fails? I'm trying to follow this...
  • 6 0
 I guess if you had a fixed hub and the chain jammed for some reason the hub would keep pulling the chain through and lunch the derailleur, so better to snap the zip tie or a spoke. Don't see a need for this system but maybe some people are into it
  • 5 0
 @melonhead1145: if you have expensive wheels, trusting the zip tie to fail before a spoke seems to be a pretty big ask (assuming the derailleur hasn't already exploded)
  • 9 2
 Zip ties are really strong. I wouldn’t be surprised if the spokes broke before some ties did.
  • 7 1
 not sure the reason for the downvotes, legit question/concern
  • 14 2
 @SATN-XC: Well, they said it's "an engineered fail-safe". So you can assume they did rigorous testing with a variety of zip-ties, spokes, hubs, and cassettes, to figure out all the parameters: the ideal zip-tie to use (size, strength, UV resistance, oil resistance), the orientation (around 1 spoke? 2? at the cross? at the elbow?), how often to replace them (UV and oil degradation again), how many to use, etc. Article didn't mention any of this, but they said "engineered", ain't that good enough?
  • 2 0
 @justinfoil: yes! And no!
  • 14 0
 Shimano patented the FFS front freewheel system in the 70's. It was sold on Schwinns and a bunch of others. Some called those Pants Eaters.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_freewheel
  • 16 0
 But keep in mind what kind of pants people wore in the 70‘s…
  • 1 0
 @Muscovir: It was either cuffs a wide as the waist or no pants..
  • 10 0
 I was running Hammerschmidt with a 7 speed downhill cassette up until last summer and that was the best drivetrain setup EVER. I generally kept it at the lowest gear for climbing and highest gear for downhill and shifted the Hammerschmidt effortlessly and instantly whenever there was a change in terrain and never once dropped a chain. If they still made it I'd still be running that setup.
  • 1 0
 Did you notice a decent amount of drag in the low gear on the hammerschmidt? (that's what I recall folks complaining about, the low gear was the least efficient of the two)
  • 4 0
 @chrod: when pedaling it on the workstand yes definitely but not at all when actually riding. It was on a heavy beast of a bike with heavy wheels and tires so a little bit of drag made no difference at all
  • 11 2
 Already being done by other companies in similar forms....

www.williamsracingproducts.com/shop/p/centrehub-pre-order

Can use your own cranks too. Also Mick is ace to deal with.
  • 11 0
 AUD 1,200 . Aye carumba.
  • 8 0
 Eh 3 month + wait on parts and spotty email response time + exuberant pricing......
  • 13 0
 @Yody: I think you mean exorbitant but exuberant works
  • 7 0
 Shimano did it and patented it in the 70s.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_freewheel
  • 5 0
 @NotSoFresh: and I just bought a record player....what was old is new again
  • 1 0
 @dirtnapped: Which is pretty damn close to 749 euros. No one is cross-shopping these on price alone.
  • 1 0
 @Afterschoolsports: think in rather pay €400 less and have intends flashy cranks.
  • 12 2
 Trials bikes have had front freewheels for a while now.
  • 2 0
 Was hoping someone would bring that up.
  • 1 0
 Yeah and I got my god*$# finger tip caught in one as a kid in the 90's on my trials bike when I messed up on a picnic table, if that rear wheel is spinning the meat grinder is operational.....I don't like this I still have PTSD from that.
  • 1 0
 specifically looking for this comment.. would add that acs claw or white industries freewheel with narrow-wide teeth would do the trick
  • 1 0
 @rad8: Trials freewheels are infinitely better now than the ACS Claw and W.I. freewheels, although the flip side of that is that the stronger springs they use generate more drag. Quite a lot of them offer sealed bearings for the freehub shell now though, which is nice.

I went from a front freewheel setup to a rear freehub setup on my bike and the difference in drag was super noticeable. With the FFW system, it felt like my bike was always slowing me down, but as soon as I switched to a Hope it just kept rolling.

With this Intend setup 'only' having relatively limited engagement, if the springs aren't particularly strong I guess it might be that it doesn't generate as much drag as the trials setups I've used, but I still wouldn't really fancy it with the issues I've had with FFW setups in the past (similar to the post above). That was at low trials speeds, so having that happen ripping down a trail would massively suck.
  • 7 0
 I do wonder why this hasn't caught on with the shift to 1x drivetrains. It probably eats chains/wears out your drivetrain a bit faster since the chain is always spinning?
  • 6 1
 I'm guessing it wouldn't actually increase wear that much as there is very little tension in the chain when you're not pedalling. It would of course have to increase it to some degree, but I'm guessing it wouldn't be a very small increase.
  • 4 0
 @n734535: Yeah, chain wear is a combo of force and dirtiness/lack-of-lubrication, mostly the dirt. As long as you kept your chain clean(-ish), just free-running it through the system isn't going to do too much relative to you stomping on it after going through a mud pit.

My question for durability is, how do you know when it's ok to stomp on the pedals again? With a freehub and pedaling to shift, you can feel the chain tension change as it shifts and settles into a new gear. But with this you just have to hope it shifted cleanly because you won't get tension at all until the crank-freewheel engages. If you happen to shift late and/or are maybe going a little too slow for the shift to complete in the time you expected, you could unwittingly put a ton of force into a half-shifted system. Yes, of course this can happen to conventional systems as well, but there is less pedal feedback in this design to know when it might happen.
  • 2 0
 There isn't a simple clean way of having a locked rear freehub that safely disengages, and zip tying the cassette is not going to be a thing that will go well with consumers.
  • 1 0
 @8a71b4: You could easily have a breakaway clip. No need to carry spares with you as it will just work as a normal drivetrain if the clip breaks away during a ride.
  • 6 0
 "...some finishing imperfections are possible, but that doesn't warrant them unusable. He also reuses boxes from other vendors..." While this particular product isn't for me, this philosophy most certainly is
  • 9 0
 Yeah, there are a handful of existing "solutions" already, even some with kits to lock your freehub so the silly zip-tie hack* can be avoided. And trials riders have been using crank freewheels for quite a while. But Intend seems to love reinventing things, and Pinkbike loves telling us their reinventions are the new hot shit.

*Unless those zip-ties are known to have a specific breakaway force in the orientation they are installed, and that force has been tested to ensure zero-to-minimal spoke, hub, cassette, or derailleur damage, it's not "an engineered fail-safe".
  • 5 0
 Shimano owns (and enforces) the patent on the pinch bolt style arm attachment. The big blue legal team will perk up if these sell past double digits. All for innovation but the path through standing patent protection is narrow.
  • 1 0
 yup, Bullseye did it before Shimano
  • 3 0
 Weird how you can patent a simple pinch clamp
  • 8 0
 Shimano FFS !! What is old is new again!
  • 6 0
 i would be very curious to see how this works over super jank terrain, i feel there would be a major risk of absolutely destroying your drivetrain if things dont go smoothly
  • 4 0
 There is definitely a reason they insist on a chain guide. The tensioning spring (in the mech) is so far from the freewheel, and it has to fight the movement of the bottom chain segment (both jank-induced bouncing and suspension-induced length change) and the drag of the crank-freewheel to apply that tension. And the faster the wheel goes the more the upper chain is "pushed" against the drag of the crank-freewheel. There is a reason derailleurs essentially have a chain-guide built in to the cage at the lower pulley, there is minimal tension in the system just upstream of the freewheel.
  • 1 0
 @justinfoil: its just sounds like a chain suck machine!!!!
  • 4 0
 "The top of the chain routing became slack when the bike bounced through huge compressions,"

I wonder if this is due to the tensioning spring (in the mech) now being on the "wrong" side of the system. With a hub freewheel, the spring tension can pretty much directly free-wheel the cassette against the wheel rotation to keep tension on the top of the chain. But with a crank freewheel, the tension spring has to pull against all of the chain on bottom, which is bouncing around and changing length during the suspension movement, before it can free-wheel the chainring and apply tension to the top. Could be exacerbated by the high-pivots because they exhibit much more chain growth/shrink in the bottom chain segment.

I'll bet a crank freewheel would work great with some of those experimental systems of moving or splitting the mech up and placing the tension system on the crank end of the system.
  • 1 0
 Theoretically the spring could just pull the chain around the chainring faster. But to do this it has to accelerate a lot of chain weight, and contend with the friction in the mechanism.

So yeah, I’m basically just agreeing.
  • 8 1
 Meticulous German engineering and craftsmanship and a zip-tie...
  • 1 0
 :-)))
  • 2 0
 Whoever invented the zip tie should receive the actual innovation award. That person was a genius!
  • 5 0
 Not really all that innovative, considering things like this have existed since the 70s. The fact that the "safety" is a zip tie is enough for me to laugh and move on.
  • 3 0
 In principle this is a good idea. However, reliability of freewheeling cranks has been a problem for a long time. Schwinn offered bikes with the this type of design in the 1979’s and it didn’t hold up as well as a hub mounted coasting mechanism (freewheel).

If the system was reliable enough to run with a fixed gear rear hub, it could reduce unsprung weight, reduce shift load on the chain, and allow for shifting anytime the bike is moving.

But……I suspect a rear derailleur with a fail safe design/fixed hub/crank would need to be developed as a complete drivetrain.

These crankarms themselves are also super basic-SLX crankarms are stronger/lighter.

I hope Intend (or the big S brands) develop the idea-I’d say the current product is more proof of concept than fully realized product at this point.
  • 3 0
 I checked the date… 7 times.

The name
The zip tie
The packaging
The install
The zip tie again
The high pivot
The drag

And after all that I’m still interested! At the end of the day, none of it is a deal breaker. Just record scratches.

One question: so is the clutch quiet? Because you describe noises. Or is is loud? Because if it makes noise, why use a draggy clutch instead of a ratchet?

Come to think of it, while I always want a silent hub, some ratchet noise would be a huge benefit on the crank! Then you could always tell how tall your gear is compared to your speed and develop an intuitive sense for when you need to shift before you even pedal. And when you do pedal how much speed vs force will be required. Eventually it would be like listening to the engine while driving a manual transmission.
  • 2 0
 Scientists and engineers learn from indulging their brains in "stupid" or "silly" ideas. They take the world in different directions and open our minds to what we may not have thought of before. Just because something may not seem relevant right now does not mean it is not relevant in the long run or lead to things that are in the future.
  • 2 0
 This isn't all that new, especially the freewheel in the crank. Always-spinning drivetrains pop up every few years, and crank-based freewheels were around in trials well before anyone tried strapping cassettes to spokes on purpose.
  • 2 0
 This is not a good idea. Besides the obvious drag, noise, potential for damage if something gets jammed ( don't trust it's 'failsafe'), catching clothes, shoelaces, etc in the chain, for an advantage that is not really that big of an advantage. I know because I've run a Rohloff which also allows shifting w/out pedaling and while it was cool, I really didn't think it was that big of a deal and definitely not worth the trade off of the additional drag/noise, and this system even has more negatives). I think we really have reached the point where the bike industry has run our of real ideas and just doing things that are different regardless of whether it makes sense or not.
  • 1 0
 That's the real deal,.... I am riding the magic crank already over a year, and I will never go back to stone age. the only thing you have to do, is keep your chain clean and ride a chain guide. The hub question was a little bit simpler for me, I use a prototype of a Nonplus Components hub and no issues so far. they are releasing the finale version of this hub this year.
  • 5 0
 Wonder if it helps brake jack? Or helps Jack break stuff?
  • 2 0
 For $828.49 USD it will break you Jack!
  • 4 0
 Doesn’t this make the rear hub/ hub engagement totally pointless??? Still cool idea tho
  • 2 0
 that would seem to be the case
  • 2 0
 Yeah so you could save a lot of cash on some high end hubs that are not needed anymore... Plus the crank itself is a bit expensive but not that much if you compare with other not too mainstream crank that looks good and weight about 700g! Really, really a bad move to not do the raw crank though!
  • 1 0
 "Since the introduction of larger cogs and 29" rear wheels, shifting from the middle of the cassette to the top requires more rotation of the rear wheel and therefore takes longer."

But 29ers makes everyone magically go faster... that's not enough to keep the shifting speed appropriate?

And the bigger cogs have room for more shift ramps, so more opportunities for a clean shift per rotation... and that's not enough to make up for the extra ~25cm (approximated for 27.5 to 29) of wheel circumference? Which at 20 mph takes only 0.028 seconds to go by, 0.11 seconds at 5 mph...
  • 1 0
 All those .028s add up when you're on the Strava run of your lifetime yelling Strava! At every hiker so they leap out of the way. And then the person on the ebike who logged a regular bikeride still gets the KOM and you drive home in your lycra in tears
  • 1 0
 @Dogl0rd: last time someone yelled "Strava!", or "training!", or such, at me, I got quickly off the trail and then somehow tripped and knocked them right off their bike. What a crazy coincidence!
  • 1 0
 @justinfoil: lol! Wait is this article from March? How did I get here? The code in the Matrix has so many errors
  • 1 0
 "This resistance could also be a factor that caused the chain to become extremely slack on the high pivot design. Keep in mind, this won't be affected when your are actually pedalling, so on long climbs, it doesn't feel like you are pulling dead weight."

Am I the only one who caught the irony in this statement? Because having an extra freewheel on your bike is literally dead weight when you're pedaling it uphill.
  • 2 1
 Also, just put the ratchet on a direct mount ring and call it a day. 1000 cranks are how you know you are looking at an idiot. i like most of what they are making but selling ridiculous overpriced gear to rich idiots does not get you cred and honestly actively kills the sport. Make fun of these more-money than brains idiots and chase them back to the shopping malls. It is very possible to be wealthy and not a narcissistic show-boater.
  • 1 0
 For add on e-bike motors these have great potential. The add on motors all require some sort of freewheel in the crank to assist with the overrun that the e- bikes do when you stop pedaling as the motor continues on for a moment when you quit pedaling. Those systems result in terrible square taper cranks, dual chainrings, 2 chains. This product could correct all of that.
  • 1 0
 If you drop a chain with these Type of Cranks you get a (very dull)chainsaw,have ridden the HXR Components version and things get really unfunny if the chain drops/missalignes badly,i think the biggest Problem is that you not only pull on the chain while coasting it also kind of pushes the chain if that makes sense,i had big Problems even with an upper chainguide installed
  • 1 0
 I was assembling ffs bikes mostly Raleighs. They were the next new thing for suburban 10 speeds. It had a spin on cogset that looked like a freewheel. I remember some stamped steel parts and a lack of elegance. The thing was louder than a freewheel and had a less smooth action. They were shipped for two seasons and forgotten in a blink. It was no biggie to replace the crank with a salvage and spin on a regular freewheel so no one ever stocked parts.
  • 1 0
 I’ve tried this same thing on a bike with a Bafang mid-drive (crank freewheel). Bike shifted like butter, it is truly amazing. I did however have a lot of concern with my hub stressing the same points for a long period of time. I’d feel better about this with a way to fix the hub that bypasses the pawls and ratchet ring. Probably a non-issue on lower power analog bikes but my brain can’t unsee it.
  • 1 0
 Remember when they were talking about a 2 speed bmx race bike for the olympics?

www.pinkbike.com/news/first-ever-geared-olympic-bmx-bike-uses-modified-zee-drivetrain.html

This might be the perfect application for this type of product, since bmx racers are always on the gas, shifting in the air of the first straightaway might be the only way that they can shift without a load. or possibly you can shift in a rythym section.

Alot of people have expressed concern with debris entering the constantly spinning drivetrain, or enhanced wear due to the system always spinning, thess things are less of a factor in a super short sprint race, where there is little to no debris on the track, and anything less than the perfect run is a disaster.

Maybe fourcross or slalom too, where tracks are nice.
  • 1 0
 Love to try it.But I see it been useful only in very few situations,maybe in e-bikes might help in some situations,but…….?,my hub sometimes give that exactly same thing :-))))),when free willing ,but shire love to try this thing ,why not ,I don’t think is necessary,but at the same time who knows good luck ,and if you do want send me one for testing ,thanks ,and very good out of the box thinking
  • 5 1
 Moving the freewheeling to the crank is perfect for to the new DT EXP hub!
  • 2 1
 I asked about putting a fixed hub with a pinion box and everyone said the chain spinning while not pedaling is dangerous and I would crash and cut my dick off. I guess the fail safe zip it will break with this set up.
  • 2 1
 Did they explain why the chain spinning while pedaling is magically safer?

Way more likely to get something chopped clean off by a disc rotor in a wheel that is still spinning after a crash than getting anything caught in the chain. Stuck in the chain might cause a slightly larger spread of less serious damage, and leave the area dirty, but a rotor is way more likely to just hack something off.
  • 1 0
 Don’t forget the rad Positron shifting that went along with the FSS!
Used a solid flexible rod instead of a cable in the indexing mechanism was built into the rear derailleur.
Proprietary shifting rod and cable housing is very difficult to fine now. @justinfoil:
  • 1 0
 yeah, you know those smooth chains with rounded edges moving in a straight line are real death machines…
  • 1 1
 @Blackhat: …right up until they carry something important straight into the sharp, pointy cassette/chainring teeth!
  • 2 0
 I love the engineering here, but on balance I'm very happy for the chainsaws to be in the crowds rather than right next to my ankle.
  • 2 0
 Cornelius - what if you also moved the pedal spindle bearings into the crank? Could have some huge angular bearings in the crank arm, and a simpler / one piece pedal....
  • 1 0
 I think the leverage might pose issues.
  • 1 0
 Try googling Flypaper pedals. I remember them from an old Decline article. The bearings seemed stout but I doubt they sold enough of them to even run into durability issues. I’d love to try them out either way. Stupid thin
  • 3 0
 More drag
Rotating equipment and safety issues
Increased component wear
Zip tie bodge solution

Where is the upside again?
  • 1 5
flag Blackhat (Mar 18, 2022 at 16:05) (Below Threshold)
 Drag
- yup, that’s a problem

Safety issues
- BS. This is how e-bikes work, and it’s not causing a major problem there.

Component wear
- BS again. Wear doesn’t happen just because movement occurs, there needs to be meaningful force to induce friction.

Zip tie
- yeah, not great

Upside
- It’s weird when people pretend to be dumb to make themselves look smart. You read all that and missed the headline and multiple paragraphs describing the benefits?
  • 1 0
 @Blackhat:
Ebikes don't work like this unless you zip tie the cassette to the spokes.
  • 1 1
 Is nobody thinking about how freaking quick you'd wear out your drivetrain with this setup? Chain and cassette life would most certainly suffer, I realize the driveline isn't under load while coasting, but even a 15% reduction in drivetrain life is hard to swallow when chains and cassettes cost as much as they do.
  • 1 0
 Cassettes last a really long time though. Been running the same one on my main bike for 4 years. Maybe it depends what riding conditions are like...
  • 1 0
 @Dogl0rd: I go through two 12-speed chains a season and a cassette every two years with routine cleaning and lubrication. I would get closer to a full year out of a 9-speed chain and the cassette would be good for 3 seasons at 1/2 the cost of a modern cassette. This is with a smaller, lighter cassette and the same or better overall gear range. Conditions, terrain, rider weight and riding style factor into this, I'm sure, but I'm convinced that modern 12-speed drivetrains aren't the ideal solution for mtb drivelines.
  • 1 0
 @techride: I I'm all for it, if 9 speed would get you to a year, it would get me to eight years!
  • 1 0
 @techride: woops I read that wrong, well yeah it would get me 2 years out of a chain, that would be nice
  • 2 0
 Front freewheel cranks have been in trials for a long time. They are wonderful for sucking a pant leg in and grinding it into mush.
  • 3 0
 Finally, something I can afford!!
I'm talking about the $15 ZTTO bottom bracket tool,obviously.
  • 1 1
 Wear does happen when movement occurs asshat
Less load just means less wear,but it’s still there.

I’ve never considered shifting while coasting to be of great benefit,so obviously the downsides don’t outweigh the upsides for me.
  • 1 1
 I have a Paradox kinetics bolt on mid drive 1500w motor with a throttle on a Gen 3 Nomad. It always has the chain going so you can shift like this without pedaling and hit the thumb throttle. Its super fun to full throttle let off and upshift and back on it. Then bang through the gears downshifting before slow corners gets some rally car action sounds going. Feels like you are in star wars.
  • 1 0
 If this was the “regular” way things were done, I’d gladly pay 750 euro for a REVOLUTIONARY rear in-hub freewheel system. Less drag, save your drivetrain from sticks, shift only when you need!!!!!
  • 2 0
 Cool concept but the second you suck up a stick while coasting, your drivetrain is getting shredded.
  • 1 0
 Was expecting more “sounds like a drag” or maybe drag queen inspired comments, but got a lot of intelligent banter and good points instead. Faith in humanity restored!
  • 4 2
 We all want less drag, otherwise gearboxes would be already more popular if we like drag.
  • 3 0
 Intend: "We insist that you run a 3g chain guide."
Dangerholm: "No."
  • 3 1
 ME: waiting on 3x8 drivetrains and elastomer forks to become the Next Big Thing....
  • 1 0
 I'm wondering what speed was reached during this test? At what speed would the whole drivetrain just explode? Because it will happen.
  • 1 0
 Everything explodes at a certain speed. Doesn’t mean we have to run around mentioning it about every product.

Anyway, rumor has it Mr Beer is a pretty quick rider.
  • 2 0
 @Blackhat: He can be an exceptionally quick rider and not exceed 25 mph, it just depends on the terrain. Conversely, anyone can find a steep enough hill and exceed 60 mph, that's more the scenario I was thinking of.
  • 1 0
 Kornelius Kapfinger is an Engineer and a biker. As soon as he gets a BMX background, he'll dominate the world. Muahahahahhhaahaha!!!!!!!!
  • 1 0
 Can I buy the Ztto version? hahaha probably not the best to try and sell godawful expensive cranks next to Chinesium tools (that said I think Ztto makes pretty solid stuff)
  • 1 0
 @dirtdiggler: LIKE roller bearings, sprag clutches do not like any dirt?
But future of derailleurs, would work better, if sealed from mud?
  • 1 0
 Trials riders are rolling their eyes at this as they imagine all the leaves, sticks and pant legs getting pulled through the drivetrain.
  • 1 0
 Thank goodness. We finally have a solution to a problem nobody has. I could see this tech being applied to hand-cycles but I don't really get it
  • 1 0
 Might useful for some, but as I use an oval chainring this is not for me. my knees hurt with round chainrings, so I won't return to a round chain ring.
  • 2 0
 Will this work with my coaster brake hub?
  • 1 0
 If this has higher drag than the wheel freehub then the bike would coast at the freehubs speed right?
  • 2 0
 But it cant’t cause the cassette is zip tied to one of the spokesWink
  • 1 0
 @Agnirider: ha! Actually went ahead and read that part…
  • 2 0
 Ebikes come with this style crank. Just add a zip tie.
  • 3 1
 It seems e-bikers prefer to use much shorter cranks than those us us supplying all the power. They don’t like pedal strikes I suppose.

Wait until they hear about rigid platforms paired with a throttle!
  • 1 0
 Would this also help reduce pedal kickback from suspension compression similar to an O-chain?
  • 2 0
 No. Except that the crank-freewheel might have less engagement than your hub, in which case there is a higher chance of it being in-between pawls during a compression event and thus providing less kickback.
  • 2 0
 We had a bike with Shimano FFS in the shop once.
  • 2 0
 These were on Schwinns how many years ago....everything's been done.
  • 1 0
 I tried one of these systems. The chain dropped on the first hard bumpy turn I made. I wasn't running a chain guide.
  • 3 0
 The phrase “pushing a rope” comes to mind.
  • 2 0
 I love bike tech, but this idea sucks
  • 1 0
 If there is noticeable drag wouldn't that mean heat? 20 minute downhill on a 90F day effect the main bearing?
  • 2 0
 I think every dh racer will have one soon enough! Great idea
  • 2 0
 german home made brand selling stuff with aliexpress ZTTO tools like WTF ?
  • 1 2
 Every now and then an innovation comes along which makes everyone else say "why didn't I think of that?" I think if this technology makes it to SRAM and Shimano then it could be the future of drivetrains.
  • 1 0
 Here's one from a Rocky Mountain Powerplay ebike for $115.... www.ebay.com/itm/234531271145
  • 1 0
 So does it improve suspension action? Like running chainless?

Less feel of chain growth like an ochain.
  • 1 0
 This plus previously featured Supre Drive = gearbox-less gearbox?
  • 1 0
 Pedal kickback killer?????? I think so
  • 2 1
 What a beautiful way to wear down your drivetrain.
  • 1 0
 This is too dangerous when downhill
  • 1 0
 Should have shorter arm lengths
  • 1 0
 Kind of trippy to watch it in action but it's a cool idea.
  • 1 0
 Last thing you want is the cassette moving when you drop the chain.
  • 2 0
 Fuck no.
  • 1 0
 Just what I need to reduce transmission wearing…
  • 2 0
 Welcome to Trials! Haha
  • 1 0
 Williams Racing Products has entered the chat youtu.be/gdRZqr2FcF8
  • 1 1
 Yes! More overpriced junk that I don’t need and doesn’t work. Sign me up!
  • 2 0
 ZTTO!
  • 1 0
 They lost me at “zip tie on the cassette”
  • 1 0
 Sorcery.
  • 1 2
 That axle interface looks like something from a cheap bmx crank but, if it works...
  • 1 1
 Yep, $1000 of uselessness.
  • 3 4
 A kook and his money are soon parted…
  • 2 3
 TAKE MY MONEYYYYYYYYY
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