The $650 Race Face Era SL Crank Shaves 61 Grams — With a Catch

Race Face's new Era SL crank drops 61 grams off the original Era by switching to an integrated spindle and shrinking the stainless steel wear plate. Final weight: 422g for 170mm cranks with a 32t ring and hardware. That's legitimately light for a mountain crank with a lifetime crash warranty. The integrated spindle cuts hardware mass, which is smart — but it also means you're locked into Race Face's ecosystem if something breaks.

Here's the catch: the wear plate that actually worked on the Era crank is now smaller, and no one knows yet if it'll hold up as well against shoe rub. Race Face says it's built for "downcountry," which is marketing speak for "lighter use than the Era." The price climbs to $650 USD, so you're paying about a dollar per gram saved. If you're chasing weight and ride smooth trails, fine. If you're hard on gear or your shoes chew through cranks, I'd wait for long-term reports on that smaller plate before spending this much.