By Matt Hulgan
Sexy but standard.
Durability and weight are important factors for a sprocket but
honestly, for me, a sprocket needs to meet two simple criteria.
It has to be small and it has to look cool. Some people have problems
tearing sprockets to shreds riding flatland but honestly I run a
relatively low torque setup so I've never had a problem in that
area. I've heard of problems with hollow bodied, ultra-machined
sprockets twisting though so I approach that style with caution.
Here's what i know. This sprocket is small (28t) and it is dead
sexy. As you can see in the picture it has a carbon fiber look to
it and the mounting hole and "K" icon are raised. My impression
is that the thicker mounting hole will help prevent deformations
in this area. I've tried to figure out how they got the carbon fiber
design onto the aluminum sprocket and my best guess is that the
cnc machine lightly etched the block effect onto the sprocket's
face. It's not laminated on and it doesn't seem to be paint either.
If you find out let me know.
I've put this one through its paces for over three months without
any bent teeth, tight spots or hole deformations. I've included
a photo of the after-test state of the sprocket. It looks almost
new doesn't it? Unfortunately there's no good way for me to tell
you how long this sprocket will last. The solid body design bodes
well for its longevity though.
Weight: 3.6 oz- not bad for a solid body sprocket of this size.
Not
much more to say on that. Pretty normal.
Conclusion: It's a sprocket and nothing more. If you like the looks
go for it. If not you aren't missing anything new. There are no
extra
bells or whistles to set this one apart from the pack. That's not
necessarily a bad thing. Sprockets don't need to become utility
belts
after all.
Matt Hulgan |
