TruVativ Descendant Alloy Eagle Crankset [Rider Review]

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

TruVativ is essentially the rugged side of SRAM. We see very similar products that tend to appeal to the DH and Enduro side of the market more. Their Alloy Descendant Eagle Crankset has to be one of the most popular items in their catalog and for good reason. They can hold up to a lot of abuse! Our buddy David recently made the upgrade, let's see what he thought:

David's Review

Do you know that oh so satisfying feeling of having something that just works? And then it’s made even better when it looks just oh so good?? Well, that’s what you get with the 1 x TruVativ Descendant 6K Aluminum Eagle Crankset. They install in just two shakes of a lamb's tail. But be sure to properly grease them up first! Of course, it helps when you are installing in a nice fresh, and solid DUB bottom bracket… Regardless, these things rock. Super stiff alloy crank arms that I would put up against any carbon cranks in terms of stiffness but you get a lot of value in these as they are a fraction of the cost. Yup, maybe they are heavier vs carbon but does that really matter?

I mean, after all, heavier components means you gotta work harder. Working harder means you get stronger. When you are stronger you ride longer and harder. See where I’m headed here??

Things to note when selecting a crankset

Are you Boost, SuperBoost, old school (like me), or something else? Know that going in so you select the right set. Not sure what I’m talking about? It’s basically the width of the spindle/set and how far out to the side it goes or doesn’t. You can read all about it, just search.

Crank arm length. Typically 170 or 175mm in length. My set is 170. If you are pedal striking often and running 175 perhaps consider dropping to 170 to gain 5mm of pedal clearance. Do know you will lose leverage on your crank arms, so factor that.

Chainring size? Are you replacing like for like or going up or down in size. A smaller ring upfront will mean more energy required to spin your wheels but will then deliver more speed in rotation to those wheels. I went 32t which means there are 32 teeth on the ring. A common setup in many 1x SRAM drivetrains.

Are you 10, 11, or 12 speed? Be sure to check the listing. Also may correspond
to the Boost factor, I mentioned earlier.

I joked around before on the grease but I kid you not, grease up the spindle before inserting for maximum butteriness.

Pro tip: When taking them out of the box don’t misplace the little washer that is quick-zipped to the cranks arms. You need that washer to sit between your pedals and the crank arm.

Conclusion

"But back to the product, TruVativ (which is owned by SRAM, for those like me who didn’t know that till recently you can thank me later) delivers a high-quality component and after about 20 rides thus far I can confidently say they remain rock solid and smooth running. I tend to ride in rocky terrain and so added the OneUp BashGuide for extra protection. I have not experienced any loosening or play in the cranks and they feel great." - David