Ignite Catalyst Cranks

Note!  We only stock a few of these cranks, way too many color combos and such to keep them in fully in stock.  If you order thru us, we'll save you the crazy DHL shipping.  Usually takes about 6 weeks to fulfill a crank order.  By ordering you are saying: Hey I'm ok with a wait!

The guy who designed Ignite Catalyst cranks is a helluva Jumble player.  Apparently he hones his skills nightly with his wife in highly competitive post supper games.  True facts.  Ian not only designed these cranks, but he makes them too, on a state of the art CNC mill in his garage.  Lest you think it is some fly by night company with an unknown past making these cranks, Ian also designed the Discord Aluminum Creemee and Aluminum Peeper stems, and is known for making highly technical medical equipment as well as Porche 911 brake calipers.  None of that stuff is fly by night stuff, it’s the kind stuff you do when you are at the top of your game as a designer and machinist.  I semi routinely call Ian when I have some weird question or concept in kicking around in the dustbin I call my brain.  He always has a quick, reasonable answer or response, and often it turns my preconceived notion on it’s head.  I like that.  

Ian developed the Catalyst cranks over a multi year period.  He’s tested them 3 ways: once with mustard, once with blackened onions, and finally with a quince relish.  Needless to say… wait.  The cranks were ACTUALLY tested first using finite analysis software, then in the real world, on gnarly rock gardens, and finally, he sent the cranks off to be ISO tested.  They’re rated to the hardest riding out there, so you can smack the crap out of them and not worry.  

Plenty of cranks out there are strong, and plenty are light, but few are both.  The genius of the Ignite cranks is the use of something called generative design.  You’ll hear more about it in the near future… in fact SRAM just released pics of a crank they’ve been working on using generative design, and it looks a lot like the cranks Ian has been working on all these years.  As far as I understand it, you tell a computer where the loads are gunna come from, and how big they are going to be, then the computer forms the shape of the object at hand, telling you the ideal shape for optimal stiffness to weight.  That’s why these cranks have such a unique look.  Material where it needs to be, none where it doesn’t.  

The result is a 550 gram crank / axle combo that’s ultra stiff and strong.  

Ian is a perfectionist.  He obsessed over machine tool marks and the paths they take.  He thinks White Industries’ chainrings are sloppy.  Paul’s machining rudimentary.  I’m not saying I do, but when you hold up an Ignite part, you can see that there is a difference between it and almost any other part you’ve ever held.  I’d say the closest I’ve seen in terms of perfection is Extralite cranks, or the old Tune Big Foot cranks.  But Extralite no longer makes mountain cranks, and Tune stopped making the Big Foot ages ago.  So no contemporary parallels.  

Ignite has 2 design features that make them even more rad:  1.  The bearing preload adjuster uses a 2.5mm hex, not a 1mm.  So it won’t strip easily AND 90% of multitools can be used to adjust it (also it's not made of plastic, woo!).  The cranks also use 8mm hex bolts for installation, not 10mm.  Again, most multitools have one of those, but no multitools have a 10mm.  That means on a big ole ride, someone needs to lug a huge 10mm hex wrench.  Crazy!

Ignite Catalyst cranks spin on 30mm aluminum axles.  That means you can use any BSA 30mm bottom bracket, or a PF30 bottom bracket.  We like the White, Enduro and Wheels Manufacturing bottom brackets.  

The Catalyst cranks use SRAM’s popular GXP / Dub chainring interface, so a variety of chainrings are readily available.  Our favorites are the Garbaruk or Wolftooth rings, but you can run SRAM rings, Absolute Black and others.  

Suitable for Boost or Non Boost chainline bikes. 

168mm Q factor

95-100mm K factor (most modern BB standards for 135-148 rear hub spacing)

30mm spindle

510-550g including arms, spindle, and all hardware (bolts, extractor caps,preloader)

standard 3 bolt splined chainring mounting (bolts included)

ISO 4210-8 tested and certified by an independent testing lab