Central Ballast - Crank Spindle System

Overview

Central Ballast is a crank spindle system designed to place ballast directly at the centre of the bike.

The system has already been tested and used on track in race environments.

More and more riders and teams are running ballast on DH bikes.

Most of the time it’s taped weights, diving weights, or lead roofing sheet taped around the frame.

It does the job, but it’s far from ideal. Weights can come loose, rattle, or fall off.
Where the weight ends up isn’t controlled, and changing it between runs is slow and messy.

Central Ballast gives you a fixed, repeatable ballast position at the centre of the bike.

The system places the weight internally inside the crank spindle, exactly at the bottom bracket.

It’s fully secured once installed, with no risk of movement, and can be fitted or removed quickly between runs when testing different setups.

On track

Placing ballast at the BB increases sprung mass relative to the wheels and centralises the weight of the bike.

On track this translates to:

• improved stability in rough terrain
• better suspension behaviour under load
• increased momentum and speed carry through fast sections

Options

The Fixed version is a solid brass unit at approximately 420 g.

It’s a simple and robust solution for riders who want to add central ballast and ride.

The Tunable version uses a modular brass housing with interchangeable internal rods.

A brass rod setup gives a total weight of approximately 420 g, while the tungsten carbide option increases this to around 575 g.

This allows quick changes in ballast between runs when testing different setups.

Designed for riders and teams actively testing different ballast configurations.

Compatibility

This version is designed specifically for Shimano Saint DH cranksets.

Other crank standards are being evaluated separately.

Pricing

Fixed — £80 + VAT
Tunable (brass + tungsten rod) — £240 + VAT

Use

Designed for downhill race use.

If you’re already running ballast on your DH bike, this is a cleaner and more controlled way to do it.