Crank lengths
 

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[Closed] Crank lengths

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Posts: 42
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Morning all

Hopefully a simple question.

I currently run 175mm crank arms, been offered some new ones at decent money, but they are only 170mm. Will 5 mm make that much difference to my bike and the way it rides?

is there any benefits to shorter cranks?

cheers


 
Posted : 26/04/2010 8:09 am
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No.

Depends how long your legs are!


 
Posted : 26/04/2010 8:09 am
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I am 6'2 and have to run my seat at around max height.

I found with 170mm cranks I had to run the seat a little higher, so i swapped back to 175mm cranks.


 
Posted : 26/04/2010 8:10 am
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I'm 6'2" with a 32/33" inside leg

suppose I just crank the seat up 5 mm to compensate


 
Posted : 26/04/2010 8:11 am
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Sounds like your legs are long enough to drive 175's, but you'll probably be fine with 170's. Shorter cranks are supposed to be easier to spin fast.


 
Posted : 26/04/2010 8:13 am
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David - so it threw the way you felt on the bike out alot then?


 
Posted : 26/04/2010 8:14 am
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aye have no problems pushing em round, will be running just the middle and inner plush bash. not so bothered about cranking out some speed


 
Posted : 26/04/2010 8:16 am
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I found with 170mm cranks I had to run the seat a little higher,
so i swapped back to 175mm cranks.

at first this sounded crazy but then I realised the lower pedal is nearer if the arm is shorter 🙂


 
Posted : 26/04/2010 8:32 am
 br
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unless you're the kind of person who can't get to sleep if there's a pea under your mattress, I doubt you'll notice

I can't feel any important difference between 165 and 180 - and neither makes me a pro-level rider so there's clearly nowt to the "power" theory


 
Posted : 26/04/2010 8:51 am
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I have run 165 and 175 on the same bike, with the same gearing, that's pretty noticable back to back.


 
Posted : 26/04/2010 8:53 am
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My commuter bike has 170s
My mountain bike had 172.5s but it now has 180s

I can't tell the difference but I like to think the 180s make it easier to get up hills singlespeeding.

It's just the emperor's new chainset.


 
Posted : 26/04/2010 8:56 am
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I had different lengths either side (170/175) and couldn't tell 🙂


 
Posted : 26/04/2010 8:56 am
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David - so it threw the way you felt on the bike out alot then?

Not alot, but the seat was being run at about max height anyway, so i couldnt really put the post any higher to compensate for the shorter cranks.

Also, if you run the saddle higher to compensate, it means its a bit more (5mm?) in the way when your riding downhill.


 
Posted : 26/04/2010 9:13 am

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