what effect does crank arm length have on riding?

[Parrott]

That's pretty impressive Brenton. I'm a 41 yo never was ( or ever would have been) but I have worked out I like longer cranks not there is any career in it for me with my pigeon lungs.

I found a list after searching on another crank length thread that listed a number of past and present riders running predominantly 172.5 or longer. It was not authenticated but I checked a few out and it seemed reasonably accurate.

Suppose I'd better pm Kalgrm with an apology as I cranked it out with him a few times in these threads and may have pissed him of a tad.

[brentono]

Parrott,
No worries here with me...

All I can say, with what I have read on this site, and even to the extent of pro team riders,
regarding long cranks, there is an unbeliveable amount of injury that seems to occur.

During my whole career, never had any knee, or joint problems.

At 41, think you need to protect knees and joints, and for myself, being older, I do also.
Which keeps me continuing to perservere with 165mm cranks, small gears,
and pedaling- easily and relaxed, in whatever situation.
Enjoy your cycling.
Cheers,
BrentonO

[foo on patrol]

For what it is worth from my experience.

Riders that were tall always rode 170- 175mm on the road and 165-170mm on the track!

In my opinion and I could be wrong (known to happen) All riders will have pretty much the same angles in the legs at the same position of the revolution of pedals. By this I mean a rider that is 5'6" and a rider that is 6' at the same point of pedal revolution will be very close, to the same angle.

To me, this makes sense, because you have a point where, you have the optimum leverage for power in the stroke!

Foo

[brentono]

Papa uses 165mm Campag Cranks.

[foo on patrol]

He's blessed!

[mikesbytes]

[Parrott]

Parrott,
No worries here with me...

All I can say, with what I have read on this site, and even to the extent of pro team riders,
regarding long cranks, there is an unbeliveable amount of injury that seems to occur.

During my whole career, never had any knee, or joint problems.

At 41, think you need to protect knees and joints, and for myself, being older, I do also.
Which keeps me continuing to perservere with 165mm cranks, small gears,
and pedaling- easily and relaxed, in whatever situation.
Enjoy your cycling.
Cheers,
BrentonO

I've tried 172.5 on the roadie and didn't like them. They were good for cornering clearance on the crit track though. Back to 175 on the roadie and 177.5 on the tt. They are faster for me.

I've had no knee problems once the cleat was set on the shoe and still cadence on the mid 90's with the 177' s. I'm about 185 cm tall if that means anything. I suppose everyone's different.

[Mean Machine]

it doesn't explain why the fastest current road riders tend toward the use of longer cranks?

Like who exactly? Cancellara? It's not uncommon, even if one is a pro, to follow some stupid tradition/advice you've been taught early in your career by some 'guru'. A lot of these guys are still doing one legged uphill intervals, so what?

[toolonglegs]

it doesn't explain why the fastest current road riders tend toward the use of longer cranks?

Like who exactly? Cancellara? It's not uncommon, even if one is a pro, to follow some stupid tradition/advice you've been taught early in your career by some 'guru'. A lot of these guys are still doing one legged uphill intervals, so what?

Like who exactly?.

[Parrott]

Jacques Anquetil 175mm
Lance Armstrong 175mm
Magnus Backstedt 177.5mm
Chris Boardman 170mm
Santiago Botero 172.5mm
Angel Casero 175mm
Mario Cipollini 172.5mm
Fausto Coppi 171mm
Malcolm Elliott 172.5mm
Tyler Hamilton 172.5mm
Bernard Hinault 172.5mm
Miguel Indurian 180mm (190mm for second Hour record!)
Laurent Jalabert 172.5mm
Greg Lemond 175mm,
Brad McGee 175mm
Robbie McEwen 175mm
Eddy Merckx 175mm
David Millar 175mm (180mm in TT)
Francesco Moser 175mm
Marty Northstein 167.5mm in Keirin (170mm in kilo)
Graham Obree 175mm
Marco Pantani 170mm (180mm in mountains)
David Rebellin 172.5mm
Roger Riviere 175mm
Jean Robic 170mm
Tony Rominger 172.5mm (175mm for Hour record)
Oscar Sevilla 175mm
Jan Ullrich 177.5mm
Rik Verbrugghe 175mm
Erik Zabel 172.5mm
Alex Zulle 175mm (180mm in mountains)
Alberto Contador 172.5
Fabien Cancellara 177.5
Tom Boonen 177.5mm
Allan Davis 172.5mm
Gord Fraser 172.5mm
Oscar Freire 172.5mm
Thor Hushovd 175mm
Giovanni Lombardi 172.5mm
Alessandro Petacchi 175mm
Fred Rodriguez 175mm
Erik Zabel 172.5mm

Boardman used 170s on all his hour records

http://www.bikecult.com/bikecultbook...cordsHour.html

Rominger 172.5
Moser 175
Merckx 175
Obree 175

And, according to this site, despite only having an 86cm inseam (33.85"), Marc Madiot used 180s all the time

I can believe Indurain ran 190's at times, but was very surprised to see Pantani on 180's!

It seems like unless you like to spin at a high cadence almost all of the time, it's best to go longer rather than shorter, unless it hurts your knees, you have knee issues, or it feels awkward.

It might be interesting to see a study that analyzed the spin of top pros to see if the ones running shorter cranks might be using their upstroke muscles more equally, giving them more efficiency. But maybe what is lost in efficiency is made up in more power from more torque with the longer arms?

from here

Leonard Zinn also has a bit to say on the matter.


This is a copy from an old crank thread on here and the list is from another forum and is not authorative by any means but check em out if you want.

[Mean Machine]

it doesn't explain why the fastest current road riders tend toward the use of longer cranks?

Like who exactly? Cancellara? It's not uncommon, even if one is a pro, to follow some stupid tradition/advice you've been taught early in your career by some 'guru'. A lot of these guys are still doing one legged uphill intervals, so what?

Like who exactly?.

Spend January-February in Mallorca, write the names down and you'll have your answer.

[Parrott]

Well maybe that list is not that current and who knows if the bloke on that other forum made it all up anyway, but it looks impressive even if it probably means nothing

[toolonglegs]

Spend January-February in Mallorca, write the names down and you'll have your answer.

So you can't actually name anyone then?.

[brentono]

Boardman used 170s on all his hour records

http://www.bikecult.com/bikecultbook/sports_recordsHour.html

"I'm not trying to be deliberately argumentative "
The example is biased, as you know, Hour Record Crank Length's is talking apples and oranges,
just to clear it up for the rest...
Hour Records is one thing, and normal racing is another.
The point on Boardman sounds right, and would expect he uses 165mm in normal racing.
The Leonard Zinn example is a 6' 5" guy with an odd bent for long cranks, maybe
he should have tried 165mm.
One quote he did make that was relevent...

you want every bike you ride to be as identical as you can make it

As you say "go with what you want"
No worries, Enjoy your cycling.
Cheers,
BrentonO

[brentono]

AaaaaaaaaaaMEN

[Aushiker]

Most people wouldn't even notice if their cranks were changed.

Hi

That resembles me ... I have different crank lengths on my weekend warrior/commuter from my tourer and I don't notice the difference at all; well besides clipping the ground now and then on the tourer .

Andrew