Re: [CR]It's a thing! Crank length

(Example: Bike Shops)

From: <NortonMarg@aol.com>
Subject: Re: [CR]It's a thing! Crank length
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002 02:00:24 EDT

In a message dated 9/11/02 3:20:06 PM Pacific Daylight Time, chuckschmidt@earthlink.net writes:

<< Sterling Peters wrote: > > Hilary and Brandon have hit the mark. I have a 86cm inseam and just have > never FELT COMFORTABLE on cranks longer than 170mm. I have 172.5mm on my De > Rosa and it just does not FEEL right to ME. I'm giving serious consideration > to 165mm , I have a few sets around here , TA and Campy Pista. I'm going to > give them a try.

I'm the opposite: I ride 165, 170, 172.5 and 175 mm cranks on my different bikes and it's all good! (5' 10", saddle top at 75cm from center of BB)

Chuck Schmidt SoPas, SoCal >>

Here we go. I'm 6'2". 170s have always felt way too cramped to me. 165s on a track bike are worse. I've been riding 175s for a long time and they feel great, even on the track. I also ride 177.5s well. I borrowed some 180s and they felt swell for about 3 days, and then all I could feel was I was pedaling squares. They had to go and I found the max length that works for me. I'm looking forward to using some 172.5s I got recently. My own experience is that it seems I can go 2.5mm in a direction and not feel the need to "retrain". If I go 5mm different from my main length, I either need to ride into it and/or it still doesn't feel right, or don't do it and stick to the 2.5 increment from my central length. I think if the 172.5s work for me, I can still go from those to the 177.5s and be fine. 83cm from bb center
to top of saddle.
Stevan Thomas
Alameda, CA