I know much has been written about this subject already. There seems to be general agreement that racers often used aluminum cranks in the mountains, and steel cranks on the flats. All the talk of documenting sources has raised some questions for me
Does anyone have pictures or other documentation showing a particular racer using aluminum cranks in the mountains, and steel cranks on the flats? In the same season? In the same race? Was this common or the exception? Did these racers switch cranks or switch bikes? Did they have other specialized equipment for the mountains or the flats? Is there just some quotidian explanation? For example: "the next day, the bike with the aluminum cranks had a flat, so I grabbed the backup bike with the steel cranks." Or, "early in the season we rode the bikes with the steel cranks, but then Guiseppe worked a deal with someone, and we got some of the new, cool aluminum cranks."
Best regards,
Marcus Helman
Huntington Woods, MI