Harry,
It's also a leg speed thing. Easier to spin shorter cranks, and you generally need to spin really fast if you want to win track races.
Even tall trackies, like Marty Nothstein was, will be on 165s, especially in the sprint events.
Baird
_____________________________________ Baird Webel Washington DC, USA
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:05:33 -0500
>From: travis.harry@gmail.com
>To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>Subject: Re: [CR]wtt: campy pista cranks, 165mm for 170mm.
>Message-ID: <MONKEYFOODsclWXSZ3Z00003ccc@monkeyfood.nt.phred.org>
>In-Reply-To: <694794.85623.qm@web30614.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
>Precedence: list
>Reply-To: travis.harry@gmail.com
>Message: 2
>
>Track riders:
>
>I don't understand this. 5mm, 1/5th of an inch is a smaller distance
>than is beneath discussion when it comes to frame design and bottom
>bracket height. Further, variation in track pedal width exceeds 5mm. So,
>how can 165 vs 170mm crank length be standard just on objective risk
>aversion? There must be more to 165mm than just the incremental hazard
>of pedal strike.
>
>Harry Travis
>Washington, DC USA
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