What Cranckarm length?

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I want to get some opinions and thoughts on cranckarm length for training/racing. I have just 172.5mm for couple years but now was thinking of trying 175mm to generate more torque or let's say something different to improve racing.
To my person: Cat1 racer,height 185cm,inseam 85cm, 69kg. I'm not a gear masher and prefer to spin the gears.

What are your thoughts on switching? What to look out for? Have you switched and what was your expierience?

thanks for the input

5,4,3,2,1,...

Stay with what you have. If your goal is to increase torque, make that your focus of your training plans.

[QUOTE=toaster]I want to go from 172.5 to 175mm cranksQUOTE]eh, not worth it.

I was obsessed with crank length for a few years, going from 170s to 175s, to 180s for a whole year, back to 175s, and I've come full circle, back to 172.5s! The only time I missed long cranks is mashing up short hills off the saddle.

Long cranks screw up the position too much, in my opinion (although you're only talking about 2.5mm), and going from 172.5 to 175 won't really do anything but change the feel and and your relative seat height.

I'm 182cm with an 89cm inseam. I like the 172.5s coz I can get nice and high over the pedals and pound the crap out of them. With the longer cranks, and the relatively lower position (you've gotta lower the saddle with longer cranks, so the increased length effectively doubles the lower position through the top of the stroke) it felt like my knees were in my chest and further away, and the pedals harder to push

One trap with longer cranks is that you may notice the extra leverage immediately, then you get addicted to it, try everything to make them work, and can be blinded to the fact that your position is up shit creek. :)


This is my latest favourite crank length article.

http://www.arniebakercycling.com/pubs/Free/Optimum%20Crankarm%20Length.pdf