Crank length for 29rs.

[nevadadave]

On the topic of crank length. I'm 5'7 inseam of 30 ish I've been riding 175 on my 26 inch for years. I'm going 29r soon. I always thought shorter quicker turnover cranks would be better for steep technical climbs. From reading these posts, I suppose I've had a misconception in my head.

Any suggestions for my choice in crank length for my 29r? Save some money and just use my current cranks? Any insight is appreciated.

 

[alfeng]

FWIW. While a 29er's wheels-and-tires are definitely heavier than 26er wheels-and-tires, I would anticipate using a lower gear ratio rather than opting for longer crankarms for more leverage OR shorter cranks to achieve a modestly higher cadence ...

• ... the difference in the circumference which your pedal traces is much less than you probably would think when you go to a shorter-or-longer crank arm ...
• BUT, a difference in crankarm length might affect the pressure on your joints for the better-or-worse if your saddle is not oriented optimally ...

Which is a long way of saying that if-I-were-you then 'I' would continue to use 175mm cranks on your 29er ... particularly since 180mm cranks ([COLOR= #808080]I don't think 177.5mm cranks are readily available, now[/COLOR]) will cost you a premium if only because ([COLOR= #0000ff]AFAIK[/COLOR]) you will need to step up to XT-or-XTR cranks instead of SLX/LX/etc. cranks ([COLOR= #808080]which are readily available with 175mm crankarms[/COLOR]).