Longer/Shorter Cranks

Winter is kicking in up here in Northern Europe so mileage is as at an all time low at this time of the year... so I have a question: Do any roadies here use shorter cranks in the winter time when you're less fit, cycling a lot less, and using smaller gears?

I have 175mm on the racing bike which I'm on since February, but my hacker has 170mm. Should I keep them the same and try to keep my saddle position identical, or would I be inviting knee problems by alternating between the two size cranks when February comes around next year?

Interested to hear any comments or experiences if anyone does this.

Cheers.

 

I can't see any problems with using 2 different size cranks especially if it is during different periods of your training (ie. summer/winter). It is common for track riders to use cranks as short as 165mm while still doing road miles on bikes with cranks of 170mm-175mm. I have never heard of any problems to do with this as long as the seat height is appropriate.

I personally use cranks of 165mm for 3-4 training sessions per week and the 170mm cranks on my roadie for a similar 3-4 sessions per week during summer/track. I am not sure if this totally applies to your situation but it is the only info i can offer on the subject.