Jim Martin wrote:
> "BVM" <
[email protected]> wrote
>
>>I was always used to 175mm for any kind of bike. If I experimented with anything shorter (170,
>>172.5), I really missed 175's. Even on long flat rides, I personally could not feel the benefit of
>>spinning smaller circles. I developed some kind of rhythm on 175s and the shorter cranks feel like
>>they rob me of power.
>
>
> Then by all means stay with the 175's. These tiny differences in length will have no physiological
> effect. However, if you *believe* that they alter your power then they will indeed influence your
> performance.
This is a bit unfair, as it implies a strictly placebo effect. The effect of comfort is potentially
real. Would you wear poorly-fitting shoes? Yet I suspect if you did an erg test, whether the shoe
fit well or not wouldn't make much difference. The rider would just be more miserable.
But in the real "uncontrolled" world, where motivation is so dependent on how one feels, comfort may
be more of a factor.
Dan