Road Cycling - Crank Length

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1oldRoadie
07-04-02, 05:43 PM
My wife rides a road wit a 50cm toptube....the fit kits says she should use at most a 170 length crank. We bought a bike with 175's on it and she fell in love with them. I have replaced them with shorter (but identical) ones and she knew the instant she started riding and made me switch back.

I too, have switched to 175 and like them better than my old 172.5's.

Does anyone else have comments on crank length preference?

Rural Roadie
07-04-02, 08:24 PM
If it feels right and doesn't hurt go for it. One question, what cadence are you two spinning at?
kev
1oldRoadie
07-04-02, 09:36 PM
mid 70's to about 90

MichaelW
07-05-02, 04:44 AM
I ride a 55cm top tube, and use 170mm cranks which is a pretty standard medium setup.
Your wife is probably a bit shorter than me, but is riding longer cranks.
If she prefers long cranks, then go with it.
Most smaller people are happier with smaller cranks, so their joints move through the same angles as medium people on medium cranks and large people on large cranks.

Since her pedalling circle has a radius 1cm longer than "recomended", that is 2cm extra diameter. How does she set the saddle for-aft? Using the knee over pedal position?