Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Favorite 180mm+ cranks?

Can you recommend a 180mm+ crankset in the $50 and $150 range?

I'm looking for a double crank, but a single-speed is not out of the question. ISO tapers!

Might try here:
http://www.jensonusa.com/store/closeouts.aspx

checking now...

edit: JIS cranks are fine too... I'll be buying a new BB with this purchase

checking now...

edit: JIS cranks are fine too... I'll be buying a new BB with this purchase

TA Carmina would be a good one. See: http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/carmina.asp

This place sells extra long cranks. Not cheap thought.
http://zinncycles.pinnaclecart.com/index.php?p=catalog&parent=2&pg=1

And here I am contemplating 152mm cranks on my next bike...

Zinn cycles definetly, I have 205 mm cranks and they are awesome.
http://zinncycles.com/side-cranks.php

question. I have a long torso, not so long legs, but big feet. (6"2", 31.5" inseam, 14 us shoe, 56cm Trek frame)

would i benefit a longer crank? i have a stock 2004 crank on there now.

thanks for the input.

How tall are some of you? I looked at that whole Zinn thing and it recommended something close to 190mm cranks. I don't understand how someone can ride these kinds of cranks unless they're 7 feet tall. Right now, with 175mm cranks, my legs feel like they come up too high when I'm in the drops. I can't imagine riding with anything larger, also considering how much more awkward it will become to spin compared to the some shorter cranks. The additional 1.5cm in the cranks and 1.5cm lower saddle would have my legs 3cm closer to my chest, that's horrible.

How tall are some of you? I looked at that whole Zinn thing and it recommended something close to 190mm cranks. I don't understand how someone can ride these kinds of cranks unless they're 7 feet tall. Right now, with 175mm cranks, my legs feel like they come up too high when I'm in the drops. I can't imagine riding with anything larger, also considering how much more awkward it will become to spin compared to the some shorter cranks. The additional 1.5cm in the cranks and 1.5cm lower saddle would have my legs 3cm closer to my chest, that's horrible.

You probably don't have very good bike fit to begin with. Most cyclists have poor fit, at best, on their road bikes usually riding frames that are MUCH too small for them, resulting in only being able to ride on the hoods 99% of the time. As a rule if you can't COMFORTABLY ride in the drops at least half the time, your bike probably isn't the right fit for you. I'm astounded by the fact that 9 out of every 10 road bikes I see being ridden are completely fit incorrectly, and half of these have roadies taking themselves way too seriously as cyclists anyway...

I use Zinn 205mm square taper cranks with the 130bcd on a triple. I have it set up as a 24-38-46. The 38 is the smallest middle ring I can get on the 130bcd and while I can easily spin out the 46 when hammering, it gives me great gearing for Colorado (in terms of gain ratios with my 13-32 freewheel) and the varied riding I like to do (mountain passes or just cruising the bike paths). You can't even begin to compare the difference proper and proportional crank length makes to a bigger cyclist.

Make no mistake 165mm through 180mm does not cover the range of cyclists? That's only six crank lengths to cover frame sizes from 49cm to 63cm (15 different frame sizes). Realistically it takes a range of 150mm through about 220mm to cover the non-outlier sized height distribution of cyclists. However, with Shimanoculutre you're pretty much going to see nearly everyone on 175mm cranks, even though very few people should be...

Another option other than Zinn for custom length cranks for much much cheaper is Custom Cranks. Check out the analysis on crank length here:

http://www.customcranks.de/en/cranklength.html

I like the Zinn cranks I have fine, but I'll be trying Custom Cranks as well.

This one just barely makes it over your lower price limit.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180437106269

Thanks for the link! There is lots of graphic information there to help illustrate the concept of crank length in relation to leg length. I especially like this information from that site:

Some considerations and tendencies when choosing cranklength,
depending on...

...Cyclist
shorter <= less - ambitous sport - more => longer

...Discipline
Long distance / Time trial => longer
frequently starts, cycling in standing position, climbing => longer
shorter <= circuit race

...Body sizes
shorter <= rel. long tibia || rel. long femur => longer
shorter <= smal foot || Bigfoot :-0 => longer
shorter <= full figured |(belly!)| lean => longer
shorter <= aerodyn |ears| distant => longer

...Bicycle
SingleSpeed => longer

* * *

Corner clearence
When elongating the cranks, bear in mind, that cornering clearance is reduced. **
While deeper pedals may be an aerodynamical advantage (Cyclist sits also deeper) too little cornering clearance is dangerous.
For mountainbikers, fatter tyres can increase the ground clearance.
-------
I'm having Lennard Zinn build a new bike for me (old one was destroyed when I was rear ended by a pickup) with a frame** which will take into consideration the longer (200) cranks. I don't do Crits & hard cornering, but even if I did I'd have near 'normal' clearance.
Yes, it will take a while for my muscles to adapt to the change. But after nearly three month off the bike, that's a given!


You probably don't have very good bike fit to begin with. Most cyclists have poor fit, at best, on their road bikes usually riding frames that are MUCH too small for them, resulting in only being able to ride on the hoods 99% of the time. As a rule if you can't COMFORTABLY ride in the drops at least half the time, your bike probably isn't the right fit for you. I'm astounded by the fact that 9 out of every 10 road bikes I see being ridden are completely fit incorrectly, and half of these have roadies taking themselves way too seriously as cyclists anyway...

I use Zinn 205mm square taper cranks with the 130bcd on a triple. I have it set up as a 24-38-46. The 38 is the smallest middle ring I can get on the 130bcd and while I can easily spin out the 46 when hammering, it gives me great gearing for Colorado (in terms of gain ratios with my 13-32 freewheel) and the varied riding I like to do (mountain passes or just cruising the bike paths). You can't even begin to compare the difference proper and proportional crank length makes to a bigger cyclist.

Make no mistake 165mm through 180mm does not cover the range of cyclists? That's only six crank lengths to cover frame sizes from 49cm to 63cm (15 different frame sizes). Realistically it takes a range of 150mm through about 220mm to cover the non-outlier sized height distribution of cyclists. However, with Shimanoculutre you're pretty much going to see nearly everyone on 175mm cranks, even though very few people should be...

Another option other than Zinn for custom length cranks for much much cheaper is Custom Cranks. Check out the analysis on crank length here:

http://www.customcranks.de/en/cranklength.html

I like the Zinn cranks I have fine, but I'll be trying Custom Cranks as well.