Crank arms too long?
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Crank arms too long?
Hey everyone, just getting into the whole ss/fixed thing and am currently using the freewheel to get a better feel for the gear/pedal all the time thing and after taking a corner at some speed yesterday my pedal hit the ground at about the apex of the corner... am I laying into it to hard, or perhaps are my cranks too long? I was able to hold off a fall on the freegear, but I think if I were going fixed I'd be all over the pavement right now...
do you guys often have problems clipping the ground in your corners, or is this just newb riding style?
do you guys often have problems clipping the ground in your corners, or is this just newb riding style?
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pathdoc is right but you say you are pedaling as if you are imitating fixed. If fixed is how you plan to go, smaller crank arms is one option. Another is slowing down so you lean into the turn less. That last option probably isn't feasible if you're a speed junkie like me.
Personally I prefer smaller crank arms because my knees like it.
Personally I prefer smaller crank arms because my knees like it.
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ill sometimes do a little skip/skid before a fast corner to get my inside leg up as I turn. ive never had pedal strike when turning, i have 165 cranks because of toe overlap.
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Originally Posted by pathdoc
I've never clipped the ground like that but when I corner the inside knee is always up.
#6
aka mattio
i have 170 cranks and i've pedal struck once, in a race when i was all adrenaline'd up and not paying attention. usually i'm not turning so steeply.
the bottom bracket on my IRO, though, is higher than the BB on many conversions. that's another factor.
the bottom bracket on my IRO, though, is higher than the BB on many conversions. that's another factor.
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unless pathdoc has flipflopped, he's still riding SS dirtyphotons. Of course it's easy for pathdoc to avoid pedal strike.
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Originally Posted by dirtyphotons
not elegant, but better than crashing.
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lower profile pedals can help too... clipless pedals tend to have less trouble with pedal strike than clips & straps.
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Aright, I’m going to flip her to fixed tonight for some fun I think, I’ll test and see, I don't have clipless on this bike (yet) and am using some rather large metal pedals, but the contact spot is huge!
If I go clipless, I really like my speedplay's on the roadie, I think they would be a good fit here too... course a street/work capable shoe might not agree
If I go clipless, I really like my speedplay's on the roadie, I think they would be a good fit here too... course a street/work capable shoe might not agree
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In fact, he said in his original post he wasn't riding fixed.
I was able to hold off a fall on the freegear, but I think if I were going fixed I'd be all over the pavement right now...
To the O.P., do you know what crank length you have now? I think the consensus here is that 165mm is usually best for fixed gear on the street with 170mm being the longest you want to run. This is assuming 700c tires and a horizontal chainstay. Smaller wheels or a lower bb would require shorter cranks.
I was able to hold off a fall on the freegear, but I think if I were going fixed I'd be all over the pavement right now...
To the O.P., do you know what crank length you have now? I think the consensus here is that 165mm is usually best for fixed gear on the street with 170mm being the longest you want to run. This is assuming 700c tires and a horizontal chainstay. Smaller wheels or a lower bb would require shorter cranks.
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Originally Posted by tspinning
currently using the freewheel
Originally Posted by pathdoc
See, he wasn't fixed.
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Do any of you ppl's who ride hilly areas find a lot of difference
between 165 and 170's ?
Hmmmm.....maybe not phrased right....Was the extra spinnicity factor of
the smaller arms offset by more work getting up the hills ? Or something
like that
between 165 and 170's ?
Hmmmm.....maybe not phrased right....Was the extra spinnicity factor of
the smaller arms offset by more work getting up the hills ? Or something
like that
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Originally Posted by -=Łem in Pa=-
Do any of you ppl's who ride hilly areas find a lot of difference
between 165 and 170's ?
Hmmmm.....maybe not phrased right....Was the extra spinnicity factor of
the smaller arms offset by more work getting up the hills ? Or something
like that
between 165 and 170's ?
Hmmmm.....maybe not phrased right....Was the extra spinnicity factor of
the smaller arms offset by more work getting up the hills ? Or something
like that
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eh, i strike a pedal on my freewheel bike every couple of weeks... never very hard, though, and it's never thrown me off balance or caused a problem. just ride w/ power and control and pay attention to your position and the limits of your equipment and you'll be fine.
another good idea would be to do tight turns on a fairway or preferably a putting green until you catch a pedal and fall so you can find out exactly what those limits are.
another good idea would be to do tight turns on a fairway or preferably a putting green until you catch a pedal and fall so you can find out exactly what those limits are.
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So common idea the 180mm arms I have on the Sputnik (measured from center of pedal spindle to center of bb right?) are a bit too long for safety....
On a side note my first try on the fix was... interesting, I have a whole new respect for you all, esp. after I almost flew off the bike as I went from road to sidewalk over a small lump of grass and attempted to stand w/ feet horizontal to ground as I would normally... I inadvertently did a sorta skid which was neat, but I couldn't replicate that magic again. Tomorrow is another day!
On a side note my first try on the fix was... interesting, I have a whole new respect for you all, esp. after I almost flew off the bike as I went from road to sidewalk over a small lump of grass and attempted to stand w/ feet horizontal to ground as I would normally... I inadvertently did a sorta skid which was neat, but I couldn't replicate that magic again. Tomorrow is another day!
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"esp. after I almost flew off the bike as I went from road to sidewalk over a small lump of grass ....."
You might want to go against standard Fix-Couture and get a
mirror...at least for a while. The look-a-round car check can
provide some thrilling moments too
You might want to go against standard Fix-Couture and get a
mirror...at least for a while. The look-a-round car check can
provide some thrilling moments too
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Originally Posted by tspinning
So common idea the 180mm arms I have on the Sputnik (measured from center of pedal spindle to center of bb right?) are a bit too long for safety....
On a side note my first try on the fix was... interesting, I have a whole new respect for you all, esp. after I almost flew off the bike as I went from road to sidewalk over a small lump of grass and attempted to stand w/ feet horizontal to ground as I would normally... I inadvertently did a sorta skid which was neat, but I couldn't replicate that magic again. Tomorrow is another day!
On a side note my first try on the fix was... interesting, I have a whole new respect for you all, esp. after I almost flew off the bike as I went from road to sidewalk over a small lump of grass and attempted to stand w/ feet horizontal to ground as I would normally... I inadvertently did a sorta skid which was neat, but I couldn't replicate that magic again. Tomorrow is another day!
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Originally Posted by -=Łem in Pa=-
"esp. after I almost flew off the bike as I went from road to sidewalk over a small lump of grass ....."
You might want to go against standard Fix-Couture and get a
mirror...at least for a while. The look-a-round car check can
provide some thrilling moments too
You might want to go against standard Fix-Couture and get a
mirror...at least for a while. The look-a-round car check can
provide some thrilling moments too
#21
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Actually, this was the, oncoming car lane, shoot into the sidewalk in front of some (yes cute) chick jogging but just after some other kids walking incident... but yea, a mirror wouldn't hurt (nor a light for this matter!)
But anyway I’m thinking shorter cranks are in order, I had another near scrape (just felt the edge of the pedal hit) on a down hill corner today... anyone know any good cheap cranks that come in black? I think that color would be smooth on this bike.
But anyway I’m thinking shorter cranks are in order, I had another near scrape (just felt the edge of the pedal hit) on a down hill corner today... anyone know any good cheap cranks that come in black? I think that color would be smooth on this bike.
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I believe the IRO cranks come in black and are avaliable in several lengths as are the sugino 75s. Usually the length of the cranks will be stamped somewhere on the back of one of the arms, but you did measure the right distance. Hang in there, and pay attention and you'll get the hang of riding fixed pretty quickly.
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On Lem in Pa question of longer cranks, I rode the stock 175's that came on my Lemond for a year with little trouble of pedal strike and rode the hills with a 46x16 with some effort. I am now down to a 170 DA crank so the hills seem a little harder but it is due to me working too much and not riding enough. My next step will be a set of 165's that I picked up to see how much difference there really is. I am sure there is but the spin is so much better.
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Well, I counted today, and I'm on 48x18 free, or 48x15 fixed
And after checking the backside of the crank (thanks sivat) i have 175's, I think I'd still like to get 165's on her sooner rather than later, perhaps I'm just into those low turns?? Either way, this bike is too fun!
And after checking the backside of the crank (thanks sivat) i have 175's, I think I'd still like to get 165's on her sooner rather than later, perhaps I'm just into those low turns?? Either way, this bike is too fun!
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Originally Posted by Plow Boy
On Lem in Pa question of longer cranks, I rode the stock 175's that came on my Lemond for a year with little trouble of pedal strike and rode the hills with a 46x16 with some effort. I am now down to a 170 DA crank so the hills seem a little harder but it is due to me working too much and not riding enough. My next step will be a set of 165's that I picked up to see how much difference there really is. I am sure there is but the spin is so much better.
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