Notices
Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

160mm cranks?

Old 05-26-06, 05:11 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: NYC
Posts: 218

Bikes: KHS, Kiyo Miyazawa

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
160mm cranks?

I have a 50cm mercier kilo and I'm having two issues that I suspect I may be able to remedy with one fix.

first: mad toe overlap. I'm currently running the stock truative 165mm cranks and even though they are that short, the geometry of the frame just means no matter what I do, if i try to turn tight, I'm gonna hit the tire. this isnt really a big deal for me and I've been able to modify my riding to accomodate it well enough.

however, there is a second issue.
When I got the bike, I immediatly replaced the ugly-as-sin [and also not long enough for my reach] stock stem for some sleek nitto love.
when i switched stems I discovered that due to the smallness of the bike, the stem bottomed out in the headtube and still sits probably an inch too high for my taste.

Sooooo, I was thinking that if I got some even shorter cranks [is there anything in between 165 and 160?] I would have to raise my saddle and thus make my saddle-to-bars ratio a bit better as well as perhaps cut down on my toe overlap issues.

thoughts on this plan?
anything glaring that I overlooked?

thanks.
tacks is offline  
Old 05-26-06, 05:18 PM
  #2  
yo yo yo yo yo
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: delaware
Posts: 2,518
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
you can get bulletproof and other bmx cranks in like 155 and possibly even lower. of course you get less torque with shorter cranks
trons is offline  
Old 05-26-06, 05:23 PM
  #3  
Taking "s" outta "Fast"
 
AfterThisNap's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Zoo York City
Posts: 1,989
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
if your cranks are too mismatched (long or short) for your legs knee pain can develop.
AfterThisNap is offline  
Old 05-26-06, 05:26 PM
  #4  
like, really sloppy
 
sloppy robot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: calipornia
Posts: 2,285
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
sounds like your frame is the wrong size for you.. or the stem is the wrong drop.. or something.. these are weird problems to be thinking of fixing with new cranks.. you do realize the diff betweenn 160 and 165 is half a centimeter.. right?
sloppy robot is offline  
Old 05-26-06, 06:30 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: NYC
Posts: 218

Bikes: KHS, Kiyo Miyazawa

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
if your cranks are too mismatched (long or short) for your legs knee pain can develop.
this is the kind of thing I was worried about. my knees feel fine and I'd like to keep it that way.

sounds like your frame is the wrong size for you.. or the stem is the wrong drop.. or something.. these are weird problems to be thinking of fixing with new cranks.. you do realize the diff betweenn 160 and 165 is half a centimeter.. right?
yeah, I know. and really the only serious complaint I have with the bike is that I can't get my bars low enough. I think perhaps I should sucks it up about the toe overlap and find another stem with a deeper drop.


bah.

thanks.
tacks is offline  
Old 05-26-06, 08:36 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
 
asterisk's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 339
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
[165] does not approve of this thead.
asterisk is offline  
Old 05-26-06, 10:27 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
mattface's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Williston, VT
Posts: 3,990

Bikes: Bridgestone RB-T, Soma Rush, Razesa Racer, ⅔ of a 1983 Holdsworth Professional, Nishiki Riviera Winter Bike

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Liked 32 Times in 10 Posts
Originally Posted by tacks
yeah, I know. and really the only serious complaint I have with the bike is that I can't get my bars low enough. I think perhaps I should sucks it up about the toe overlap and find another stem with a deeper drop.
Hariss has some 160mm Suntour cranks, but I seriously doubt raising your saddle 5mm (less than a quarter inch) would solve your problem. A longer stem might help, or more likely a stem with a steeper drop angle, or bars with deeper drop. rotating your bars forward in the stem can both stretch out the reach, and lower the drop. I thought my stem was too long, or too low, but rotating the bars back a few degrees made a marked difference.
mattface is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.