Originally Posted by
cyrano138
But the idea that it's going to produce any noticeable difference in torque is absurd, if I remember my physics correctly. Torque is directly proportional to the distance (from the center of rotation) from which it's applied, which in this case is the crank arm. So you're talking about a 2.94% decrease from 170's to 165's.
That's assuming people are biomechanically set up to produce proportional torque at different leg extensions in relation to the circle described by the arc of the crank. We're not. Once you take the whole system into account, it's far more complex than just a single torque number on one pivot.