Here's a list of pro crank lengths for you tekkies!
08-07-05, 10:24 PM
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Stolen from another cycling website, FWIW:
Originally Posted by smurfbike
This may help in your decision ... Brad McGee now uses 175mm on both road and track after using 170's on the track, in earlier years.
Jacques Anquetil 175mm
Lance Armstrong 175mm
Magnus Backstedt 177.5mm
Chris Boardman 170mm
Santiago Botero 172.5mm
Angel Casero 175mm
Mario Cipollini 172.5mm
Fausto Coppi 171mm
Malcolm Elliott 172.5mm
Tyler Hamilton 172.5mm
Bernard Hinault 172.5mm
Miguel Indurian 180mm (190mm for second Hour record!)
Laurent Jalabert 172.5mm
Greg Lemond 175mm
Brad McGee 175mm
Robbie McEwen 175mm
Eddy Merckx 175mm
David Millar 175mm (180mm in TT)
Francesco Moser 175mm
Marty Northstein 167.5mm in Keirin (170mm in kilo)
Graham Obree 175mm
Marco Pantani 170mm (180mm in mountains)
David Rebellin 172.5mm
Roger Riviere 175mm
Jean Robic 170mm
Tony Rominger 172.5mm (175mm for Hour record)
Oscar Sevilla 175mm
Jan Ullrich 177.5mm
Rik Verbrugghe 175mm
Erik Zabel 172.5mm
Alex Zulle 175mm (180mm in mountains)
Originally Posted by smurfbike
This may help in your decision ... Brad McGee now uses 175mm on both road and track after using 170's on the track, in earlier years.
Jacques Anquetil 175mm
Lance Armstrong 175mm
Magnus Backstedt 177.5mm
Chris Boardman 170mm
Santiago Botero 172.5mm
Angel Casero 175mm
Mario Cipollini 172.5mm
Fausto Coppi 171mm
Malcolm Elliott 172.5mm
Tyler Hamilton 172.5mm
Bernard Hinault 172.5mm
Miguel Indurian 180mm (190mm for second Hour record!)
Laurent Jalabert 172.5mm
Greg Lemond 175mm
Brad McGee 175mm
Robbie McEwen 175mm
Eddy Merckx 175mm
David Millar 175mm (180mm in TT)
Francesco Moser 175mm
Marty Northstein 167.5mm in Keirin (170mm in kilo)
Graham Obree 175mm
Marco Pantani 170mm (180mm in mountains)
David Rebellin 172.5mm
Roger Riviere 175mm
Jean Robic 170mm
Tony Rominger 172.5mm (175mm for Hour record)
Oscar Sevilla 175mm
Jan Ullrich 177.5mm
Rik Verbrugghe 175mm
Erik Zabel 172.5mm
Alex Zulle 175mm (180mm in mountains)
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Last edited by Sincitycycler; 10-18-05 at 12:31 AM.
08-07-05, 10:49 PM
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Still not a lot of differences compare to the variety of length of their legs.
This reminds me of a story I heard long ago(I think it was when the new Staple center was being built). Someone thought of make sitting more comfortable for the basketball players in the locker room, so they made a taller bench. The players didn't like it, even though they have to bend deep to tie their shoe strings and such but they are so used to their habit of adjusting to the normal bench height that when they tried taller bench, they felt so uncomfortable. So the idea of taller bench was dropped.
Maybe, just maybe they got so used to the size available that they feel uncomfortable with anything beyond that?
This reminds me of a story I heard long ago(I think it was when the new Staple center was being built). Someone thought of make sitting more comfortable for the basketball players in the locker room, so they made a taller bench. The players didn't like it, even though they have to bend deep to tie their shoe strings and such but they are so used to their habit of adjusting to the normal bench height that when they tried taller bench, they felt so uncomfortable. So the idea of taller bench was dropped.
Maybe, just maybe they got so used to the size available that they feel uncomfortable with anything beyond that?
08-08-05, 12:54 AM
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Originally Posted by gcasillo
Can't believe Boardman used 170mm cranks.
It's a weird list....qualifies some events, but not others.
Were there 170s on Boardman's road bike? Road TT bike? Hour record bike? 1992 Lotus track bike?
08-08-05, 01:16 AM
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Originally Posted by gcasillo
Can't believe Boardman used 170mm cranks.
Maybe Boardman is short? Any idea how tall he is?
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08-08-05, 01:38 AM
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idunno, boardman was a spinner. he averaged what, like 120 rpm on his hour record? 170mm doesnt seem so weird at that kind of speed.
what gets me is pantani using 180's. he was only like 5'4 (maybe less?) thats a crazy inseam-crank ratio.
what gets me is pantani using 180's. he was only like 5'4 (maybe less?) thats a crazy inseam-crank ratio.
08-08-05, 01:41 AM
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Originally Posted by roadgator
what gets me is pantani using 180's. he was only like 5'4 (maybe less?) thats a crazy inseam-crank ratio.
08-08-05, 01:59 AM
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Originally Posted by Wurm
I see that Jan is trying to strike a happy medium. 
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08-08-05, 04:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Sincitycycler
I was thinking the same thing. Those TT specialists usually use huge "Ron Jeremy" cranks .
Maybe Boardman is short? Any idea how tall he is?
Maybe Boardman is short? Any idea how tall he is?
1.75m, 68kg.
08-08-05, 06:06 PM
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Lots of pros who are my height are using 175. Hmmmm...
I'm using 172.5 btw.
I'm using 172.5 btw.
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08-08-05, 07:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Ziggurat
how tall is cipo, thought he'd be riding 175's at least
189cm, 76kg.
08-08-05, 07:52 PM
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Originally Posted by Sincitycycler
Not listed: Clydesdale Magnus Backstedt using 177.5's too.
08-08-05, 08:51 PM
#15
Aluminium Crusader :-)
according to this, Boardman used 170s on all his hour records
https://www.bikecult.com/bikecultbook...cordsHour.html
Rominger 172.5
Moser 175
Merckx 175
Obree 175
https://www.bikecult.com/bikecultbook...cordsHour.html
Rominger 172.5
Moser 175
Merckx 175
Obree 175
08-08-05, 09:13 PM
#16
Aluminium Crusader :-)
And, according to this site, despite only having an 86cm inseam (33.85"), Marc Madiot used 180s all the time
https://www.bsn.com/Cycling/cranks.html
https://www.bsn.com/Cycling/cranks.html
08-08-05, 09:15 PM
#17
Aluminium Crusader :-)
Is Backstedt mainly a sprinter, or mainly a big grinder?
If so, despite his height, it's unusual for a sprinter to use 177.5s
If so, despite his height, it's unusual for a sprinter to use 177.5s
08-08-05, 09:19 PM
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Originally Posted by 531Aussie
And, according to this site, despite only having an 86cm inseam (33.85"), Marc Madiot used 180s all the time
https://www.bsn.com/Cycling/cranks.html
https://www.bsn.com/Cycling/cranks.html
Big fan of the 12 cog, Madiot. His win at Roubaix in 1991 was sublime.
The one that got away for Hendrik Redant.
08-08-05, 09:25 PM
#19
Aluminium Crusader :-)
....and, in case anyone missed my fascinating thread a couple of weeks ago about Lennard Zinn's excuse (which I don't really buy) why pros don't use huge cranks, here it is (the reason)
He talks about sponsor constraints, but Dura-Ace and alu Campag both come in 180s, yet no pro is using 180s, as far as we know
Q & A from Velo News
Dear Lennard,
You recently stated that Magnus Backstedt used 177.5mm cranks. As a 6-foot-5-inch tall rider I have been following your many articles over the years on crank length which appear to conclude that longer is better for tall riders. I'm surprised then that Magnus doesn't use at least 180mm cranks if not longer. Can you provide further insight into what the tall pros are currently using for crank length and why. Why don't we see more custom cranks in the range of 190-210mm for the Axel Merckx's and Magnus Backstedt's of the peloton?
Dear Nat,
I suspect it has less to do with testing and more to do with what is available from sponsors, what a rider has used in the past, and the inertia of tradition in the cycling industry and of professional racing managers, coaches and riders. The industry is devoted to selling product and making a profit, and offering a lot more crank lengths does not make economic sense, because the cost per crank goes up, and they would still sell very few lengths outside of the traditional 165-180mm range. Also, the old-school ideas of their directors sportif and coaches are hard to buck.
Not many riders approach their equipment with personal interest in the way that Greg LeMond and Lance Armstrong have, and tall riders are definitely in the minority in the peloton. Miguel Indurain's career was over before I started going to the Tour, but he was reputed to have used custom 190mm Campy cranks.
https://www.velonews.com/tech/report/...es/6841.0.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/124769-zinn-s-reasons-why-pros-don-t-use-huge-cranks.html
He talks about sponsor constraints, but Dura-Ace and alu Campag both come in 180s, yet no pro is using 180s, as far as we know
Q & A from Velo News
Dear Lennard,
You recently stated that Magnus Backstedt used 177.5mm cranks. As a 6-foot-5-inch tall rider I have been following your many articles over the years on crank length which appear to conclude that longer is better for tall riders. I'm surprised then that Magnus doesn't use at least 180mm cranks if not longer. Can you provide further insight into what the tall pros are currently using for crank length and why. Why don't we see more custom cranks in the range of 190-210mm for the Axel Merckx's and Magnus Backstedt's of the peloton?
Dear Nat,
I suspect it has less to do with testing and more to do with what is available from sponsors, what a rider has used in the past, and the inertia of tradition in the cycling industry and of professional racing managers, coaches and riders. The industry is devoted to selling product and making a profit, and offering a lot more crank lengths does not make economic sense, because the cost per crank goes up, and they would still sell very few lengths outside of the traditional 165-180mm range. Also, the old-school ideas of their directors sportif and coaches are hard to buck.
Not many riders approach their equipment with personal interest in the way that Greg LeMond and Lance Armstrong have, and tall riders are definitely in the minority in the peloton. Miguel Indurain's career was over before I started going to the Tour, but he was reputed to have used custom 190mm Campy cranks.
https://www.velonews.com/tech/report/...es/6841.0.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/124769-zinn-s-reasons-why-pros-don-t-use-huge-cranks.html
08-08-05, 09:29 PM
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That's why you'll never see me supporting companies that only make cranks in 3 sizes.
I'm considering going from DA 177.5's to 180's in the future.
Leverage baby, it's allll about the leverage.
I'm considering going from DA 177.5's to 180's in the future.
Leverage baby, it's allll about the leverage.
08-08-05, 09:31 PM
#21
Aluminium Crusader :-)
I thought you still had 175s
You got any shoes with Shimano cleats?
If so, you can try my 180s one day if you want
You got any shoes with Shimano cleats?
If so, you can try my 180s one day if you want
08-08-05, 09:37 PM
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Aussie,
I know Backstedt's won some sprints, but not sure about his general cadence. The longer the crankarms, the better the leverage - and spinning be damned!
I know Backstedt's won some sprints, but not sure about his general cadence. The longer the crankarms, the better the leverage - and spinning be damned!
08-08-05, 10:00 PM
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Originally Posted by 531Aussie
I thought you still had 175s
You got any shoes with Shimano cleats?
If so, you can try my 180s one day if you want
You got any shoes with Shimano cleats?
If so, you can try my 180s one day if you want
you can try my 180s one day if you want
Do you get noticeable more power over 175mms?
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08-08-05, 10:08 PM
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The only number that stands out to me is Coppi's 171. Talk about custom, 170 just wasn't close enough. What surprised me is that Merckx didn't have some custom set-up.
08-08-05, 10:21 PM
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Originally Posted by vindicator
What surprised me is that Merckx didn't have some custom set-up.
