RLHawk

How does the Sram Red crank compare to Sram Rival crank, particularly spindle width and q-factor.

I'm shopping for a new bike and have been banging up my ankles on test rides. The Sram Rival is really bad, Shimano Ultegra not so bad, but still little bit of an issue. I want to select a crank/upgrade to an option that helps alleviate this issue.

Most of this is the result of my sloppy pedal stroke. I'm working on it. Any suggestions to help would be appreciated. I currently use speedplay X2 pedals and may switch to zeros with some heal float locked out on the new bike.

BananaTugger

You don't need a new crank, you need a new pedal stroke.

Work on that because it's free.

RLHawk

... aside from that, what can be done. I am shopping for a new bike and don't want to limit to choice or wait until I fix my pedal stroke. I also figured that if I were going to make a change, trying to incorporate it as an upgrade with a new bike purchase would be more economical. (But I guess free is the most economical option )

JayC

You can get some pedal extenders to move your ankles out.

Szczuldo

work on your pedal stroke on your current bike. Buying a new bike will only make the problem worse because you will go onto that bike thinking that it will solve the problem and when it does not you will be disappointed and your time on the bike will suffer since you'll relate it to being in pain and uncomfortable.

How are you banging up your ankles, it just doesn't make any sense. If anything should hurt it'll be your knee..not your ankle. You really have to work on your pedal stroke/fit if your ankle hurts..

BananaTugger

The differences in cranks is perhaps a few millimeters at most.

If you wish, you can see some real stiffness and weight numbers on cranksets from different manufacturers, here.

The test also includes Q-Factor measurements and excellent pictures to help you determine the exact shape of the arms.

I would just work on my pedal stroke or buy some Speedplay Zeros.

RLHawk

I see you caught my typo. Good thing I don't work when I am this tired or all you out there getting MR scans would be in trouble.

I don't think a new bike will solve the problem, but I can choose something that won't make it worse. I do think having speedplay zero pedals with the heal float locked out will solve the problem. Am I wrong about that? Shopping for a new bike, riding different cranks (with my pedals), has shown me how bad of an issue this is. I am working on it.

I currently don't have knee problems. My pedal stroke is not so bad that I hit my ankle on every rotation, just when I get tired and sloppy. I start swinging my heals in which results in my heal hitting the chain stay and my ankle hitting the crank arm at the spindle. I am currently riding older Shimano 105 Octalink cranks which are rounded off at the top of the crank arm, so I have not noticed it as much of an issue.

RLHawk

Thanks for the info. That is a great link.

I am still going to get a new bike (but for so many other reasons), and will focus on my pedal stroke and buy some Speedplay Zeros.

Dick Rhee

I'm a bit duck-footed and one thing I tried that helped was to try canting out your foot angle via wedges under your cleat. Not only did it make the shoes a lot more comfortable for my messed up feet but it straightened me out when spinning as well. Just a thought.

Cheshyre

^^ alternative to dick rhee's advice:

i'm a little duck footed too, and i find that tucking my knees closer to my toptube helps straighten out the feet a bit. plus, it keeps you from pedaling with your knees out and flapping.

i would strongly advise AGAINST locking out float so that your foot cannot go duckfooted. i did that once on accident (cleat shifted position and i was too lazy to fix it, rode for 20 miles on it), and the resulting pain in the few days after was so bad that i had to spin my 4 mile commute to work on about the lowest gear my bike had to offer. i've never had knee pain that bad in my life.

RLHawk

Thanks for the input, I will take it into consideration and use great caution with locking out float. My plan is to just limit the float just enough so my heals do not strike the chain stays. It will still give me some play. I will also very slowly reduce the float and monitor for knee issues.

AgentRedlum

Just get your ankle bones shaved! I'm sure there's a plastic surgeon our there who is willing to accommodate such a request!

Coyote2

The OP should probably learn to ride properly before buying a new bike.

RLHawk

Why? Can you elaborate?

RLHawk

Maybe the OP is shopping for a new bike because the current one he has is the wrong size, which prevents getting into an optimal position resulting in unstable pedaling platform and sloppy pedal stroke, or maybe the wrong position tires out his back/core which disrupts his pedaling platform and results in a sloppy pedal stroke. If that were the case, a new bike may actually fix the issue.

Besides, is it that unusual for any athlete in any sport with a repetitive motion to get a little sloppy when fatigued?

Coyote2

You are test-riding bikes that don't fit, and/or test riding when you are fatigued and have a sloppy pedal stroke? Is that what you are claiming in your last post?

Psyclismo

Get some Time RXS pedals. They will allow you to set up the cleat so that your foot is outboard of the pedal slightly (they have adjustable Q-factor) plus you can rotate the cleat to the point where you'll still have float but the hard limit of inward rotation will be just before you can make contact with crank or chainstay. Go any further and you'll clip out.. which you'll learn VERY quickly not to do, believe me. LOOKs will probably also give you the same sort of functionality.

RLHawk

I know that when I get tired I swing my heals around and bang up my ankles. In an effort to minimize this on a new bike I intentionally do it during a test ride to see what it would be like on that particular bike/crank.

Coyote2

Okay, then see my 9:27am post.

RLHawk

What ever, your right, but how much good is it going to do me to continue to ride a bike that is the wrong size. Am I ever going to learn how to ride a bike the 'right way' on something that does not fit?