Crankset Upgrade
 

Hi guys,

I bought a 2009 Fuji Cross Comp cyclocross bike. I bought a pair of mavic open pro rims and 30mm wide road tires to give me more versatility. My bike is setup with Ultegra shifters and rear derailleur, and a 105 front derailleur. I am thinking about upgrading my crankset. What is the advantage of the different size cranks (i.e. 170, 172.5 and 175)? If height makes a difference, I am a 5'5" male. What brand or model do you guys recommend? Can I run a different make of crankset with my 105 front derailleur (i.e. sram crank with shimano derailleur)? Thanks for the knowledge.

You can use any Sram or Shimano crankset. The 170mm number is the length of the crank arm. For someone your height, 170-172.5 is good. I use the 105 crankset with the Hollowtech II BB and it's awesome and cheap.

What crank is on it now? If it shifts good, I'd leave it.

Unless you want to change the gear ratio he is right!

This thread might be helpful

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...=#post10713535

165mm or 170mm length for your height.

How can you tell that? What if he has a really tiny torso but a 36" inseam?

And why the hell did I look in the 41?

I'm 5'6" and I've used 170 and 172.5 and preferred the 170. I've had trouble with mixing shimano and FSA, so I also prefer shimano on shimano. The 105 is a good choice or Ultegra if you can get a good deal.

stupid question
 

Since I am new to cycling, this may be a stupid question. Can you put a older 9 speed crank on a newer 10 speed? My cassette is a 10 speed dura ace. The rear deraileur is ultegra (6600). The front dereaileur is 105, and the shifters are ultegra (6600). My chain is ultegra.

Yes, given the chainrings are not a drastic jump in size compared to the ones you are replacing. As it is the front derailleur will probably only need some fine tuning not replacement. I bet if you offered up the name or model number of both cranksets in question someone would quickly sort out potential issues without sending you off to learn about B.C.D. or any other technical info. Within the product line of a manufacturer you should be pretty safe in so far as compatibility as it is in their best interest to to have all but their race level equipment function happily with little thought once properly installed. A proper routine of maintenance and cleanliness have a great deal to do with the authenticity of that last statement.