What is crank arm length?
The crank length represents the distance between the centre of the bottom bracket and the centre of the pedal axis. The most common lengths are 170, 172.5 and 175 mm, but it is possible to find cranks between 165 and 180 mm in the market.
How do I choose crank arm length?
Crank length is measured from the centre of the bottom bracket axle to the centre of the pedal axle. If you’re not sure what length the cranks on your bike are, the quickest way of finding out is typically to just look at the backside of your cranks, just below the pedal axle.
What difference does crank length make?
‘The research evidence is clear: crank length makes no difference to power on the road – track is slightly different – unless you go as short as 80mm or as long as 320mm. And as a bike fitter and physiotherapist, I’ve never had a reason to go bigger.
Are all crank arms the same?
MTB cranksets generally differ in three ways – crank length, bottom bracket (BB) type and number of chainrings. Crank length: Most MTB cranks are 175mm long, but riders with legs shorter or longer than the average may feel more comfortable on cranks that better match their measurements.
What is the difference between 165mm and 170mm crank?
165mm’s make you spin faster, but with less power because of reduced leverage, 170mm’s slower but more power. This is mostly effective in road racing. But for DH racing/riding where higher cadence isn’t crucial, it mostly comes down to what feels nice for you, and what will give you the most ground clearance.
Are longer crank arms better?
As you’ll know from using a crowbar or a wheelbarrow, the longer the lever, the greater the load that can be lifted; so a longer lever arm allows a rider to create more torque than a rider with similar leg strength, but a shorter lever arm. But there’s more to going faster than driving a big gear.
What is a 34 50 crankset?
A compact crank refers to a road bike crankset with relatively smaller chainrings that can make pedaling easier. While ‘standard’ cranks come with a 53-tooth large chainring and a 39-tooth small ring, compact cranks usually feature 50- and 34-tooth rings.
How much difference does crank length make?
What is a 52 36 crankset?
A semi-compact chainset, sometimes called mid-compact or faux pro, has a 52-tooth outer chainring and a 36-tooth inner chainring. This means that the biggest gears aren’t quite as big as those of a 53/39 chainset but they’re not far off, and they’re larger than those of a compact.