170 to 175?
 

[Closed] 170 to 175?

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i have 170 cranks at the moment, slightly broken - 175 replacements are half the price new at the moment.. will i notice any difference?


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 1:07 pm
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If you do you will quickly adjust your riding technique to get used to it.

If you already smack your pedals loads than maybe stick with 170.


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 1:14 pm
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I can tell the difference. Mainly through increased pedal strikes.

Also I like to spin the pedals rather than mash them and 170's seem to suit me and my knees better (I'm only a shorty).


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 1:14 pm
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how tall are you?


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 1:14 pm
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I usually run 172.5s. I have a set of 180s which I have used from time to time. I can't really tell the difference, except when spinning in a low gear, but it's only just noticeable, not a problem.


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 1:16 pm
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I do, I went from 175 to 170. 170 feels to me to be more 'lower power and spin' than the 175. Didn't think I would notice and got a good deal on the 170's, but I do notice. Very slight though and it wouldn't put me off


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 1:16 pm
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I smack my pedals loads with 175s, put it down to low BB. Do you really notice the 5mm difference on pedal strikes with 170s?


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 1:18 pm
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6'1" - i run 175 on other (road) bikes, it's the pedal/crank strike i was wondering about.. seems such a small difference though!

i do have fairly chunky flats on, so i could probably eliminate any cornering differences by getting some slightly smaller pedals.. i do smack rocks straight below sometimes, but tbh that's probably due more to poor technique than 5mm yeah?


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 1:25 pm
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sugdenr - Member
I smack my pedals loads with 175s, put it down to low BB. Do you really notice the 5mm difference on pedal strikes with 170s?

Yep. Always used to whack my pedals on my old Stumpjumper with 175mm Specialized cranks.
Bought a replacement XT crankset & it was £10 less to get 170mm cranks. Didn't really notice any difference to pedalling, apart from I stopped whacking my pedals all the time.


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 1:29 pm
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i have 170 cranks at the moment, slightly broken - 175 replacements are half the price new at the moment.. will i notice any difference?
yes


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 1:29 pm
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Apparently the correct crank length [url= http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm ]can be calculated[/url] as per below

[i]"One writer in a major magazine article quite a few years ago claimed that after considerable testing with many different riders, 18.5% of the distance from the top of the femur to the floor in bare feet should be the crank length. You can find the top of the femur pretty easily. It's 5" to 6" below your hip bone, and moves rearward when you raise your knee."[/i]


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 1:56 pm
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Possibly, possibly not.

Does your bike have a low BB?


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 2:32 pm
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sugdenr, try increasing the psi in your rear shock.... those cristmas pies are taking their toll...


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 3:26 pm
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I'm at the opposite end of the scale, and gone from 170 to 165, and its very noticable.


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 3:27 pm
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I've gone from 177.36 to 176.98 and the difference is massively noticable.

Just do it.


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 3:32 pm
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haha


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 3:38 pm
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I think I do, especially on a very bumpy trail with lots of fast power-spins. (My new bike has 170s my older bikes 175s but I've never tried them side-by-side on the same bike).

Most new bikes come with 175s. If you think about it it's daft that a 5'6" person and a 6'+ person ride the same cranks, it's got to be wrong for at least one of them.


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 3:40 pm
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Seriously jeffcapeshop, what's the worst that can happen?

I've got 170's on one bike and 175's on the other, and can't really tell the difference - you'll soon adapt, like Stevelol says.

You'll notice the money in your pocket more, that's for sure. 😆


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 4:05 pm
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sugdenr, try increasing the psi in your rear shock.... those cristmas pies are taking their toll...

My shock is on maximum already.....


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 4:11 pm
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well the worst would be that i hit more rocks! but 5mm is pretty tiny.


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 4:13 pm
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I would run 165mm if they would put them on bikes!! 😈

Why not small frame 165
Medium 170
Large 175
x large 180

Sounds good to me.


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 4:16 pm
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x large 180

....but not to me, I cant afford the pedal damage 🙁


 
Posted : 09/02/2012 4:34 pm