175 cranks for a sh...
 

[Closed] 175 cranks for a shortish arse road rider

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Normally use 172.5mm cranks on my road and cx/commuter bike. Planet x are doing some lovely FSA K Force cranks for £150, should be almost £500 rrp, but no 172.5 left.

So I'm thinking of going for the 175mm cranks. Will I die a premature death/will my cadence be all over the shop if I switch from 172.5 to 175. I'm 5'9 on a tall day.

I do need a new chainset as the lh pedal is siezed solid on the crank and I cvould do with fitting new pedals.


 
Posted : 16/12/2009 9:09 am
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Dunno.
I'm your height and use 170s. You mentioned cross, if it's for racing I'd stick with the correct size rather than making them fit.


 
Posted : 16/12/2009 9:13 am
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Go for it!
[url= http://www.sheldonbrown.com/cranks.html#length ]Sheldon says[/url] it effectively doesn't matter cos we all climb the same stairs...


 
Posted : 16/12/2009 9:16 am
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Never thought of going down the way to tiddly ickle 170's. I don't race cross and if I did start it wouldn't be in a serious way.

Just checked no 170's left either. Obvioulsy lots of 175's left cause no one buys them.


 
Posted : 16/12/2009 9:17 am
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The reverse is true on the On-One site.
Only 170mm cranks left. 🙁


 
Posted : 16/12/2009 9:36 am
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Gee from these parts, who's about 6'1" recently fitted some 170s to his bike and was extolling their virtues, I believe Matt Page has done the same (could've been someone else though).

Tim, you'll be fine.


 
Posted : 16/12/2009 10:02 am
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I was looking at the 170 as well.

Does size really matter ?? I can't view that sheldon link (in work)

I mean the difference between 170 and 175 is only 1cm in total (right?)


 
Posted : 16/12/2009 10:02 am
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Is the difference not 31.4mm rather than 10mm?

Anyway, no you won't die. You may even not notice any difference. Then again, you may feel never quite right with them...
150quid is still a lot of money to spend on something that you don't feel quite right with.
Can you not borrow someones 175 cranks and see how you get on with them?


 
Posted : 16/12/2009 10:12 am
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mmm not sure now, the sheldon site talk about some knee pain with longer cranks and I do a lot of miles on the bike. Shame - nice crankset at a bargain price.


 
Posted : 16/12/2009 10:27 am
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I'd go shorter. 170 feels right for me - 5'8".


 
Posted : 16/12/2009 10:33 am
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I'd consider going shorter but 170mm is out of stock too.


 
Posted : 16/12/2009 11:16 am
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I've tried 170's and it is not quite "right".
Went straight back to 175.
Matt is about 5ft ( 😉 )so 170 might well work better for him.
There's a simple calculation somewhere which tells you the correct crank length relative your inside leg, the aspect of the moon and your hair colour that day - and I'm a 175.


 
Posted : 16/12/2009 12:19 pm