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Does it really make any real world difference?
My frame has a lowish BB so was thinking going 170 for what tiny difference it would make fr ground clearance.
Is there a better option? All bikes seem to come new with 175 but a lot of people seem to go 170mm after market?
Seems to be a subjective thing though 5-10mm ground clearance may be worth it (I dunno).
Yeah that's why I'm thinking of going 170mm, give myself an extra 5mm ground clearance.
But does a longer crank make pedalling efficiency better.
Ground clearance is just that bit better with 170mm; esp with the low BB on the Canyon. got it on all my bikes.
Bought 170mm by accident years ago - I have long legs and they felt weird - a bit like those dreams where you're trying to run but can't move. If you have short legs they'd probably be better. 5mm will make a fair difference to rock strikes though. You'd have to add over an inch of fork length to make the same gain.
Coming to think of it, my Road Bike probably has 170mm cranks and I'd probably prefer 175's...
Cheaper option might be to go for very flat pedals if you ride flats. Particularly if you are on V8s, I guess you would save the clearance by going to Superstar Nanos or similar.
Cheers guys. I've decided to go for the 170's
I order both so I could ride today. Surprising how much 5mm looks when holding the crank arms together.
New bike now built and ready for first outing. Pics later
Yeah that's why I'm thinking of going 170mm, give myself an extra 5mm ground clearance.
Seriously?! you can notice 5mm extra clearance? wow.
Yeah that's why I'm thinking of going 170mm, give myself an extra 5mm ground clearance.
Seriously?! you can notice 5mm extra clearance? wow.
I would have thought the difference would've so tiny and not noticeable out on the trail however after holding both crank arms together I can see how there would be a noticeable difference.
Well, I certainly notice the difference between 170 and 175mm.
When I built my first mountain bike, I calculated my optimal crank length would be 170mm base on my height a leg length. I bought 170mm cranks for it. For some reason, I kept getting cramps in my calf, thought nothing of it, take loads of electrolyte before riding and not thought about it after that.
Years later, I came across some cheap 175mm crank on the classifield and fitted that instead, notice it was a bit easier to go up hill but that was about it. Some time after that, I stopped taking electrolyte before riding because I ran out. Didn't get cramp so stop taking them. I thought it must be fitness related back then.
I recently bought a new bike (new to me) that came with 170mm crank. Went out for a ride, cramp in the calf straight away.
Long story short, 170mm cranks give me cramp in the calf, 175 don't. It's probably just me though.
Bought 170mm by accident years ago - I have long legs and they felt weird
I'm normal size and spend most of my time riding on 150mm cranks, though also some on 140 and some on 125. It stops feeling weird after a while.
[i]But does a longer crank make pedalling efficiency better. [/i]
Only if you've long enough legs to take advantage.
[i]I would have thought the difference would've so tiny and not noticeable out on the trail however after holding both crank arms together I can see how there would be a noticeable difference. [/i]
You'd only notice the difference if you rode them back-to-back on the same trail - but logically 170mm should mean less pedal strikes.
Seriously?! you can notice 5mm extra clearance? wow.
For me personally the added ground clearance was more noticable (hardly at all) then any difference in pedalling (none at all). Which was what I suspected and the reason I went with 170mm in the first place.