My partner’s 153cm, and riding 175cm cranks on her mountain bike so I’m looking for a crankset to send to Highpath Engineering for shortening.

The cranks need to be solid to allow drilling new sockets, preferably with 24mm spindle. Either way I’d like to avoid square taper spindles.

Her bike’s non-boost 1×10 speed Zee, with a ‘standard’ BB 68/73 threaded bottom bracket so a 104mm BCD should slot in with the right chainring or spacers.

One of the proprietary systems like Cinch would allow smaller? chainrings, but I don’t think there are any solid cranks.

Can you suggest suitable cranks?

How short you want to go? The profile of the crank will be important where you want to hole.

Anything solid, most people doing the shortening will put a spotface (of sorts) in place to mitigate against some profiling.

Don’t go daft though!

Something like deore would be ideal. Solid, not much profile, not too expensive if you get it wrong.

Can get good cranks in 165, if thats short enough.

SRAM NX1 go down to 155mm as standard. You can use GXP in a standard Hollowtech II BB with adapters or replace the BB with GXP.

spa cycles or thorn do shorter cranks. I find alivio in 165 is fine. xt also an option

EDIT: Beaten too it!

SRAM NX1 go down to 155mm as standard. You can use GXP in a standard Hollowtech II BB with adapters or replace the BB with GXP.

HTH

If the NX are not too long at 155 I’d go for those.
If not Zee are solid and shorten easily though the spindle is heavy. My kid uses Zee’s shortened to 140 and the shortening only takes 30 mins. (Longer perhaps if you want to get the ends nice and rounded)
You could also (if being used for downhill drill out larger and stick the steel screw threads back ) I took them out but the kid isn’t heavy enough to need them.

Probably aiming for around 150mm cranks, but need to do some calcs. 155mm would be a big improvement and close, so looks like NX is the one.

Otherwise chop the Zees when Highpath are running again.

Thanks all

What are your requirements? The Zee are heavy … the weight is in the spindle so they are still heavy when cut.
If you just tap them then you lost the strength around the pedal.
If you are not that fussed on 200g then why not square taper?
Weight wise Zee’s will save hardly anything (literally a few grams) over a UN55 and SRAM 600’s .. what you gain in the BB you lose in the spindle …

High path are reasonably priced until you add vat and P&P …. it’s much easier and quicker to just cut your own especially if they are not taking orders at the moment.
All you need is some pedal taps and a 13mm bit… assuming you own a electric drill, file and hacksaw.

Meanwhile anyone 153cm on 175’s has got to be really uncomfortable at best…. at worst they will be doing permanent damage to their hips and knees. Getting shorter cranks will transform your partners riding… they will be able to put the saddle up higher for ascents and also be able to move abo ut the bike much more easily. Long Craig pretty much dictate the position for,shorter riders which is inevitably further forwards than they want to be.

If the SRAM 155’s work then I’d go for them .. the Zee you would need thighs like an Olympic weight lifter at 153cm to benefit at all from the extra stiffness. You can get some S600’s, pedal taps and a UN55 for about t he same as the vat and p&p or high path. Once you do one set it is much much easier than you might expect.

View this post on Instagram

Had a bit of a play with an old set of race Face affect cranks today. Reduced them down for the boys merida matts team to do away with the square taper cranks that were fitted, I just need to mill the ends down and jobs a good en #instamachinist #homeworkshop #merida #raceface @martynashton hack or bodge you decide #hackorbodge

A post shared by David Giles (@daviieboy) on Jun 3, 2017 at 2:32pm PDT

Thanks all!

@stevextc. Priorities are to get a better fit on the bike, and lower the gearing, preferably 26t. 30t on 175mm cranks is similar gearing at the pedals to 26t on 153mm (target crank length).

Weight is a secondary issue. I take your point about square taper, but I’ve found it unreliable in use, so if I can avoid it I will – I’d rather tap a crankset than use square taper.

@dirtyrider Those Aeffect cranks look great! Any tips on how to align the pedal spindles when drilling?

It looks like SRAM NX cranks are only available in 94 BCD, not Direct Mount, which means the smallest readily available chainring is 30t – unless STW knows different?

oval 30t so pedals like a 28t?

Probably oval 26t so like 29t on 175mm cranks