[hpv] Crank length revisited

[Tod]

Awhile back I posted some questions to the list about crank length and
received a wide range of opinions and preferences. I thought I'd post my
own preliminary experience.

On Saturday I replaced the 175mm cranks that came on my Rocket with 165mm
cranks (Thanks to Zach Kaplan for finding them for me). Thanks to El Nino
I only have about 40 miles on since then, but my initial impression is
YAAAAYYYY!!!!!

I find spinning to be much easier with the 165s, and the various
combinations of knee and groin muscle aches and pains I was having before
despite much seat position experimentation immediately diminished greatly.
I finally feel like the Rocket is working with rather than against my body.
It will be somewhat difficult to make valid comparisons regarding speed
gain or loss, but even if I lost a little speed it would be worth it. I
suspect, though, that once I get used to higher cadences I will be able to
compensate for any loss of leverage from the shorter crank. I did make it
up my killer death hill OK.

Now I'm chomping at the bit to go touring. Anybody heard what El Nino is
supposed to do to spring and summer weather around the world?

Tod Fiste
San Francisco, CA
'97 Rans Rocket Saturn V

[Chris Leck & Adriana Martínez]

Another reason to change cranks is bike sizing: I replaced Adriana's
stock Vision R42 cranks with 155mm cranks (courtesy of Haluzak via Fools
Crow). Prior to that, the bike was too "big" for her, even with the boom
fully retracted. A complementary technique, for those with difficulty
reaching the pedals, is a lumbar support pillow.

Tod wrote:
>
> Awhile back I posted some questions to the list about crank length and
> received a wide range of opinions and preferences. I thought I'd post
> my own preliminary experience.

I think that I missed this thread and didn't respond.

Chris Leck

[John Foltz]

Tod wrote:
> Awhile back I posted some questions to the list about crank length and
> received a wide range of opinions and preferences. I thought I'd post my
> own preliminary experience.
>

> On Saturday I replaced the 175mm cranks that came on my Rocket with 165mm
> cranks (Thanks to Zach Kaplan for finding them for me). Thanks to El Nino
> I only have about 40 miles on since then, but my initial impression is
> YAAAAYYYY!!!!!
>

I question the wisdom of putting 175s on recumbents. The logic I hear is
that they are using mountain gearing, and that's what mountain bikes
come with. But my V-Rex has a road triple on it, and the cranks are
still 175s.
Someone out there is rationalizing a (IMHO) poor standard.

Mountain bikers frequently find themselves mashing up a hill at <30rpm,
and the extra leverage comes in handy for them. But the larger pedalling
circumference makes it harder to maintain a good cadence on the road,
where virtually all recumbents are to be found.

My new-in-the-fall V-Rex came with a nice Campy crank, but I'll probably
be chucking it as soon as I can find a deal on a Shimano
replacement--the 175s have dropped my comfortable cadence from 80-85
down to 65-70. My knees can tell the difference.
--
--- O_
John Foltz ---- _\\/\-%
V-Rex _________(_)=(_)_______