165mm Cranks - The Pro Tech Trend You Need To Follow

If you want to be more aero and therefore get faster, you should pay attention to the latest pro tech trends. If the pros are doing it, surely you should too…

Liam visits expert bike fitter Bryan at The Bike The Body to talk about whether you should change your crank length.

We find out why the pros are making the switch to shorter cranks and what benefits swapping could have for you.

Have you tried shorter cranks? Let us know in the comments.

#cranks #bikefit #aero

Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:43 Baseline Test
02:10 Swapping To 165mm Cranks
05:00 The Benefits Of Shorter Cranks
06:08 Real-World Testing
09:02 Outro

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[bikeradar]

Have you tried shorter cranks? Let us know in the comments!

[macscotsman]

I shortened my mtb cranks down to 155mm just 6 months ago. That may seem extreme so let me give these reasons: I’m 74 years old & still riding 16%+, dirt, mountain fire roads. I’ve shattered my right leg twice. The most recent 5 years ago. My leg, knee & hip are a mess. Shortening the cranks has enabled me to continue riding. I was real close to giving up but now I ride like I’m only about 60 years old =:). Your video has reinforced my decision to try shorter. Thank you

[mrstanhope]

I don't ride with cranks anymore. Bike is now more aero and lighter.

[stiffjalopy]

I’m 2m tall and on my first custom bike, the builder suggested ridiculously long cranks—200mm. I thought he was nuts, but I tried it and it felt amazing. I still have teeny little 175 on my commuter, and they feel like a plaything. I think the point is get the cranks that work for you, and if you’re built weird, be open to a solution way outside the usual range.

[spliffonator]

165cm rider here, went to 155mm Rotor Aldhu cranks over a year ago. FTP is up, max power is up, comfort is up… only thing I wish is that I’d changed sooner

[kenrik]

I’m 5’6” and have been riding 170’mm cranks for 37 years (over 510, 000 miles). My natural cadence is about 105 rpms. No knee or hip issues. Intrigued by the thought of changing to 165mm at this stage.

[jordiw]

Switched to 165 to accommodate a knee injury. As in the video, it was immediately noticeable and odd feeling. But quickly it became a welcome default, and now going back feels quite uncomfortable. I haven’t noticed any downside re power, despite the lower crank leverage. I suspect that is down to a more efficient motion. Anyway, I’m all for it.

[Chibster]

I just switched to 160mm, down from 170mm. Brilliant! Much more comfortable and faster average speed for me.

[ukestjohn]

I'm only 160cm tall, I use 152mm cranks on both my touring bike and my road bike. Feels great, easy to spin. Feels really good when out of the saddle climbing.

[stevenr]

I am 5'2" I was on 155 Rotors for years. Now that the arthritis in my hips is significant, I upgraded to La Dixna 140 length cranks. It made my hips feel 25 years younger and allows me to be on the bike much more. Climbing on them is surprisingly fun. Like jogging up single steps-rather than skipping a couple of steps at a time.

[LFMC]

I bought mine six years ago!!! Smaller circles, less knee stress . Do not forget to compensate saddle height.

[myNamezMe]

Seems like the context of body/inseam length often gets lost when the discussion of crank length pops up.

[meibing]

Have changed to 165mm cranks myself - highly recommended - the hips feel a lot better after riding hard.

[kaotictube]

I considered this, but only because I have long torso and shorter legs, 176cm tall but only a 81cm inseam... Having shorter cranks means I don't have to stretch my legs as much and and not have my knee hit my chest when pedalling.

[aldrinclementina]

I’m 173 used to ride 172.5 but switched to 170mm cranks. I can now maintain a steady cadence easily even when I’m tired and t the verge of being dropped 😂.
With the 172.5 I would drop like a leave from a tree the moment I feel so.
I wonder if the 165 will be better for me.
Thanks in advance

[Criscross]

I decided to leapfrog to the year 2054. Currently running 120mm Cranks.
Amazing!😂

[thomasv.s.]

Went from 172.5 to 150 on my TT bike. Only upsides as long as I remember to keep the cadence above 100 rpm.

[Gufolicious]

im on 165 since 3 years, it was the best change i have ever made and people where making fun of me at that time.

[treyquattro]

a before & after test with numbers would have been useful: what was the RPM difference for a given power output?

[fredherzberger]

Crank length formula
Inseam inches to crank length in mm
Inseam x 5.48= crank length in millimeters
Example 30x5.48=164.4mm
For my 30" Inseam a 165mm crank was better.