FindinFreestyle wrote:
Sponsorships are a big barrier for TdF riders. Shimano, SRAM and Campy. Nobody makes a high end crank shorter than 165. Heck Campy Record's shortest length is 170 right now I believe. Gives you some insight into the myth and lore of cycling that really persists in that market. But yeah, the longer I fit, the higher level of athletes coming to me. A few years ago, I would have been scared to fit these guys. Not anymore. I'll fit any of them. And I intend to go after them. And pester SRAM and Shimano to at least make a 160.The narrative isn't helped, though, by the fact that among those who really, really care about time-trailling at the very highest level, they tend to have longish cranks. Not saying that's optimal, or they shouldn't go shorter, or that we should listen to pros at all. They just tend to have longer-than-165mm-cranks. 175mm on Froome's Bolide. 170mm on Roglic' Bianchi. 175mm on Tom Dumoulin's Trinity. 170mm on Wiggins' hour record track bike.
Of course these are all pretty tall men too.